Oh my poor old kitchen is looking desperately dowdy.  It’s nearly twenty years since we moved in, everything absolutely brand new.  In fact we had to wait for the builders to finish one or two little niggling jobs before the site agents could release the key once they’d had the critical ‘yes, funds paid in place – good to go’ call from our solicitor.   We were so careful in those early years.  Never putting anything hot down on the work top without a trivet;  always turning the gas down so the pans didn’t spill over the wonderful gleaming cooker hob.  I used to polish the stainless steel draining board and lovingly wipe down every door and surface every evening.  Gradually over the years these little foibles became less important – there’s only so much cleaning you can do!  Now of course, there’s been the odd spillage of something slightly corrosive on the work top so it has a very seriously marked appearance around the sink area.  The drainer needs replacing and the oven light fails to come on when it should.  Time to have a new kitchen built in to replace this much loved but seriously past it kitchen!  I’m currently searching and planning.  That exciting stage!