The Richard Spooner Column: The view from a window�

The winners, when it comes to working at home, are undoubtedly the humble employee, like me.

Electronics make it a doddle today, unlike in my heyday when the most technically advanced form of long-distance communication was the pigeon.

Not that is was all downbeat. As we advanced into the Victorian era, the postal service put even today 's into the shade. If you lived in London, you could post a letter to someone in Neasden inviting them to tea that day and get a reply in time.

But who would complain today if you 're lucky enough to be able to earn your crust from home? You roll out of bed and log on for that 9am digital conference call. And who hasn 't worn and smart top half for the camera while clad in relaxing Bermuda shorts and trainers down below?

But even dressing up the top half is not necessary. And today 's switched on, savvy, cool generation don 't even bother. I had a Zoom business meeting the other day with two gentleman clad in black tee-shirts.

For guys, wearing a tie at work is no longer regarded as a necessity. We were taught, when I was a fledgling hack, that you should always dress to mix with the crowd, not even a bright tie.

The logic was that you didn 't want anything you were wearing to cause the person you were interviewing to be distracted. You also kept a black tie in your drawer in case you had to attend a funeral.

And then, of course, there was the overnight bag under your desk in case you were sent abroad to cover a story (Bermuda shorts essential if your destination had warm climes).

The biggest revelation for me through working largely from home has been what goes on out there. The view from my urban balcony window is a total hive of activity�

More home deliveries than a supermarket in-bay, a bin-washing service, a dog-washing service, more dog walkers than you could throw a stick at, runners, riders, an affectionate hug, kids trying out their Christmas presents, horses, the elderly aiming to slow the march of time with brisk walks, postal deliveries, empty buses, police cars, ambulances, masked taxi and Uber drivers, road diggers, gas pipe repairs, Sky installations, BT technical problems, water pipe repairs, an illicit liaison, drain clearers, ice-cream vans, lawn mowers, tree-fellers, children (pre-lockdown) hurrying to school, some with their mums and dads, road repairs, wild-life, socially-distanced chats, new mums and dads proudly showing off their offspring in a pushchair, a car crash, fence repairs, a lady being delivered home after what looked like a knee op, a stolen kiss, footballers, skate-boarders, wheelies, and there 's the blind guy who keeps bumping into cars parked on the pavement.

The variety of deliveries is also fascinating. Beer, wine (not all to me), every kitchen appliance under the sun, beds, furniture, food, a new car, TVs, fitness devices, flowers, post (is it that jab notification?).

It 's all going on out there�..you just don 't know what you 're missing as you toil away in the office.

FOOTNOTE: Given my great age - 238 since you ask - I have been invited to have the Covid-19 vaccination today. People of my great age are veterans of life-saving inoculations.

I remember standing in a line at school to be vaccinated against polio and there have been jabs to prevent flu, shingles, mumps, measles, whooping cough, rubella, diphtheria, scarlet fever�you name it.

If invited, I urge everyone to have the jab. Why wouldn 't you..?