Deutsche Sprachlehre fuer Auslaender mit Omi

So, I have committed an hour a day to becoming reacqainted with German. I thought that one of the best ways to try to learn to really speak German and get beyond the limited forms of expression provided by the grammar books would be to try to talk German with my mother, who was born in Germany in 1930. The only problem is that with Omi EVERYTHING is an argument and this makes it difficult to get through even a single thought in English, let alone in a foreign language. So my mother has asked me to give her a ride to the bank this morning, and now I want to try out the German I know after doing die Ubungen about the bestimmte und unbestimmte Artikeln.

Sharon: Mutti, wann du gehen willst, werde ich fertig.

Omi: Ach, Sharon, no--nicht wann, wenn--Wann is a specific time.

Sharon: But mom, I want to say when you are ready, not if you are ready

Omi: Sharon, it's wann willst du gehen

Sharon: No, mom, I am not asking a question--I want to tell you something, that I am ready to go when you are ready to go

Sharon: Okay, im funfzehn Minuten gehen wir--mit dem Auto? Is it mit oder beim? Beim Auto, Mit dem Auto?--and then my mother goes

Im Auto? nach dem auto

Sharon: hinter dem Auto, uber dem Auto, vor dem Auto

Omi: that would be suicide

And so the German will be learned--sehr langsam.