Open wider

Finally the West Wing is nearing completion – and it’s lovely. Panther, Boys One and Two and I are enjoying stretching out into the extra space.
All three of them don’t take any persuading to keep things tidy – a welcome, but almost unsettling side-effect that I’m sure won’t last.
So we’re delighted, but the man from the council was slightly less happy about things.
At first I thought his down-cast demeanour was because he shouldn’t have been in our West Wing at all. But the woman who usually does that job was off work having dropped a Christmas tree base on her foot.
But then he got his tape measure out. Apparently none of our new doors – except the super-wide arch-shaped sliding door, moor of which later – are wide enough.
That’s wide enough for a standard wheelchair to get through. That’s doors all up a step from outside and mostly up a flight of stairs, stairs not boasting a chairlift or alternative elevator.
But, phew, he was in a magnanimous mood, what with it being Christmas and all. We only have to widen two doors – the downstairs loo and the back bedroom. Hurrah.
Let’s hope we make friends with a wheelchair user soon so we can invite him to stay.