Monday, November 3, 2008

My Perch


So today I built a couple of things that I need for my chimney project. This is a platform for holding both the new bricks (all 84 of them which I bought today) and as a "mortarboard" for working with the wet cement while building. I also made a support arm for a pulley and rope, which I will be using to lift the bricks 30 feet from the ground to the roof. This is no small task - one brick weighs 4.6 pounds and 84 will weigh 386 pounds! I will also use it for lifting as well all the mortar which I will be mixing in the wheelbarrow on the ground. So after building all this, I discovered that it is also a comfortable perch for looking out on the world at the end of the day.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

ARE YOU NUTS? GET THE HELL DOWN FROM THERE BEFORE YOU BREAK YOUR NECK!

Anonymous said...

I agree with the first blogger, time to hire a professional. Go take more pictures and ride your bike but please get off the roof.

Anonymous said...

Risk Management... Safety is important, but judgment is paramount! Perhaps the two comments above come from individuals who are unaware of the fact that you are a licensed pilot. It's also interesting to note that less than one percent of the adult population in the United States is licensed to fly... You are truly inspirational Ken. I love this photo!

Chris

Anonymous said...

Hmmm, I don't buy the logic. You can be the most risk averse person in the world but there are too many unknown variables when working in a new environment. New materials, untested methods, weather etc. etc. - the point is
Ken is out of his element on the roof. Is he Inspirational ? Definitely. However is he a risk taker ? Yes. (Sorry did not mean to get the blog off of the real meaning of the photos which are awesome)

Ken Spencer said...

Wow, this is so much fun to have so many comments. Thank you all! I am risk adverse. Big time! Aviation is not inherently dangerous - before each flight, and throughout the flight there are dozens of decisions to make. I make the ones to avoid risk, and always leave myself an out - a way to proceed if things go badly. On the roof, I use a safety line at all times. It is a rock climbing rope tied to the chimney (until I tore the chimney down) then I tied it to my platform which is anchored to the roof. I am very deliberate, and before doing anything on the roof, ask myself "what could possibly go wrong here?" And then I adjust my behavior accordingly. So far, so good... Thank you all for your concern.

Anonymous said...

You know the joke about the guy who fell off a building and as he was falling, he passed by a window where someone inside said "how're you doing?" And he answered, "so far, so good."

John Griebsch said...

Kathy! He is sitting up on the roof again!

John Griebsch said...

... and he is telling us that he can fly!