hi plegmatic-
glad you enjoyed the translator! it's a hard-won talent of mine learned from sleeping with my wallet under my pillow in the guest room of my own home!
the problem with a plan that relies on an alcholic doing something, is that many times, they don't do anything (as i'm sure you know).
yours sounds quite resourceful in getting drink. i wouldn't be surprised if he doesn't go to his family, as that would require him to get out of his comfort zone.
you might have to take further action on your part to motivate him to leave. if it was me, i would totally cut him off from all money, stop buying anything at all for him, like food he likes, turn off the cable tv, drop his name from the car insurance, etc.
i would stop "taking care" of him in any way that you currently do...things like laundry, cooking, sharing a bed, reminding him of his appointments...
you could even start eating outside of your home, so that he is left to fend totally for himself. why not pick up a big healthy salad at the grocery store and eat it at your work prior to coming home for the evening? mix it up a bit. make plans for yourself to do something for yourself...go have a swim or visit with a friend...see a movie...
i even put a lock on the phone so that no one could make phone calls without a code.
he's probably not going to go easy. i hope he does, but it already sounds as if he is dragging his feet.
it sounds as if it's time to take care of you.
mine didn't understand plain talk, but he surely understood when i stopped buying food! i begged so long for him to do something, but he certainly understood when i took his name off the insurance and he couldn't drive anymore.
i know that for so long, i said i would leave or do something but never did. mine assumed that i would always do this. but really, enough is enough and if yours is creative enough to sell his stuff to fund his drink, i would imagine he won't starve to death.
or, maybe he'll get so hungry, he'll be rushing to call his family...
another thing i learned here which helped me enormously was the phrase:
"stop giving him a soft place to land"
let us know how it goes!
naive