Haven’t used the gas blower yet this year, been using the electric one. This one had been left in the shed and I brought it into the garage to see if it would start up but wasn’t planning on getting to it for a day or two. Someone (not me!) left gas in it.

Well. I’m minding my own business putting up some shelves in the garage and I start hearing a noise. I’ve had issues with wildlife getting trapped in the garage when I close it for the night a couple times recently, so I start moving and tapping on things and muttering to myself about no nature being allowed in the garage without prior permission. Finally I figure out the sound is coming from the leaf blower, and also that it smells a little like mammal excrement.

Set it in the driveway for a little while and lo and behold a lil field mouse popped out of it. Wasn’t fast enough to get a pic of the perpetrator. It has subsequently gone back in when I wasn’t looking!

I’m taking a poll. Do I:

• put it straight back in the shed and ignore it for another year
• post it for free on Craigslist without backstory
• tear it down, clean it up, put it back into service
• just fire it up and let ‘er rip (I wouldn’t)
• leave it in the driveway for a few days and see if the problem conveniently solves itself

My fellow dull dudes, what do?

I don’t even remember it being dented in that spot. The physics of it are a mystery to me.