Wow! So this venerable old blog has passed the 11,000 visitors mark. Pretty amazing that people have looked at what I have to say that many times.
The other big news is that we have started installing the chimney. Actually, it is pretty much installed. All that is left is to install the weather shield and cap. Originally, this was all to be done by a professional. However, after being rescheduled several times and having an alternate contractor bail out, we decided to do it ourselves. Once having set our minds, I purchased the necessary parts and borrowed a roof ladder.
Now roof ladders are interesting things. They are ladders with a hook or hooks at the top. The idea is that the ladder lays flat on the roof with the hook over the ridge. The hook secures the ladder and one may crawl up and down the roof ladder in perfect safety.
In reality, roof ladders are a true test of one's mental and cardiac fortitude. The ladder itself creaks and flexes with a nerve-shredding rhythm while the hook slides up and down with the tempo. So one finds oneself ascending toward the peak of the roof with bulging eyes glued to the undulating hook. With each upward bounce of the hook, the climber's heart beats faster and inches a little farther up their throat as the hook threatens each time to come clear of the ridge and send the climber shooting into space on a magic ladder ride. But each time the hook stops just short of sending the climber into oblivion and returns to its original position to begin the torture anew.
After a knocking a few years off my life on my first two trips up the roof ladder I wised-up and figured out a way to better secure myself and the ladder. As far as we have progressed, I need only take a few more trips up the roof ladder to complete our chimney. And it is a darn good thing too!
Cheers!
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