Finishing the Chimney

Twelve or thirteen feet up on a roof that wiggles. It makes me hesitate when I step onto a six-foot long by one-foot wide scaffolding made from two-by-fives and 1/4-inch plywood. The wiggle plays with my sense of balance as I stand next to a solid brick chimney that seems to move every now and then.

I began stacking brick above the peak of my roof today. I have three more feet to go before I can stop the endless transfer of heavy refractory brick up one ladder onto a scaffolding below the roof, then up another ladder to the scaffolding above the roof, two bricks at a time, 16 bricks for each course on the chimney.

I looked down the chimney and imagined flames spiraling up, pots vitrifying in the kiln. It gave me a bit more impetus to keep up the work.

Can I stand on that?

Two feet on the scaffolding and two hands on the chimney allow me to feel safe

And then I eventually begin work on the rest of the chimney, one brick at a time.