2nd to the Last Day of Driving--Thank the Lord

Today marks the second the last day that I have to drive in Los Angeles. You have no idea how excited I am about this prospect. But if you've been reading my blogs, well, you know exactly how ecstatic this makes me. Today was also my son's preschool graduation--I know, such a ridiculous idea for someone so young. The director asked each child, "what they were to be when they were grown up," in her Croatian inflected English. There were a number of police officers, a few fire fighters, one or two princesses, two ballerinas, one doctor, one scientist, one military, one singer, and our son, who proclaimed to want to be a Master. All of it, the performances, which is nothing more than a bunch of children colliding into one another while the parent population coos, was a bit too much. I know I sound cranky, but I'm starting to feel like the guest who overstayed their welcome by one day too many. I know it's time for me to leave when the sight of three year olds dressed as surfers is irritating.

I feel like the endless 'farewell tour' is also starting to wear on me. How many times can you say 'goodbye' without is sounding hollow and meaningless? It's not fair to those who've spent time planning these evenings, but the weariness has settled into my body. It is all I can do to not want to just stay in bed for the next 18 hours until I get on the plane for Aspen. I know, such an immature way to deal with the stress of saying farewell.

I did find myself driving a bit aimlessly today. Hard to imagine, but there you have it. I shan't miss any of it, not the driving certainly. Or the turning right on red--a right as much as breathing for Angelenos. Or the drivers who believe themselves to be on the Autobahn, whizzing past me at ridiculous speeds on residential streets. Or those who seem to be chatting while driving. No, I feel like I age 10 years each time I get behind the wheel to go anywhere, and since you have to drive to get anywhere, you can imagine how old I must feel after so many miles driven here.

So, tomorrow, my last day of driving will be celebrated with me releasing a big sigh. I have often felt as if I were holding my breath whenever I was behind the wheel of any vehicle. And so now, I can sigh since I am bidding a hearty, thank the Lord, adieu to that necessity.