Yesterday was spent in Hobart - first stop the auto-electrician to book the ute in to get the indicators and brake lights fixed (not a good look for a candidate to be driving an un-road-worthy vehicle) and to pick up a replacement printer - the last one has clogged jets, and a quick trip to someone who repairs such things for a living established it was junk. Also picked up some spinning stuff and the odd bit of groceries, pet food etc before  heading home.

I called into my childhood home on the way back. Sunny Acres is unknown to any of you, but it was the place where I spent ten years of my life and was the most important place in the world to me. Our parents sold it when I was sixteen as they were both suffering health issues and felt both my sister and I would be flying the nest so it would be too much for them to cope with. We begged on bended knee, but they proceeded with the sale. The new owners are still there. The parents have built a new house on the former goat paddock, but their son continues to live in the main house.

I have known this all along so was completely unprepared for the emotional response I experienced when I actually turned up at the gates. Gates in the same place as the ones we had, leading to the same curving drive and the house hidden behind the trees. The gates are now high security gates with remote access so I was unable to get in, but fortunately the mother spotted me and, after some reluctance, came over to speak to me. While we talked the son drove down our driveway and I had to move the ute so he could drive out (without acknowledging us standing there) and headed on his way. I started to well up as I was talking to her, but realised she would think I was a raving loony so held it in till I got home, when I wept floods of tears for the years we lost from our lives once the house was sold. Silly isn't it.

Today I had to find someone to take my photo, so I baled up several strangers and asked them to do so. Each obliged, and one of the photos is tolerable so I will use it for the posters etc.

So, all the printed material uses these two images. The portrait overlaid over the seascape (Orford) with VOTE 1 etc on it. The window posters are A4 landscape and will be printed at home, along with a brief candidate profile which will be distributed with it.

Then there are business cards to be left as seems appropriate with these on one side, and my contact details on the other (contact details are an outlook email address made for the purpose, a phone number from a pre-paid SIM, and invites them to follow me on Facebook (the candidate page, my normal page is getting turned off at the end of next week), and a note book so I can take notes of any conversations I have and look interested. I am also getting a magnetic panel for the side of the car so when I am out electioneering I am easy to identify. Since I am standing as an Independent I don't see this as a risk.

I have a brainwave and checked out the boundaries on TheList, the Tas Govt Land management website, and it seems it goes all the way up past Bicheno, but that really only means another day of driving - I will cover the coast and peninsula first as I am not known there, and deal with the further bits in Southern Midlands later.

So that's me all set, and now to wait for them to call the election (which won't be till after Easter).

I will also have to record a radio ad and place something in the Muckery etc, but the time frames make local newspaper (published monthly) a bit of a non-event.

Hot for the last two days, so getting a load of firewood was a surprise, but it was welcome for all that. Typing with a kitten sleeping on your left arm has its moments, so I hope this is all coherent!