my ladder climbing wonder-dad

chirp. chirp. chirp.
last fall dad's smoke alarm was speaking
so he changed the battery.
a few weeks later it continued to speak,
sister-bird and i 'helped' dad work on it.
things were quiet for awhile.

chirp. chirp. chirp.
sigh....so
last week we moved the step ladder
from the kitchen to the bedroom
to pull down the offender.
dad gets ready to climb up i ask
"do you want me to do this?"
dad: "you might have to"
as he climbed up to the top step!
 i just shake my head and pray.
 
he discovers he can't quite reach the alarm,
so he gently rests one foot on the dresser
and stretches a bit more. 
i continue head shaking and praying.
due to torn rotator cuffs in both shoulders
he is very limited in mobility.
but not tenacity.
his persistence prevails and
soon the 'chirpy' is off the wall.

in the course of the step ladder
climbing-dresser-dancing,
my sweet stubborn independent
 poppa said to me
"i've done all kinds of things YOU
don't know about last week!"

oh ho!
i wait a bit, then ask
"what did you do?"
dad: " i got on the roof".

big eyed head shaking on my part
but i calmly respond
me: " okay...why?"
dad: " that vent had come off."
aha! 
me: " did you get it fixed?"
dad: "YES"

i wait a bit then said
"good job pop, and 
 you didn't get hurt that's good."

honestly, i'm thankful he felt like
he could do this.
his fiestiness is returning.
even though i wish he wouldn't do 
things like that.


yesterday i called dad to visit.
me: "hey dad. we need to take the 
Christmas lights off the house, 
and wondered if you wanted to help?"
he chuckled.
i chuckled.
and then with a voice of confidence
he said: " i bet i could!"