Sounds OK to me, presumably the outcome was that you orbited once or twice until there was a good gap to allow you to descent onto a normal final. The ATCO should have known all other traffic in the ATZ and would have felt an orbit to provide you with a better service than full deadside join & circuit (and you would have been on the ground and out of their (h)air quicker).
It is important to ask these questions to gain a greater understanding of how it all works. Most ATS staff will be happy to explain to you, or chat to local pilots and flying instructors. Forums like this are also super places to become enlightened...