I thought the timer things was weird too as I have never really had any issues with any of them. This morning I saw that when I went out, I didn't turn it to OFF like I thought I was doing. I didn't have my reading glasses on and turned it the wrong way. 😄 It still had originally been in the right timer area though. I worked on it again when I got home from a visit with my Mom to try to help her get lights and a topper on her tree so she can start getting the "pretties" hung on it. At first it still didn't want to work, so I got my backup and when I started to pull one of the plugs out, everything started coming on ! Maybe my plug is haunted now for some reason. ha ha. It is not new, but it's not too old either, so we'll see what it does tonight.
Thank you, after I read your comment, I could see the bits as gravel.
I do understand what you are saying about deer not sounding like humans walking, I guess I was just trying to roll other possibilities around in my head for alternate explanations. Nobody wants to feel like strangers could be lurking outside their homes ! Yikes !