Balancing Act

Holding my face firmly between my thumb and fingers, I watched while swearing anxiously under my breath. Martin, our magnificent decorator was on his last afternoon until the warmer weather arrives. I managed to get a photo on a big triptych canvas just in time for him to help put it up on the top landing. I was starting to wish I hadn't!

I'm passing the tools over the balcony. He's kneeling precariously in the middle of a very long plank. The long plank is not entirely stable. He gives a wobble. I'm glad I wasn't watching him standing in the middle of the plank putting the coving up last week. I'm telling him an inch to the left or the right really doesn't matter as he's conscientiously measuring the centre of the wall. (FFS just get off the plank!)

Martin is a complete star. A genuine person who I've had many a chats with over the last few months as he's beautifully painted nearly the whole house.

If you missed it, Martin's ladder broke while he was at the top of them a few weeks before Christmas. Martin is now all fixed (with new ladders!) He didn't know but I was doing my best bouldering spotting from behind wondering how to stop him falling three floors if the plank should go or a wobble throws him. I couldn't have his last day ending in another disaster.

It didn't.