Today I headed into town via the tip, put in my vote and headed into the bank to clean it. Some positive feedback from those who came into the shop while i ate my brunch but I then scuttled home once more to take the dog for a walk.

Have had some kind messages from friends - and via the FB page - from various total strangers which is rather nice. And some young lad came charging up to me in town telling me he had voted for me (I have no idea who he is but apparently he knows me!). So I should at least exceed single figures.

Come six o'clock when polling closes I will log into Kevin Bonham's site as well as the TEC site and watch the numbers in between Father Brown and the Good Karma hospital, eat my dinner and have a beer.

I will be pleased if I am not the first candidate out, so please don't worry about how I might be feeling. It's in the lap of the gods now and I have done everything I could possibly do in the circumstances.

I have a de-facto scrutineer at the Bicheno poll who will give me an update from there via messenger.