The Plunge

Lit the kiln late last night;by morning it had reached 300,now it's up to 1150,still churning out a steady 100 degs. an hour,so another hour or so should bring us up to temperature.I need to pay close attention at this stage that the high gas pressure doesn't cause the kiln to slip over into reduction,which the crystals don't like at all.Firing the kiln is my main occupation today,requiring full attention,so I'll spend the rest of my time cleaning around the studio and glazing for the next kiln.
A mouse seems to have got in the kiln and eaten or carried off my cone 9 [perched at the top of the kiln] [although,puzzlingly,it left cone 7],leaving small pieces of evidence on the bottom shelf.I hope it escaped before the start of the firing...