The Aftermath

Many thanks for the outpouring of congratulations, and concerns for my health (and sanity?!) in the wake of my late night stroll. The evening air, considering it's November, wasn't especially cold and I wasn't at all uncomfortable. The Chap, who has long boasted of his single, very public streaking event when at college, seemed amused by my exceedingly private one. I enjoyed prancing about the yard in the nude under the moonlight--although probably a good thing there wasn't much more than half-a-moon in the sky.

Lots of incoming overseas phone calls, and emails, from friends and relations excited about the Presidential outcome and curious about my race.

In addition to an altered view of ourselves as a people and nation, and a positive change in the world's view of us, the physical landscape, too, is strikingly different.

For the first time in a solid year, New Hampshire's roadsides are clear of all campaign signs! The first ones sprouted in late 2007, in the weeks before the NH Primary. Many were obscured by snows of winter, only to reveal themselves in the spring melt. In summer, candidates for state office planted additional signs prior to the September party primaries. When those were over, the real onslaught began. Hardly an inch of roadside was devoid of the colourful clutter. For up-ballot campaigns, hordes of volunteers would stick them anywhere, in mass quantity, without asking permission. And even some down-ballot candidates were rather indiscriminate.

Of necessity, perhaps, our highly politicised state has a strict law requiring the removal of signs almost immediately after Election Day. As I went round the district pulling up my own, I was delighted to witness proof of people's respect for that law. The change is dramatic, and very welcome! It's nice gazing out upon fields and forests without all that mess spoiling the view.

Besides sign removal yesterday, I updated my State Rep website, made a list of "thank you" notes to be written, practised mandolin, pondered a future opportunity available to me, fielded telephone calls from colleagues and others, started some tidying tasks, attended a cookbook committee meeting at the Library, and threw together a meal of soup, salad, and popovers, and spent the evening glued to the telly.

I'm harbouring some deep thoughts on what the Obama victory means to me, my experiences of racial and economic injustice, and may share them here...or perhaps I'll wait till the inauguration. Everyone has different reasons for why they "can't believe it's true," whether they see it as a positive development or not.

My Christmas cactus was very nearly an Election Day cactus, but in fact the first blossom waited till yesterday--Bonfire Day/Guy Fawkes Day--to unfold.





The Still-Honorable MEP's schedule for the day is truly fascinating...appointment with hairdresser, fueling my car, stopping by the Post Office, doing prep for this weekend's annual Diocesan Convention and next week's Diocesan Council meeting.

And packing!

You'll never guess where I'm going, and I can't tell because it's such a huge secret. All will be revealed in a few days' time.