Some shape of beauty

I collected Smithers from hospital this morning. All went well with his overnight stay, so I have continued giving him the low dose of diuretic tablet today and we shall have to see what his consultant says tomorrow about the pressure level in his eye when we see him again in outpatients.

After all this time spent in various hospitals, our fridge and larder were looking sadly empty, so with The Traveller/Pugwash/Uncle Bean tasked with looking after his Dad, I made a foray to the supermarket to stock up. Nothing special in that, you might say. Except that I haven’t done a supermarket shop for several years; Smithers took over in that department when he retired, and of late we have been having our groceries delivered. So I was in for a shock because the entire store has been re-modelled, everything moved around, and a completely new system of scan and pay has been introduced. Although I’m a great fan of technology, it was quite an effort for me to negotiate the unfamiliar territory, and use my phone to scan every item, while desperately trying not to drop the phone on the floor as I did so. (But I enjoyed paying for it all with my watch, and looking far less like a confused old lady at that point!)

Back home, shopping put away and cups of tea consumed, I popped out into the garden and took one photo. This is it. What a good opportunity to indulge myself in a bit of soul-restoring Keats at the same time.


A thing of beauty is a joy for ever: 
Its loveliness increases; it will never 
Pass into nothingness; but still will keep 
A bower quiet for us, and a sleep 
Full of sweet dreams, and health, and quiet breathing. 
Therefore, on every morrow, are we wreathing 
A flowery band to bind us to the earth, 
Spite of despondence, of the inhuman dearth 
Of noble natures, of the gloomy days, 
Of all the unhealthy and o'er-darkened ways 
Made for our searching: yes, in spite of all, 
Some shape of beauty moves away the pall 
From our dark spirits. 

John Keats, excerpt from "Endymion"