Whilst out walking.

[Stingo]

Most Sunday’s, it has become the norm for our little family unit to go for a walk around the nearby lake prior to my wife going to work. Today, things were a little different as last night we had all had a late night at a friend’s party. Consequently the kids did not get to bed until about midnight. This morning, the first person dressed did not do so until around 10 am. We had our breakfast (the usual wonderful fried and grilled extravaganza!) and then my wife, Sara, left for work at about 1140. Incidentally, today is her last shift with this employer, which although it brought some benefits means now that I will have greater opportunity to take part in the occasional Sunday ride-out.
With the kids dressed and fed as well as myself, the dog was making her desires known – following me around with those pleading eyes, gratuitous wagging of the tale, crying/whining when in the proximity of the front door etc. So, I grabbed the kids and a lead, checked the key was in my jeans pocket and left the homestead, the dog excitedly leading the way.

There are currently a large family of swans on the lake (2 adults and six cygnets) a selection of ducks and other water fowl and also half a dozen little egrets. There’s usually a heron hiding at the edge of the lake as well. But none of these caught my attention today. Nor did the resident buzzard soaring overhead.

Leaving the lake behind, we walked through a small copse and exited onto the tidal side of the lake where the road (more sort of track really) is littered with pot holes. These muddy and wet holes are ‘fun magnets’ for kids. Mine decided that today they would poke the mud areas with sticks – some sort of secret ritual undertaken by children whenever given the chance or opportunity to perform said ritual. I continued my stroll and noticed that I was being overtaken by a woman with her young GSD, also enjoying the dry but windy spell utilising the day to exercise her young charge. We smiled a “good morning” in a “Hi” sort of way as she passed at which point she commented “There’s hope yet – not an iPod or headphone in sight!” I sort of smiled and nodded in agreement not expecting this exchange and commenced pondering over what she had said. Her back came into view and she quickly made her way along the same path that I was about to take.

Not an iPod or headphone in sight. She had a point. When out walking, whether it be for the purpose of just having a walk, or for shopping perhaps, or wherever you may be, generally there is always somebody ‘wired for sound’ nearby. I confess I am also often guilty of this modern day desire to enjoy my own company assisted by my latest favourite sound from the arena of music. Yet whenever I am out with the kids and/or Sara I never ‘plug myself in’ as it were. At the moment, my kids do not possess iPods or MP3 players or the like (I used to call such items previously known as walkmans ‘disco on the head’). Doubtless one day they will have such items and will in all probability benefit from them in some degree. But for now, we still enjoy the sound of the world around us going by, whether it be the wailing siren of an emergency vehicle in the distance or the questions of our kids when we’re out & about. I felt that her comment was surprisingly observational and certainly one worthy of note. It definitely got my attention this afternoon.

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[Binky]

Not entirely sure what she was getting at with the comment.

If i am out alone, i will probably listen to music to keep myself amused and jolly. Obviously if i have company then it would be rude to listen to music instead of talking to them...

But even if i pass a fellow dog walker or the like and i have headphones in i will still acknowledge them with a smile or a hello. If the dogs start playing then i'll remove the headphones and have some friendly dog related banter with them.

Nothing much detrimental about wearing headphones in public, unless they are really loud and annoying others around you.

[Stingo]

Originally Posted by Binky

Not entirely sure what she was getting at with the comment.

I think she was just commenting on the fact that she was passing some people, also out walking, who weren't wired for sound. If you look around, in many places, that is an unusual sight these days...I've seen some parents on occasion where both are busy texting away on their mobiles (I'm talking about continuously here for ten minutes or more thereabouts...) for instance not seeming to be concerned in the slightest about their kids - a situation where technology seems to be more important than the immediate surroundings. To some people, the apparent absence of one of these items is worthy of note/comment.

I have done serious amounts of walking in the past and even when alone I would never dream of using an Ipod. I like to notice what's going on around me and listening to music/whatever would distract me. If I was camping in the mountains by myself I would use one in the tent at night though, it can get a bit boring sat in a tent.

[Sir Trev]

Originally Posted by madness

I have done serious amounts of walking in the past and even when alone I would never dream of using an Ipod. I like to notice what's going on around me and listening to music/whatever would distract me.

I can relate to that one. Even to the extent of suggesting my chatterbox twelve year old daughter stops talking every now and then so we can actually enjoy the bit of countryside we're walking through (with the dog). Especially as she's normally telling me some tosh about a friend I've never heard of, and I'm not normally listening anyway...

She has a very good point My daughter would love to be able to hear the sound of the birds, the wind in the trees etc, but because she is profoundly hearing impaired she never will We should all enjoy the beautiful sounds of nature...because we can