Election 2016. A Good Time Was Had By All.

I know I was going on about how boring the lead up to Election 2016 was but now that I think about it, I’m glad the campaigns were all about policy and that the majority of our potential leaders are intelligent and articulate men and women who have the country’s best interests in their hearts and minds. They all have a different take on how to best protect and promote these and the beauty of our democracy is that they’ve all been able to say their piece and let Australia decide.

www.twitter.com

And yes, I was one of those twitter users who was irrationally excited to have unlocked the official sausage sizzle emoji with the #ausvotes hashtag. Shame instagram and facebook didn’t come to the party.

Election day has been grand. Not just because of the perfectly sunny winter’s day that enticed my whole suburb to our local primary school at a quarter to eight.

Or the 11/10 effort the local community put into the sausage sizzle or the coffee.

But because everyone I’ve met or interacted with on social media today has been so good humoured about voting as well as being so informed about their vote.

www.sbs.com.au

I’ve been checking in on the Sydney Morning Herald’s live feed all day and updates through the day have been full of clever quips, witty political themes at cake stalls, numerous references to the Democracy Sausage and candid photos of voters and leaders.

Overheard at poll booth: ‘No, I can’t see a donkey vote option, just get your name signed off and don’t write anything.’ #ausvotes

— Allison Menzies (@AlleyJane) July 2, 2016

via The Huffington Post, original photo from the SMH’s instagram

It’s starting to get serious on the feed now, though, with less than twenty minutes until the polls close. Hoping I’ll finish this post and eat some dinner before I settle in for a night hooked to the radio, twitter and the news sites.

The mood in the queue was upbeat when I voted this morning, as were the queues for a grilled breakfast and a coffee. It’s positively unAustralian but I couldn’t pass up a bacon and egg roll with both barbecue and tomato sauces to go with my skinny cap. A local butcher was running our sausage sizzle so besides bacon and sausages, we also had a steak option.

The cake stall featured these gingerbread men which were buttery and gingery perfection.

Preschooler SSG gave his two thumbs up.

And I found this castle themed block puzzle and the school’s jumble sale for $5. It’s so beautifully made and in excellent condition.

The weather was so good today that Preschooler SSG and I went into the city for a bit of a wander. Our first stop was the train set window at Hobbyco’s QVB store. Preschooler SSG was entranced as he watched the Thomas train speed around the outer track.

I spent quite a while gazing dreamily at the Alpine themed back wall and the fair ground in front of it. I think I need another holiday. Already.

Trains or models of them are one of those things that bring people together. As I was standing there lost in holiday withdrawal thoughts, Preschooler SSG was acting his age and getting a little shirty about being told we had to get a move on. Typical three year old behaviour ensued and I snapped back into firm boundaries, disciplinarian mum (such a different person to the one I was way back before the dawn of time…) with predictably little impact on the behaviour.

Suddenly, a voice to my right piped up and told me ‘It’s okay…. I was just like that when I was his age’. That voice of reason and reassurance came from a calm and self assured eight year old. He then followed it up with ‘Oh yes, and my little brother was the same. But he’s much better now.’

I was almost going to hug him and claim him as my parenting coach right there and then.

Anything exciting or delicious happen when you voted today?

Has an eight year old ever told you exactly what you needed to hear at precisely the time you most needed to hear it?

Time’s marching on. Just a bit after 6pm here and I think the live crosses to the tally rooms are about to begin.

It’s game on.

Sydney Shop Girl

Election 2016. A Good Time Was Had By All.

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