Up In Flames

It's not been a good day.

The story starts last week, when I was bagging up some of the compost from my compost bin at home, to take up the allotment.

I noticed the straw from our chicken's nesting area hadn't rotted down as quickly as the other stuff, so decided it needed to be burnt first in future.

Well, when I cleaned out the chickens last week, I put the straw into the compost bin and set it alight to burn down quickly. You'd think I'd know how much heat is generated from a few handfuls of straw, but alas, in my current dizzy state, I wasn't quite with it.

Needless to say the heat melted the hinges off my compost bin lid before I had chance to grab the watering can and put the blaze out. Not too much damage done, and I had learnt a lesson.

On the back of this, I decided to purchase another incinerator - those metal dustbin types with a chimney lid. I used to have one at home but it now resides down the allotment. Now we have the chickens, I thought it a good idea to get another.

Well, it arrived today and after I'd got some work out of the way, I couldnt wait to get the thing into use. In the absence of any neighbours washing being out, I got the thing lit and was dead chuffed.

Later this afternoon, when the fire had finished, I tested to see how hot the lid was. By now it was cool (warm) to the touch, so removed it and decided to chuck the ashes into the compost.

All done, I returned to my desk indoors, watched a race at Cheltenham and then wandered back into the kitchen to make a cup of tea. Good job I did.

Through the kitchen window I saw flames. My compost bin was ablaze, with molten plastic dripping everywhere. At this point I must apologise for not taking a photo. The watering can was first to hand, ahead of the camera, to extinguish the flames.

Oh dear. I really am a bit dizzy at times.

Looks like I need a new compost bin.