My grandpa is moving in with us! I know some people would probably groan at the thought of their elderly grandpa living with them, but I love mine. We spend hours playing chess and chatting to each other, and he’s hilarious. He has so many amazing stories from when he was young. It makes me wonder what kinds of stories I’ll tell my own grandkids when I grow up. Even though my grandpa is still really smart and funny, he’s lost some mobility over the years. He’s currently in a wheelchair, which means we have to make sure our house is completely accessible for him. Right now, my uncle is over at our house to help us figure out our disabled bathroom layout and design. My grandpa is sitting in the doorway, giving hundreds of different suggestions. I think my uncle finds it a bit annoying. He’s an expert plumber and understands the Australian standards required for disabled bathrooms, so he doesn’t really need the extra help.
I stand behind my grandpa and watch as my uncle crouches down in the bathroom to take measurements with a bright yellow tape. He seems to be checking every corner and crevice of the room, including the tiles, which he swipes his thumb across and rubs together with his pointer finger. I have no idea what that’s all about. When my uncle emerges from the bathroom, I ask him to show me images of a bathroom refurbishment job, so I can mentally prepare for just what the changes will entail. I’m pretty happy with the bathroom we’ve got right now. It has pictures of fish on the walls, and I like looking at them when I’m in the shower. Hopefully, we won’t have to get rid of them. My uncle reassures me and explains that most of the changes will be pretty subtle, like railings and new shelving. Phew!