While I was in Marseille I wore a couple of dresses that exposed more of my back than usual and my husband commented on how many moles I now have. I have always been a moley person (my mum used to tell me they were beauty spots) but the blemishes on my back have definitely multiplied over the past decade. Some are big blotches, a couple of centimetres across. I started Googling, usually a mistake with anything medical, and it seemed likely that these were seborrheic keratosis. I did try to book a GP appointment in hope of being referred to a dermatologist but my GP surgery told me they had no capacity to deal with any more queries that day. I decided to book a private mole check with The Mole Clinic at London Bridge costing £195. Like most people, I tend to put off medical appointments so booked for the very next day so as not to give myself the opportunity to procrastinate. The initial appointment is booked with a nurse and, if they see anything concerning, it is referred to one of their doctors.

Stripping off in front of a medical professional can feel very uncomfortable but the nurse was reassuring and explained the process in detail. There is a video on The Mole Clinic’s website which lets the patient know exactly what to expect from their examination. You strip down to your underwear and the nurse checks every mole and mark. He/she asks if there are any moles concealed by the underwear that the patient would like checked. The nurse that I saw was very professional and thorough. She told me that she didn’t see anything that gave her cause for concern. She confirmed that the marks on my back are indeed seborrheic keratosis. These are otherwise known as age spots or, rather depressingly, barnacles as they have a stuck on appearance. They pose no risk to health but they can be removed but not on the NHS as it would be a cosmetic procedure. The whole appointment lasted for around half an hour and I would recommend this service. I left with some literature on how to check your own skin for abnormalities. The Mole Clinic recommend having a professional skin check every two years.

It was a stunningly beautiful day and it seemed a pity to just go home and spend my afternoon off doing housework. There is nowhere better than beautiful London on a sunny day. I took the Northen then Jubilee line and went to St James’ Park, one of my favourite places. In the early 1990s I worked near the park and would sit and sunbathe during my lunch break. Flowery culottes were in fashion and I had a couple of rather short pairs. I remember my boss sternly asking if I was wearing shorts to the office. I didn’t seem to worry about things as much then, I probably just laughed it off. My daughter is now exactly the same age that I was then and has just started her first job in London . I thought about my younger self as I strolled around the park and I can’t remember the last time I felt so relaxed. Winston Churchill’s war rooms are near by as is the The Household Cavalry Museum, both places I plan to visit soon. If you only visit one of the Royal Parks then this is probably the best choice, a stone’s throw from Buckingham Palace.

St James’ Park, Westminster Abbey, Horse Guards Parade

After a little while the day became scorching, I had sun cream but no hat so thought it was probably time to head home. I did walk to Westminster Abbey with the thought of maybe looking around inside, something I haven’t done in years, but it was far too busy. I helped a young mum up the escalators at the Tube station with her two tiny children, her little boy dressed head to toe in Spiderman clothing right down to his shoes and backpack. The mum told me she had a five hour train journey home – rather her than me!

This was the day of the solar eclipse. Of course I didn’t have the viewing glasses, like every other person in the UK I discovered that Amazon could only deliver the day after it was all over. I took a colander and piece of paper out with me but soon abandoned that method and watched the whole thing with my iPhone camera pointed over my shoulder. Afterwards my son told me this is a great way to ruin the camera but mine seems fine. It was a lovely view over my village rooftops but the eclipse was, dare I say, underwhelming. It became a little darker and that was about it.

So a busy and thoroughly enjoyable solo day in the sunshine.

Thank you for reading

Samantha