Mr. Murphey has landed. Tipped the train table up to work on some switches, forgot the four, three pound lead ingots on the near side holding down two sets of crossover switches. I believe the first to hit the trackage on the off side was the one that ripped the inside rails part way off the ties, the other three finished off the inside set, and then took out the other two sets of rails. Glad I have extra track. Had a grey tree rat move into the space over the kitchen. I have two retrievers, both old, and of questionable vision. However, they have excellent hearing. As the grey tree rat would body surf through the insulaton both dogs did not bark—they screamed, loudly, and at great length. Today the tree rat was on the deck railing. My vision is not what it was, so I use a .410 for anything over five feet. My wife has several solar powered multi-colored lights---- I got the one that look like a sunflower. Never saw it in front of the tree rat. I did get the tree rat-- I also discovered that a welding rod will fit inside the fiberglass tube, and wrapped with black electricians tape it is barely noticable. Knew there was a reason why I didn’t use the 12 gauge. The wife decided to grow potatoes this year in one of my fish trays. Plant the spud,and as it grows keep adding straw,dirt, and come fall dump it out and gather all the nice potatoes. My wife has been feeding corn to the deer in front of the garage, in close proximity to the potato tray. Well—around the tray the ground is cut up with deer tracks, and there are perfect funnel shaped holes down through the straw, and all the potato tops are gone. I never knew them to eat potato tops. As a boy we grew them, Dad would hit the top of each hill we planted with a shots bag of arsnic poison to keep insects away, perhaps it also kept the deer away. I have the rest of the crops inside a fence of ten pound monofiliment fishing line, about 2 1/2 feet off the ground. The deer can’t see it, and as they head for the bean patch they feel it, and really spooks the
Sorry to hear about your misfortune.
Try to look at the bright side - (maybe) you were never really happy with that track so now you get to do it properly, or, you were really happy with the track but you wanted some more practise laying track, or…
However, you have to admit that blowing the varmit away felt good, and potatos are bad for you anyway!
I think I had better shut up before I get the receiving end of the .410!
Seriously, I feel for your multiple losses. I hate squirrels too.
Dave