safety first

You know those annoying little ties you get when you buy boxes of plastic food bags? Little pieces of wire wrapped in white plastic? I've always hated them. Always.

Today I didn't even notice one on the freezer bag which I was meant to pop in the microwave and defrost.

Not even when I got this whiff of Something Which Might Potentially Be Burning did it twig what might be going on.

But when I as a matter of course paused the microwave to check on its contents, it was to discover two spikes of bare metal cheekily appearing from the neck of the plastic bag.

The white plastic covering had completely melted away, sealing the bag shut at the neck and exposing the ends of the tie. Without any sparking and without any giveaway flames.

I'm assured that it's not the first time this has happened. But it's still scary, and it's definitely confirmed me in my campaign against these things. Fiddly, unnecessary, and indeed dangerous: I'll tie my freezer bags in knots, thank you very much.