Being boring (2)

I'm in the Westminster office at the moment, having caught the 4.30pm from Temple Meads. Trying to clear the decks before I go away next week, so I'm wading through the post that has piled up during the last few weeks that I've been in Bristol. This includes a copy of "Yo-Yo", the magazine of the Simba Dickie Group. I have no idea who they are, but the covering letter includes an enticing P.S. "There's a special treat awaiting all fans of the BIG-BOBBY-CAR on the internet under www.simba-dickie-group.de." I am sure there's a good reason why they've sent me this.

I was meant to be going on an official delegation to Zambia next week but the president died and they're still in official mourning so it's been called off. The delegation was to have been led by Virginia (now Baroness) Bottomley, and included her successor as top Tory totty, Julie Kirkbride MP. (Am I allowed to say that? Am I allowed to say that if I make clear I'm being ironic? And do I actually mean ironic, or am I having a touch of the Alanis Morrisettes here?)

We all met for a briefing on the trip before recess. I'm rather scared of posh women who ask you lots of questions, so when Virginia said the Zambians wanted to talk to us about our Freedom of Information Act and we needed someone to swot up on it, and how about you Kerry?, I accepted rather in the spirit one accepts when the teacher asks if you want to be class helper. Anyway, it's not happening now, or not until December, maybe.