In a message dated 9/24/04 1:01:08 PM, calle.fallberg@TELIA.COM writes:

<< You�re frying mice that has nested in the exhaustsystem ;-)

Calle >>

Don't laugh, this is a real possibility.  As I have written previously, I am 
something like the dufess Bill Murray character in "Caddyshack", constantly at 
war against some harmless little creature who is just looking for a place to 
raise the family.

One fall evening shortly after I got my first van, I cranked open the sunroof 
and took the kids for some ice cream.  Once the exhaust system got up to 
temperature it really started cooking, puffing out billowy clouds of smoke.  I had 
already learned the Vanagon mantra, "Now what?", so I muttered it and pulled 
over.  When I got to the rear of the van, even with the engine stopped it was 
still smoking like a diesel with its choke left on.  That was when I caught 
the unmistakable odor of burning protein and about the same time the kids 
started with the 'What's wrong, Daddy?".  I was ready to tell them about the field 
mouse or chippie being catalytically converted to charcoal in the exhaust 
system when I remembered the series of books about the cute field mouse family 
sitting on the shelf at home.  So, I lied and told them that a squirrel probably 
thought the tailpipe was a good place to store some acorns.

George