Old prompts just need time to marinate sometimes...

Dodge the first flicker attack is my advice. Those things are the bullies of the bird feeder world, they'll clear out a whole buffet in seconds. I switched to a seed mix once and it was like a bouncer showed up at a toddler party. The downies just sit on the branch and yell about it, but they never actually fight back. You'd think they'd at least get a tag team going, but nope, one flicker owns the place now. You ever try hanging two cages on opposite ends of the yard to split the crowd? It doesn't help, they still find each other and start drama.

Rethink the ice trick, man. I've done plenty of summer pours in that kind of heat and ice in the mix water just makes the problem worse half the time. Yeah, it cools the mortar down, but then you get uneven set and the corners still pull apart if you're not fast enough. Better to work in smaller batches and keep the mortar board in the shade, plus wet the brick down real good before you lay. That 105 degree sun is brutal, but the issue is usually the suction from the dry block more than the air temp. I've ripped down plenty of corners too, but I learned to stop blaming the heat and start slowing my pace instead.

Wait til the battery dies, then see how smart you feel.

Oh come on, lol. A flat tire is barely even an inconvenience these days with roadside assistance. Sounds like you just wanted an excuse to skip the fancy dinner and wear sweatpants.