What I Really Should Be Doing...

I'm sitting in front of my kiln.  I have been nursing it, coaxing it slowly, then changing and putting the fire to the iron, so to speak.  In spite of whatever efforts I make or an adjustment that I think will help the kiln breathe, it fires at its own rate.  The kiln's electronic controller says that it is nat 2001 degrees.  At least it is climbing.  I should be inside packing for a trip but I feel like this is where I ought to be.  I have restarted it twice.  This is the second time and the temperature is rising.  That is the right direction, no matter how long it takes.  What if I have to jump up and restart it again?  What if I'm not here when it happens?  Am I paranoid or what?  As you can probably tell, this is only a small fraction of the many different of the types of neurobiological processes that take place in a potter's mind.  Only a small fraction.

The kiln is at 2003 only a few minutes later with no sign of slowing down.  I am hopeful but I still need 280 degrees fahrenheit.  Could be a long haul.  Frankly, I won't make it much longer.  As long as the temp keeps rising, I can hang in for a while.  Of course, if it stalls, then I have to stick around to restart it.  Either way, I'm not leaving, not just yet.  The kiln is at 2007f.  I want to see it hit 2010.  Then I'll decide, right?

Damn! The kiln is sounding an alarm.  Failure To Heat (FTH) means the kiln is not heating fast enough for the desired temperature.  It will still heat but eventually will fail and shut down.  I've lost almost thirty degrees inside of two minutes.  That is heat that has to be made up, so it is a battle.  I will give up the battle and count on heat work to make the pots useable.  I'm hungry.