Mr Smith's Dream

Thanks for all the good wishes on yesterday's post. My brother-in-law is out of hospital after being pumped full of adrenalin and steroids. Unfortunately his face swelled to almost twice its size and his eyes were swollen shut so it sounds like he had a pretty serious reaction. He has to follow up in the allergy clinic - whilst avoiding nuts in the meantime!

I took my car for its service today and had a few hours round Manchester whilst I waited to hear that it was ready. The agency called me to discuss a possible job (and then a second one later this afternoon which I absolutely love the sound of)! 

I stepped into a quiet side street to talk and found myself leaning up against Mr Smith's Dream. Atlas Obscura says:

Built into the brickwork of the Manchester Craft & Design Centre, this tiny piece of art is practically hiding in plain sight and is easily missed. Mr Smith’s Dream is a true hidden gem and brings a smile to everyone who stumbles across it. Look at the piece and you’ll see a miniature staircase spiralling out of sight. The soft glow of the installation’s backlight makes you wish you could shrink and enter the enticing secret world to which the stairs lead.  The artwork was inspired by the many pet shops that once filled Manchester's Northern Quarter. It pays homage to a man named Mr. Smith who once ran a pet shop in the area and often dreamt of his animals. It was designed by ceramicist Liz Scrine and commissioned by the Manchester City Council.

Quote for today:
Life is a journey up a spiral staircase; as we grow older we cover the ground covered we have covered before, only higher up; as we look down the winding stair below us we measure our progress by the number of places where we were but no longer are. The journey is both repetitious and progressive; we go both round and upward.
- William Butler Yeats