Run rabbit, run rabbit, run, run, run.....

For two years I lived with my little family in

Braunton, North Devon, UK.

The reason we lived there was so that my partner's

mother and father who were quite elderly,

could spend some real time with their grand-son

as well as their son.

They lived a very (what seemed to me)British life.

 Every morning a continental breakfast(English really),

two pieces of toast, some butter and marmalade to

go on top, two medium boiled eggs, a small glass

of juice and a cup of strong English Breakfast tea.

After breakfast Gwyneth would do house chores

and Roy would read the Newspaper.

Lunch would be had at the same time every day.

Usually a cold platter of something and in the afternoon,

a brisk walk unless it was raining so hard not even an

umbrella would help.

The more time I spent with Gwyneth, Roy and other

Brits, the more I began to admire them.

I am Swedish by birth and the culture that I enjoyed

 and grew up in was (still is, perhaps?) very different.

I quickly understood that I had to try and adapt to

my new environment. Not only climate wise but

also what was and what wasn't ''cricket''.

(Cricket=acceptable behaviour and language)

My ex-partner's father was a military man and served

during the 2nd W.W as a reserve sergeant but as a soldier

during the first war.

He never spoke of it and although he was a very

regimented sort of a man, he was also kind, helpful

and loved to look after his grandson who was then

two years old. Come rain or shine, he would take

my son for long walks.

Gwyneth and I would drink cups of tea and chat about

this and that. Mainly chit chat, but every now and

then she would surprise me by bringing up quite deep and

soul-searching kinds of topics.

Although, truth be told, when we left the UK two years later

 to head back here to OZ, I still felt that they remained a

mysterious but very kind people.

Back in Australia I decided to do some research into

why ''only mad dogs and Englishmen go out in

the midday sun''.

I read book after book, watched numerous old

black and white ''war'' movies and old TV-series.

I collected old newspapers and magazines which

I sometimes found in second hand book stores.

I did a bunch of paintings from old photographs

and spent hours in the Library looking at images

from both wars.

 

This is a large painting I did from a photo I

found in an old TIME magazine. (St. Paul's)

How!@#!? did this building survive the Blitz?

Book after book that I read allowed me a fresh

new little glimpse into the very tenacious nature of the

British people.

The slogan ''Keep calm and carry on'' is not just

words because those words gave numerous people ''backbone'',

courage, tenacity, strength, hope, faith and the determination

to survive and make ''the rabbit run for his life''.

The above painting is titled ''Run rabbit, run.''

It is a very large painting that I painted

years ago when I was trying to get an insight into

the ''British Mindset".

(Here in OZ, one of the first catchphrases that I learnt

when I came to Australia was ''Bloody Poms!!!!"

It meant nothing to me and I have never used the

phrase although..... it may perhaps fit some people.)

During my research into the British Peoples

I discovered that during the 2nd W.W. the words 

''Run rabbit run rabbit, run, run, run!'', were words from a well-known

music hall song by the same title, which was

repurposed by the British peoples to mock Germans

and so boost their own morale.(Run Adolf, run Adolf, run, run, run.)

After all my studying and 15 years of marriage to a Brit,

I have come to admire a lot of facets of the British

Peoples.

Top of the list and in my view an extremely

necessary quality for all peoples to have is....drumroll please.

The ability to turn anything difficult, sad or painful

into an extraordinary bit of wisdom hiding behind a great

sense of humor.

Plus:

It boosts our immune system, boosts our mood,

makes us forget our pain momentarily, binds

us together and it releases endorphins in our brains.

*

My  pain may be the reason for somebody's laugh.

But my laugh must never be the reason for

somebody's pain.

(Charlie Chaplin)

Comedy is simply a funny way of being serious.

(Peter Ustinov)

A sense of humor is a major defense against

all kinds of troubles.

(Mignon McLaughlin) 

Harlequin, ink on paper

Explanation to the Rabbit painting.

The red in the background: the fires during the Blitz

The blue: the water trying to quench the fires

The green: all the parks being destroyed

The red rabbit: the crazy Rabbit causing all the chaos and death