For once I was went out just an hour after my garbage was collected,
and no one was out there, and yet this was the day my lid disappeared.

I've waited a week for it to return, but I don't think it knows the
way.

I want to make a substitute. For a previous plstic can, I just made a
lid out of T1-11, and it's pretty good when I set in the right place.
I might even put little brackets on it to keep the lid in place.

I have more t1-11, but this can is thinner and it doesn't seem
appropriate. So I thought of some material, the blue woven tarps, or
a piece of canvas, or some other fabric, or part of my old convertible
top (which I'm saving for something more important). I would sew a
hem around the whole edge, with a bungy cord inside. I already have
the cord. It should take about 20 minutes total, maybe less, since
the sewing machine is out right now.

BUT, WHAT ABOUT MICE???? Will they go right through the fabrics I
have in mind. I especially wanted to use the blue polypropylene?
woven tarp material because I have scraps of that the right size.
What about vinyl window screen, or aluminum window screen. Those
won't suppress smells, but even the garbage rarely smells much for
more than a day or two, and I have no neighbor for the next 4 months
or more, and then it will be cold. But the mice have better smellers.

But will the mouse chew through aluminum screen? I could even make
it two layers, plastic to keep the smell in, and window screen to keep
the moouse out.

Thanks for any helpful replies.