Back from Battle, Gladly

Let's hope blogs and camels have something in common, for how else could I rationalize not giving my fledgling little blog (and all of you, what is there now, three of you?) anything to drink for almost three weeks. The By-Election Battle, as the local media dubbed it, kinda took over my life, leaving me little time for posts. Or anything else. Between you and me, I didn't even get a chance to pop in and say hello to my dear Grandma. Go ahead, you can hate me now, I'll understand.

To be frank, I don't feel an immediate urge to return to London. "Don't feel an immediate urge" is a mild, diplomatic and vaguely passive-aggressive way of saying I would rather swim the entire length of the Rideau Canal than spend another month in the Forest City.

But while I'm stopped at the intersection of Promenade de Politics and Cynical Street, I think I'll take a left and head into the sunset without saying anything too catty. It would be easy to be cynical; it's much harder to take one on the chin and come back another day even stronger. We all worked very hard, and we did so on behalf of a remarkable, funny, original and engaging candidate who has done - and who will no doubt continue to do - great work on behalf of all kinds of folks in her community. Every city should be so lucky to have a few Megan Walkers kicking around, trying to make things better.

Now, before I close the London file, let me send a few honourable mentions to some of the eating and drinking establishments that made an otherwise stifling place somewhat more bearable: The Oxford Arms, The Alibi Roadhouse, Under the Volcano, Cafe One and Prince Albert's Diner. Your gastronomic kindnesses did not go unnoticed.