I noticed over the last week that my engine has been a little noisier, especially when starting out in the morning. Sure enough, I'm a little low on oil. I'm way overdue for an oil change, but can't afford the time or money right now. So, I pull over at the Des Plaines Oasis to add a quart. I grabbed a quart of oil (that I had under the front seat), popped the hood and added the quart. As I'm standing there, looking at the engine compartment, I saw it...

Now, let me first say that I am not a hardware guy. That applies not only to computers, but to anything mechanical as well. Even through that, even I knew that what I was seeing didn't belong there...

So a critter - fortunately long gone - had made a nest on top of the engine. The material was totally unfamiliar to me, which is actually a good thing - that means the critter hasn't been living in the garage. Since it's been a while since I've been under there, I have no idea when this happened. At least the critter is no longer living there...