Hello Dan,

I hope that all is well today.

Firstly, welcome to the forum. I should have noticed that it was your first post when I wrote my first reply to you.

Secondly, the glasses have turned out significantly much better than I could have imagined. I’ve only ever used the behemoth Opticians on Tottenham Court Road for the last 17 years called 20/20. They were taken over by Vision Express. I got a free eye examination as part of the take-over and went into the Vision Express store on Oxford Street to book an appointment and have a sniff around the range of spectacles.

Oh dear! It was the busiest Opticians I’ve ever been into. And they have loud music playing like in a discotec. And the phones in the store kept on ringing and ringing and…you get the picture. I pulled the lever to release the magical trapdoor to get me out of there.

Then, as I gloomily came home and went to Sainsburys I spotted the Opticians next to it on London Road. It was a haven of tranquillity in there. They certainly had customers in and out which was pleasing to see that it was well used. My eyesight test was one of the most thorough I’ve ever done in about 40 years of having my eyes tested.

I went for some frames by an English firm called Tom Davies. As I’ve got a funny shaped head with one ear sitting lower than the other after an accident, then these Tom Davies were perfect as they tailor made them for me. In Japan or Hong Kong or somewhere very exotic.

I love the varifocals. It is a sensory delight to move my head just slightly to find the “sweet spot” of perfect vision.

And finally, we are here to talk about the ups and downs of ladders. I don’t know why I was blathering on about glasses. Maybe my heightened excitement!

You can contact me anytime for the ladder. It is happily sitting in my garage having a rest. In the 3 years since it was left I think only one mate has ever used it. I’m keeping it just in case the owner ever presents themselves again. I wasn’t involved in the renovation of the property as the Landlady took care of all the trades people. I should mention it to her, come to think of it.

But before I go down that path, I’ll hold onto it for you to use.

In the meantime, Dan, I hope that you have a most pleasant Friday.

Cheers,

Rob