They think it's all over...

...it is now. America has elected Obama. Thank goodness - it has been an anxious day.

Not having a vote here has been very frustrating. But at least I managed to get into a polling station, and the kids got right into a polling booth - a friendly, civic-minded neighbour took them in with her and her own children (five pairs of legs visible beneath the curtain) to show them the voting machine and 'democracy in action'.

It has been a long, long journey to this moment. I'll leave it to the pundits to over-use the word 'historic' - though for once they are right.