Mad Dogs and Englishman

Mad Dogs and Englishmen", written by Noel Coward is a song first performed in a play in 1931. A film was made with the same title in 1995 and a kiwi has named a pub in Auckland the same.

 The key lyrics "Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the midday sun" comically aligns the personality trait of these two creatures and sprung to my mind when we came across a dog trail in the up in lakes district last week.

Dog trail

 Now for clarity this is not a Les spelling stuff up. A dog trail; not a dog trial as in the real kiwi sheep farmer stuff.

What happens is they lay a scented trail around 7-10 mile across streams, up hills over fences and finally past a camera finish. All the dogs are let go at the start then everyone races to the finish to see the dogs come in. The first dog over the line wins. There is a proper betting system and the yelping of the mutts and the screaming of the respective owners suggest the title “Mad Englishman and dogs” is more appropriate.

Kiwi_ a flightless bird

In general the English today don’t seem to be a particularly adventurous lot. They like to live within their comfort zones and you begin to wonder at their past historical achievement in science, technology and exploring the emerging worlds. It just doesn’t compute with this “lot” who biggest adventure for the week is to walk down to the corner pub and watch Nicola Adams of Team GB win Gold in woman’s boxing.

Perhaps all the good stock immigrated to these new worlds leaving a Gene pool void is my first thought, until I reflect on that screaming lot shouting at their poor exhausted mutts and think eccentric.

Wikipedia  defines the behavior of an eccentric person "would typically be perceived as unusual or unnecessary and is in contrast with 'the normal'; the nearly universal means by which individuals in society solve given problems and pursue certain priorities in everyday life. It is often associated with genius, intellectual giftedness or creativity

Eccentric Gentleman is England specialty. Take the walking types as an example.

Boots, gaiters, gortex jacket, double poles, GPS, Surveyors’ map carefully folded at the appropriate sections placed inside a plastic bib hanging from the neck. The pack is carrying safety gear, ropes dehydrated food, a compact folding chair and a thermos of hot water to make a cuppa. ….and they walk everywhere. Head down, arms pumping they’re on a mission with the loyal collie trotting along behind.

Peak 1/3

An English chap by the name of Wainwright spent nearly his entire life carefully mapping some 214 tracks in the lakes district and we have this subsequent following of minor eccentrics diligently trying to tick every track off.. but wait they also have to do the 3 peaks, 3 mountains, 42 peaks, Leeds to Liverpool and the north to south ‘Pennine Way Companion’. This is a busy life

Then there’s the bird watchers, steam train enthusiast, and even truck spotters. We have the toffy nosed hunting group who only drink at the “Dog and Gun” and the list go on. 

So on reflection our historical English discoverers were not particularly adventurous people, just eccentric. To the normal chaps like “me” (I’m not sure whether you are included) what they did was mad; but it was this madness that push the boundaries and discover things that the “normal” would never find.

Team GB (Great Britian) has done amazing at the Olympics, particularly here in Yorkshire. I have been told on a number of occasions that if Yorkshire was a country it would be higher on the table than Australia.

It is obvious that the architects of the London Olympics were instructed to use this as an opportunity to make the British feel good about Britain; and it worked. The profiling of their past and present achievements in the opening and closing ceremonies, the press recognition of the thousands of volunteers, the medal count and some extremely skilled photograph of the emotional extremes puts a lump in your throat and you think to yourself; and so they should.

A billboard in the King Cross railway station said “ Don’t frown, show them around” also sums up our experiences so far in this country.  Contrary to reports we had received back in NZ, the people have been extremely generous, welcoming and helpful. Be it the bus conductor, the old man next door to Wharanui or couples like Kenneth and Janet who feed us like royalty last night.

There son Craig is 22 and amazingly gifted Check this site http://www.craigdysonsculpture.co.uk/  . He is giving Verity, Bronni and myself a lesson tonight so maybe my welder will be useful.

Haystacks_ Lakes District

Another fine summers evening

Lake Buttermere