More than fifty years ago my brother stole this from, well you can guess where. He was in the habit of taking a room at the Intercontinental Hotel in the afternoons to catch up on some sleep after the revelry at Hunt Balls in Horse Show week.
I am pleased to report that he has now repented, turned away from such a dissolute lifestyle and foresworn petty crime. Indeed he has turned to the church and is a Diocesan Reader in Armagh.
However, genes will out and staying at the Talbot last weekend I contemplated what I might take home from my room as a souvenir of my stay. The hairdryer was an obvious first choice closely followed by the fluffy white towels and bathrobe. Then, suitcase space permitting, I fancied the shiny black anglepoise lamp. Next perhaps the china cups and saucers, the kettle and glass tooth mugs. No coat hangers on my list because they were that annoying sort that are permanently attached to the rail in the wardrobe.
Why can’t hotels have ordinary wooden hangers? I really believe that the great coat hanger heists of fifty years ago are behind us and customers might be trusted not to pinch them.
This week the blog has been somewhat neglected. I was in Dublin on Monday and in the City on Tuesday for a splendid lunch followed by a briefing from Board members of MP Evans on developments on their Indonesian palm oil plantations. On Wednesday there was some admin in connection with Mary Kenny’s talk that evening to raise money for the Benevolent Society of St Patrick. In the event she spoke outstandingly well, striking just the right informal note. It was a convivial evening not least because of Edwin Doran who brought and served some wines from his vineyards in South Africa. Thursday was largely occupied with Benevolent Society business and now on Friday I’m catching up with a backlog of correspondence.