My local timber merchant’s yard is feeling like a second home.  Riffling through wood piles to find the straightest pieces of wood or sitting in the sun with one of the lads as we fathom out how much of what I need to bring my scribbles on a piece of paper alive.  The people working there are incredibly patient with my constant questions and always ready with a suggestion of the cheapest way to go.

I like visiting local suppliers rather than the DIY shed to get my construction paraphernalia.  Come to think of it I prefer my local suppliers for pretty much anything.  Whilst I’m not railing against chain retailers but there is something all together more satisfying about spending your money with the people who have a genuine link with the local community.  I’m also of the view that home made is best if you can.  One of the benefits of being a Domestic Executive is that I have time to make rather than just buy off the shelf.

There is of course nothing off the shelf about my monster earthquake proof compost box.  It’s one of a kind. Whilst practicality may rule the day it has to be done with style so as I’ve needed to expand my compost factory I decided to adapt my previous design.  Except this time I wasn’t going to construct this box like I was building a bomb proof shelter that needs a crane to move it.

In full consultation with the timber lads I have downgraded the wood specification. Not so much that the box won’t last but enough for me to be able to move the darn thing around during construction. Whichever way you choose to go, there is always a massive pile of wood to be dealing with.

So lesson’s learned from my last construction efforts also meant that this time I drilled and screwed rather than used nails.  Not only did this mean that I didn’t get bruised hands and crushed fingers from misfiring my hammer it meant that I could enlist some electrical muscle into the operation.

An altogether neater job I think.  The only mistake I made is by not engaging my brain sufficiently as I listened to Dan Pearson on my ipod. The result was drilling all my planks when I only needed 18 of the 30 doing.  Still, it was good practice!

After all the preparation it was time to bring in the engineering muscle.  Although I’m not sure how being an electrical engineer qualifies him especially for wooden construction projects but still.  A pair of extra hands makes for light work.

We could of actually benefited from a third pair of hands or even a set of paws but Fortnum was determined in his position as supervisor of mayhem.  In the spirit of marital harmony he thought it better he stayed well clear of the firing line.

Since I was going to the effort of building a new compost bin I figured why not build two.  That way we’ll have plenty of capacity and I won’t have to go through the building traumas again.  It is at this point though it starts to dawn on me that despite careful planning and endless discussion with the timber lads I have two pieces of wood missing.  Bummer.

But here at Domestic Executive HQ we don’t let such things hold us back and after burrowing in the back of the barn I found some alternatives that would let me finish the job.

I am now the proud constructor of a two bay compost bin.  Plenty of room now to be storing garden debris and chicken poo. It’s just as well as the single bin is full and sprouting it’s own potato supply right now.

I was quick off the mark to start filling up one of the new boxes as we’ve collected heaps of vegetation out of the garden in recent weeks but not had anywhere to put it.  No excuses now.  With an almost industrial scale compost corner in place there are no excuses now for not composting all we can.

As I was working behind the barn today I started to visualise how the area can be developed more broadly into the back office function of my growing empire.  Having got my heart set on a Victorian greenhouse next to the barn next to the compost bins there is plenty of room to have cold frames and extra water butts.  All I need now is my kitchen garden construction underway and I can justify all this day dream as all in a good cause.

For now I am simply nursing some aching arms and legs after all the lifting, bending, pushing and shoving.  Match fit for outdoor work I am not.  There is no shortage of opportunities to rectify that with heaps of mowing, strimming and trimming to be done this coming week.  Who needs the gym when you have the great outdoors to give you a work out.