Lucky you, Charmion! And Alice (if she's still reading along) has snow her first week of autumn (in Montana). Here, it's dry and humid at the same time - no rain forecast until maybe 10 days from now.

Two mice went into the drink yesterday, the entire trap fits into a tall water-filled bucket I picked up along the curb years ago and have used around the garden. I think it originally held pool chemicals. This way I can release toads selectively and slowly get rid of rodents. I toss the carcasses across the back fence toward the creek where something will pick them up for a meal.

Editing again today, it's a messy process on a paper they want to publish but it was poorly constructed and sending it back to the graduate student author wouldn't help. It has a second writing credit, but that's mostly just to give the first author a chance to get published - the politics of academic publishing and sponsorship stuff.

My ear needed decluttering this morning; after a couple of sessions of the Debrox ear drops it's better, but not perfect. I don't wash my hair daily any more, so shampoo and soap don't get into the ear to clear it out. But if this is the worst of my health complaints for now I'm okay with it. The knee has improved with the first gel shot, the bone spurs aren't as pronounced this week.