Never let a good friend go to waste!

"Yes, please" came the reply to my offer of a night in savouring the delights of gin and tonic.

Aren't good friends fabulous!

One minute I'd been feeling sorry for myself for having to cancel a few social events last week, due to feelings of pain and discomfort arising from my wrist.

The next, there was a plan in place, something which I could look forward to; an opportunity to raise a glass and enjoy a good catch up with a great friend and some mother's ruin.

"And I'll empty your dodgy Bokashi bin too" she added.

Blimmin' 'eck. That's an offer you don't get every day, especially when it involves excavating an almost solid layer of mould infested ick from the Bokashi bin thanks to the untreated cheese that was accidentally left to fester for several weeks while we were on holiday.

Mr A has been too busy pegging it around the region outlining housing growth options, so hasn't had a chance to sort it out - not that the Bokashi bin is his department anyway. He's got enough to do with planning and housing strategies this month. Domestic mould infested cheesy bran concoctions are trivial by comparison and besides, ever since my commitment to keep food waste from landfill, the bins are mainly my domain, for which I am always more suitably dressed.

But my limp wrist has been too weak and painful to deal and I've since got used to the notion that it would have to wait until I'm on the mend again.

So the suggestion to have it dealt with was very much welcome,

Of course, to be polite, I initially refused the kind offer from my friend.

It actually reminded me of the days as a student when I would decline the odd £5 note kindly offered by older relatives. Eventually I'd accept, knowing I really could do with the help, but not until the pre-requisite banter had taken place first... "honestly you shouldn't"..."no really, I'd liked to"..."please take it"..."I insist"..."ok then, you are very kind, thank you".

However, knowing what was good for me - and indeed my sensitive stomach - it didn't take long to say yes to the Bokashi disposal services.

Her only insistence beyond this wonderful offer of help was to ensure a supply of rubber gloves.... and to be paid "danger money" in the form of Abbots, an alternative currency upheld by our local bartering group, Bury LETS - and not to be confused with religious men in habits.

So the evening came and expecting the worst, my good friend arrived with a change of clothes, which were accessorised with some rubber gloves and safety goggles. It's a shame I couldn't find the dust mask too.

But it wasn't actually that bad. A few slaps and tickles of the mouldy tundra soon saw it despatched to the black bin, representing one of the rare deposits of food waste to landfill during the last 19 months and the only Bokashi disaster during the same time period - which shows if I can manage it for such a long time, it can't be that hard.

And now the Bokashi bin is ready and waiting for National Zero Waste Week, which begins tomorrow.

However, we have so little cooked food waste these days, I've decided we're going to make a special effort not to use it this week, especially now that we've got used to our alternative feathered weapons against food waste, aka the chickens who reside in our suburban back garden.

But I am still extremely grateful for my friend's assistance as well as for her companionship vis-a-vis helping me later that evening with the gin and tonic.

Ah gin...now that's one thing that would be impossible to waste. And I've even got some ideas for what to do with the empty bottle, but that's another story that will have to wait until it's finished.

Hopefully it won't take long.

Well it is National Zero Waste Week after all and what a great excuse to celebrate.

Especially if my friends never have to go near my Bokashi bin ever again!

And if I never have to witness another episode of Mr A's post-holiday mould-ridden bokashied cheese.

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More information about National Zero Waste Week 2009 can be found at www.myzerowaste.com. More details about Bokashi composting - which is a very effective system for managing cooked food waste - can be found at www.wigglywigglers.co.uk.

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