Hello, I hope you are all doing well. I've noticed that the mortar between the exterior bricks of the garage side wall has come off in various places, and I can see the panel behind. I also suspect a couple of mice have gone in through the openings and into the garage itself. What's the best way to fix the mortar? In particular, should I remove all the mortar that's crumbling and replace it with new one? And how to make the repair not too obvious? Also, what do you think of products like Quikrete Mortar Repair that comes in tubes? Is it effective? Lastly, on the inside part of the wall, I noticed that the cement shoulder, on which the bottom plate of the wall is placed, is crumbling. What's the best way to repair it? Thank you

Is driveway sealing ever worth it? our driveway has some minor crack and no holes.....but the surface is quite rough. Dried grass clippings are difficult to remove with a broom or a hose.....they just seem to grab onto the driveway. is there any solution other than a new driveway to help “smooth” it out and get a few more years out of it? thanks j