Is it really that big of a deal? We're talking about fixing a paperback to read, not making a museum piece. Sometimes the "wrong" tool does the job just fine. I used a bit of flour paste once when I had nothing else, and it's still holding after a year. Maybe we get too hung up on the rules.

Brought it back to life" is a strong way to put it. The last darkroom I found was just a moldy bathroom with a red bulb. My prints looked like they had the plague.

Smart move on the cedar fence. Did something similar on a sloped property last year. Marked each spot with spray paint, then used a manual post hole digger with the clamshell head. Lets you feel for roots and rocks before you commit. Saved a rental fee and a ton of hassle with the grade changes.

Ugh, that's the worst feeling. I got burned by a cheap pad once too. I've had really good luck with the Klymit Static V. It packs down super small, like a Nalgene bottle, and I got mine on sale for around $70. It's not the warmest for winter, but for three-season stuff it's been solid.

Read that some flowers are straight up poison to birds, so @mia_fox98 had a point.