Big Grey Heart

Ahhh the lemon heads.

I am delighted to announce that the winner of the 'what colour shall we paint the walls comeptition' is Farrow and Ball Downpipe:
http://www.farrow-ball.com/productdetails.aspx?pid=0026DP&cid=PC&language=en-GB
It was a close call with a couple of Fired Earth tones putting in a good solid performance (Mercury a particular favourite http://www.firedearthshop.com/epages/FEShop.sf/en_GB/?ObjectPath=/Shops/FEShop/Products/R0-012/SubProducts/ECSPMERCURY) and even the odd Dulux in the running. But Downpipe takes it by a whisker.
I HOPE to have photos soon!

As I am here I am going to take this opoprtunity for a small rant. Now, I have lived in this country long enough not to expect too much from customer service. However my recent encounter with B&Q really does leave me aghast.

So... I need to buy spotlights for my bathroom, now this would not be my preferred choice but definitely the most practical, I want white spotlights so they blend in. An unusual request? Surely not.

So I head to the nearest B&Q and find it all a bit confusing, zone 1, zone 3, dry zone only.. wha'?
I ask for help...."oh no, I don't know anything about lighting... ask him" (Him) " well these are for dry zone, these are for zone 3" yes yes I can read that, it says that on the box, what do I need?. "Oh, I don't know". Eventually choose what I assume to be correct through own application of logic, however they only have 2 on the shelf. (Me) "Do you have any more of these in stock" (Him) " oh no, we only stock 2 or 3 in the store... What? I am sorry but who only needs 2 spotlights. We are told we will need to try another store, so we drive half an hour to the next nearest shop and this time they have 1, clearly returned in battered packaging.

So, I try and order online at DIY.com, absolutely no record of said item. So I call up (assistant on phone) "erm I can't find it on the system" (me) " no, but I definitely bought it from your shop" 15 minutes of umming and ahhing later she promises to call me back. She doesn't.

Next day I call again "erm I can't find it on the system" (Me) "Yes but I bought it from your store" ...5 Min's later (Me) "Is there any way I can get it sent from a store" "Yes, you can do that, what is your postcode (I tell him) "ermm that doesn't exist, that isn't a proper post code" (Me) "I assure you that it is.. I LIVE THERE!"... " oh yes, found it now".

I call the store with the lights in stock. (Me) "I need to order an item for delivery, is that possible" (store) "Yes but you will have to come into the store to order it" (Me, Incredulous) " But surely that defeats the object of ordering for delivery?" (store) " that is how it works, you have to come in and order it then we deliver"...... Dear God, I give up, really I do.


Screwfix here we come!