after spending an awfully long time standing in the sun queueing in order that i might fulfil my electoral obligations, fenton and i bid a fond adieu. and off he goes to philly for a week. fenton was bemused by the electoral process, he would have been *more* bemused had he witnessed the suburban election experience – sausage sizzles, cake stalls, chocolate wheels, all in all a fab time for catching up on one’s social obligations. being the pessimist i am, i have little doubt that the horrible little toad of a man will still be PM this time tomorrow.

joe/frank and bess have been pottering about the hardly haus while singing philadelphia freedom in honour of fenton’s trip.

now i must prepare for the hell which is an assignment on the grand canyon.