"I have often wanted to drown my troubles, but I can't get my wife to go swimming." - Jimmy Carter

All the cedar fence boards are up on the "accent" walls and everything cleaned and vacuumed. I still need to put some trim around the window, but other than that it's ready for flooring. That will wait until the next SS check.
The BAD news: I've got another carpenter ant nest, this time in the west wall. I put down more Boric Acid and watched them carefully walk around it.
Tomorrow I'l call to get an estimate from a couple of exterminators. I can't stand the thought of those little buggers eating the inside of Fred's walls.

Speaking of little buggers, I keep two 5-gallon buckets by the hose on the back side of MoHo to carry water down to the berry and rhubarb plants. This morning when I went outside I saw this:

I have NO idea how he got into that bucket but he can't get out. He can jump almost all the way to the rim, but not quite.
I debated what to do with him for most of the day, and releasing him was never an option. He and/or his buddies have been another of my griefs in the Fred restoration. When I did the demolition the place was full of mouse poop, they'd nested in the walls, and the stench of their pee was upstairs and down. I figure if I did turn that bucket upside down he'd race right for Fred.

Late this afternoon I came up with a plan. I've put blocks of mouse poison in Fred's walls and the storage nooks, but I don't know if the mice like them or if they're fatal. I'll know soon! I put the bucket on just enough of a tilt to put some water in there (don't want him to die of dehydration) and then one of those poison blocks. Will he nibble on it? He should be hungry enough! Will it kills him?
Updates to follow.

The market gained back the ground it lost yesterday. Friday's fall will take a little longer, but I'm cautiously optimistic that our very modest retirement account will get back to last Thursday's level before the year's done. (heavy sigh)

That Datsun 510 I was watching hit $9,100 and didn't meet its reserve. Turns out the guy wanted at least $11,800. That's crazy money.

I'm frustrated at not being able to run. My knee isn't healed yet and my back still gives me grief. Without the gym as a way to exercise I need something that provides a real workout. I've thought about getting the bike down - that wouldn't put the stress on my back that the pounding of running does - but the roads around here are hilly and full of curves. Not real safe.
Grrr.