Vision not so impaired

For the last week, I’ve been having a bit of a vision problem. Things in the distance kept going fuzzy. They would remain fuzzy for quite a while and then, inexplicably, they would be clear again. Needless to say, I was concerned. So I booked a visit to the optometrist for today.

Firstly, the woman who used to work there has moved on and has been replaced by a guy who looked about 16. Still, he knew what he was doing and tested the right things. And his breath didn’t smell. This is very important in optometrists and dentists, I find. They are always leaning in, quite close, as they change the little lenses and shine that horrid light into your eyes. Bad breath would be totally awful!

Anyway, we went through all the tests. (When he did the puff of air one I said I hated it and he nodded and said “So does everyone.“)

After the barrage of tests he turned to me and said he knew what the problem was. I was thinking all sorts of awful things. He looked deep into my eyes and said “Your vision has improved.”

The reason things were getting out of focus and then getting clear then back again is because when your eyes improve, they try and focus through your glasses and cannot so they settle for a bit of a blur instead. Eventually they drop back to what they were. Sort of like growing into a pair of trousers. but faster.

Anyway, I was obviously very pleased and then had to order a new pair of glasses which I will get by the end of the week. Until then I’ll have to put up with the irritating changes in focus.

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I want to say something about the riots we’re suffering at the moment (as I read they have now spread to Birmingham). The original reason cited for the violence was because a local Tottenham man was shot by police and it was a reaction against that. The family of the man have come out and stated that they in no way condone the rioting, looting, assaults or anything else carried out in his name.

Of course a lot of people are looking to blame someone. I heard on the radio this afternoon that someone was blaming the police. For the riots! Saying the rioters had lost faith in the police and therefore were not to blame. What a lot of rubbish!

It’s like when thieves blame a home owner for tripping over the front doorstep when they leave after robbing them. I know we live in a society of blame but really! If I suddenly go rabid and smash a window of an electronics store and steal everything I can get hold off, how could I possible blame the police?

In these areas of London, gang crime (usually consisting of someone from one gang stabbing and killing someone from another) is mourned and publicly lamented about but no-one riots and loots when that happens. No-one steps forward from these communities and actually cleans up the streets. And there’s a lot more victims of gang knife crime than there are people shot by the police.

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But enough of that…far more interesting is the state of the gladiolus today. A big, flouncy flower has almost completely emerged! And I counted six more spears starting to climb out of the greenery.

Gladiolus - day eight

And, as a special treat, here’s a close up of a couple of the flowers.

Gladiolus close-up

Oh, I almost forgot! The tiny taters were delicious.