It's nice London

It's nice to be able to just sit and look out of the window sometimes.

It was the slight roll of the eyes as the optometrist shook her head that was most disconcerting, even more than her suggestion that we head off to the Eye Hospital Accident and Emergency "just to be safe".

When the flashes started to appear in the corner of my eye a few weeks ago along with a series of other disconcerting symptoms, we were about to become stranded on a flooded river, unable to heed Dr Google's suggestion that in all probability my retina wasn't detaching, but if the symptoms persist it would possibly be wise to have it checked.   Thus it was that when the optometrist in question suggested the same thing, we thought it might be equally wise to heed that counsel.

It took just four hours of waiting to see a specialist, who was quick to confirm Doctor Google's advice with regard to the urgency of checking the situation, and reassuringly to add that in this case the symptoms would disappear in time and my sight would not, both of which were quite useful pieces of information.

We were left quite grateful that our experience of the much maligned national health service was a pleasant one indeed, except perhaps for the aggression of impatient patients, and the food in the cafeteria which probably went a long way towards explaining the constant wailing of ambulance sirens down Marylebone Road.

Tomorrow, when my eyes have returned to their normal, post examination state I suspect the gratitude will extend to the fact that I can in fact just sit and look out, no matter what the view.