Sitting in a church from 7:00am until 10:00pm, armed with my trusty clipboard, ruler and pen, I had a sudden thought that things really haven't changed very much in Britain over the last 70 years! I was on poll-clerk duty, and as I was marking voters off of the electoral roll, I thought that time could melt away, and I could equally be marking off evacuees during World War 2, or organizing ration books or similar.
Years may have passed, and technology developed, but when it comes down to it, the best thing we have really are clipboards and rulers! Later that night...well, early the next morning, I was on vote counting duty. Again, it was the simple methods that worked best...rubber counting thimbles and rubber bands! I was counting votes and counting votes and counting votes for hours, double checking and signing my initials and again thinking that really this could have been years ago.
It pleases me that in a world where technology rules, we still use the old ways sometimes.
I was much excited to catch a glimpse of myself on the bbc news coverage of the election, although I have to say having worked such a long day I was really not looking my best. I was very lucky though...my lovely husband delivered dinner to the polling station, and my lovely friend Dan from work produced a much-needed Mocha!
Some of my other observations from the big day included that the ribbon used in rosettes does not appear to be of very good quality! I have spent a happy half hour imagining redesigned rosettes using vintage ribbons and scraps of polka dotted fabric, perhaps with a diamante detail or something like that!
The days seem to have hop skipped and jumped away since Thursday...and I am pleased to say that I finally feel that I have caught up with the sleep that I missed! I would love to sit and compose a longer post just now...it is that delicious time in the evening when the air is cool, and the sky is that peculiarly bright-but-dull-blue, and all the trees are silhouettes. Everything is peaceful, a candle burns low, and it is the long sigh of a Sunday evening slipping towards bedtime. However, I can hear the chinking of things being moved around in the kitchen, and have a hungry husband to feed. So I am going to slip away from you and tie on my new favourite apron, and whip up a quick batch of spicy lentil soup...
Wherever you are, I hope that you are having a peaceful evening, and are looking forward to lovely things in the week ahead!
2 comments:
You make vote counting sound charming. Yes, the old ways are often the best. I love this about England, that some of the old ways can still be found. It is comforting. So nice to hear from you again so soon.
Hi Mimi,
I'm glad you're back. I'd check your blog every once in a while to see how you were doing. Speaking on how some things don't change, I'm reading a series of books by Elizabeth Elgin and the plot is during WWII, very heart warming and cottagey.
Teresa, California reader
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