This Lib Dem One week on

This time last week you would have seen me as somewhat of a whirling dervish. Even good friends, were greeted with the following phrases.

"Can you sign in please."

"How long do we have you for?"

"Do you have a car?"

Once all these questions were asked they were dispatched out the door either with someone they may not have known who had a car, or with the people in the car they came in, with either leaflets or canvass boards. I'm sure that seeing the result in the early hours of last Friday morning none of my friends old or new will hold it against me just how little time I allowed them to loiter in the Front of House when they first turned up. Subsequent returns allowed them to savour tea, coffee, biscuits and cakes.

This week when I see 20 people heading towards me it is not the arrival of a coach from London, Manchester or the Midlands, but is most likely the rush hour as I near the end of my 3 minute commute home from the office. And I do mean walking along the street, it is narrow, cobbled and one way and cars can't hurtle down it. Yeah the pace of life has slowed.

I don't have anyone to enter my data for me, I have to do that myself. Steve Jolly isn't going to produce lovely leaflets for me that is what my own copy of PagePlus is for. I do actually have time to go to the kitchen and make myself a cup of tea or coffee and more importantly I've drunk everyone of them completely in the last week, something I singularly failed to do in the previous three weeks.

One thing I did realise earlier is that standing almost still for almost three weeks isn't the best marathon training. So I am having to radically rethink my training schedule and what work I need to do to be able to keep moving for 26 miles in 2 months!!

But yeah live is settling in here in Kirkwall. I'm sure it will still take some getting used to, but it is an ideal place to relax, even when you have to go into work, the week after a hectic by election.

I have acquired a futon, so should anyone get up here and need somewhere to stay that can be arranged. Live goes on and it is good to be back at work, and back sitting down takes some getting used to as well, but is a welcome relief on the old legs.