Year Four-Falling off Ladders, A Learning Experience.

I had a sudden interest in dust yesterday.  I was sitting on the couch, reading, and waiting to dash off (if you want call it dashing now) to my psychiatrist appointment, and looked over at the bathroom door.  I could see white on the wood stained panels. Should take care of that, I thought.  So I got up and grabbed the Pledge and did some touch up around the place, getting bath powder and general dust off of surfaces in a few rooms. 

Declaring victory, I went on my way, saw my psydoc - another whole post for that, ran a few errands, lunch and home.  Settled back and watched some DVR'd shows.  While I was sitting on the couch, I looked up and saw the ceiling fan.  Wow, was that thing dusty....

And since I was on a dust warpath (forced air heat can do that) I grabbed my official duster of high things I got at an "As seen on TV" store.  Couldn't quite reach the thing. In the past, even the recent past, I would get a kitchen ladder like this one...

in fact exactly like this one, and get up and do what needed to be done.  Nope.  One step up (and those are paint stains, by the by) and the task was immediately postponed until today when Jackie was home. I, being alpha male around here, got my Swiffer and then the kitchen ladder and had one foot on step two and one on step three, and the swiffering was completed.  And then I realized there was no way to get down.  Again, like Sunday, the body would not move.

So instead of standing there like a swiffering statue, I called Jackie.  She ran in from the kitchen, took my hands in hers and held on as I stepped down, alpha male with tail between his legs (uh, bad visual). We later had to measure a bathroom fixture for replacement and we did the same routine.

I've never been a macho kind of guy.  If I was I wouldn't be telling you these things, I'd do the "suck it up" routine.  But I may not be on the drugs that I need either, or in therapy. Still, asking for help? From a female persuasion person? Puh-leeeze.

Already did it.  Part of the learning curve.  Reached out to the handy-dandy fix it guy, and we began working out fix it time later next week.  Jackie did the majority of the snow shoveling, and I did mop up with a broom.  The new normal.  It is starting to slip, and I don't mean just off step ladders.  House and big yard. Chores. More demands.

We need to get out of here.

I shared Sunday's tumbling news with the support group. Their advice...never be without a cellphone.  I've avoided one for years, used it only if Jackie asked.  Things change.

More on the psydoc soon.  Thanks for reading.