One year on

Knocking Up.

It's a funny term - because it sounds every so slightly dodgy, and it doesn't normally involve any knocking on doors.

But knocking up is what I was doing at this time exactly a year ago. I'd spent all morning outside a polling station asking for electoral roll numbers as people went in to vote, and I then spent the afternoon running round houses putting cards through the doors of those who hadn't voted (and had suggested they might vote for me) asking for their support.

Yes: it's one year on from the Cheshire East elections 2008, although of course I wasn't actually elected until the count (which was the day after.)

Standing for election involves a sine wave of emotion. You swing from positive to negative with tremendous regularity - the frequency increasing the closer you get to the polls closing. Every time you start to think you might be in with a chance, something happens that convinces you otherwise.

I remember collapsing into a chair with a pint at the Blacksmiths after the polls closed completely exhausted - the maths from the turnout telling me I had a strong chance, all the while convincing myself it was all a complete waste of time.

And how do I feel about my first year as a Councillor?

I'll have to have a think about that one...