TILE TRAUMA

I’ve won the lottery! According to the email just discovered in my inbox I should log into my account immediately for some good news. Imagine what a swanky kitchen I could have with several million to spend. My lottery win - £3.40. Not the Euro-millions I was dreaming of but possibly enough for a coffee at Starbucks. Oh well, you got to be in it to win it so better luck next time eh.

My little grey cells have been hot on the trail of Titanic Verde tiles all morning, surfing countless websites in search of a supplier who might still sell the floor tiles I purchased back in 2002 from Topps Tiles.   Most of us forget that kitchen floors are generally laid after all units have been fitted so as soon as you strip away old units, unsightly gaps appear that were previously hidden.

Creative thinking needed to plug the tile gap

Fortunately, I still had the receipt for the original purchase of these and Topps were able to track down a third party supplier from their computer records.  Fingers crossed my luck holds out better than in the Euro-millions.  If anyone out there happens to have a random supply of Titanic Verde tiles gathering dust in the back of a garage, please let me know.

Titanic Verde tiles

Whilst my new kitchen is slowly shaping up, the patio area resembles the aftermath of a nuclear holocaust.  Plants, pots, and paving slabs are caked in fallout brick dust.  

The Arum lily is caked in brickdust

Pots look like they've got leprosy

I can’t even hose the foliage as the outside tap was removed when the French doors were installed.  It’ll be a great shame if the fruit trees die as a result but looking at the grey clouds on the horizon perhaps the usual bank holiday rain and wind will save the day.

The aftermath of builder's holocaust

My rhododendrons are looking lovely

These remind me of Exbury Gardens

I'm not the only one that loves rhododendrons

Meadow Rue flowers