Growing Up and Growing Old

Yesterday, younger son and I did a little bicycle ride on the Sammamish River Trail.  I had to get him out and active.  Last week he was sent home from school because he couldn't stay awake in class.  He's been spending a lot of time on the computer and video games, way too much time.  He's now banned from computers and video games for at least a week.  It was good to get out with him.  We only did a few miles in some mild drizzly conditions.  I could tell he was getting a little winded.  He's naturally lean, not fat at all, but apparently not in the best aerobic condition for a lad his age.  We're going to work on that more.

On the way back, we got the message that my parent's car wouldn't start.  My Dad doesn't drive because he failed the vision test and frankly, he's just too far gone to drive.  He suffers some dementia and maybe a mild case of Parkinson's.  He has delusions of other people living in the house and has fabricated in his mind a whole story about this other family living in the house and their various activities.  He can't remember his grand-kid's names or what car is parked in the garage.  There's only one car there now.  My Mom only drives this car to Fred Meyer and back and so with the short trips, the battery never fully charges.  Plus my Mom is too afraid to park the car in the garage because it's a tight fit, so she has my Dad park it in the garage.

I turned the key in the ignition and, sure enough, it wouldn't start.  I checked the headlights just to rule out a dead battery issue.  Whoa!  Someone had left the parking lights on and drained the battery.  According to my Mom, after my Dad parks the car in the garage, he diddles with the buttons and switches, probably thinking he needs to do something with those but, at this point, not sure what.  He used to know. 

I jumped the car and it started right up.  I took it for a long drive to charge the battery back up.  I told my Mom that she has to park the car in the garage from now on.  I will have to give her some lessons so she'll feel confident in doing so.

My poor Dad, he's fading away.