This was the sight that greeted me when I arrived at Dad's place a few months ago. I caught him up on a ladder fixing the guttering on the laundry roof. This might not seem like such a difficult or dangerous job, but for an 89 year old with two unreliable knees it's cause for concern, and heart palpitations. In me. Dad was fine. When he got down safely off the ladder, I breathed a sigh of relief, but that was short-lived.
'Here, give me a hand with this trestle,' he says.
So I help him position it across two ladders, as high as I could reach. 'Dad, this trestle is a bit wobbly,' I say rattling the aluminium plank up and down.
'Oh well, that'll just keep me awake while I'm up there,' he jokes, making no attempt to stabilise it.
You can't keep a good man down, I suppose.
'Here, give me a hand with this trestle,' he says.
So I help him position it across two ladders, as high as I could reach. 'Dad, this trestle is a bit wobbly,' I say rattling the aluminium plank up and down.
'Oh well, that'll just keep me awake while I'm up there,' he jokes, making no attempt to stabilise it.
You can't keep a good man down, I suppose.