Oh Lord! The colour of the kitchen units saga continues. The paint sample from the kitchen manufacturer arrived this morning and it’s about as close to the colour blue as my eyes which, like the sample sent, are grey.

Apparently, and for no discernible reason, I was insufferably chipper first thing and so Catering had left the building in search of some peace. He was therefore unimpressed when I rang him and added to his To Do list by requesting he make a slight detour via Homebase and secure a sample of a Dulux paint (Sapphire Salute – another ridiculous name) as it looks like the colour I am after.

He returned with not one but with six samples across a range of blues and so a happy half hour was spent at lunchtime painting squares on a board. Now the only issue is we both like different colours – my vote is on the Dulux one I requested, while Catering prefers something lighter. I feel a full and frank discussion coming on and am hoping the fact that we are going more open plan and the Dulux option happens to match (not by happy accident you understand) the blue in the sitting room rugs, will carry the vote in my favour.

Previously in circumstances like this, where there was something of a male/female division of opinion, the guinea pig (a girl, with 350 votes) would get the casting say, but since her demise we have largely reverted to the Mexican stand-off or rock, paper, scissors. What I don’t want is something neither of us really likes, so it may be that one of us just has to accept he’s going to be unhappy.