Sáng nay mở máy rửa chén ra thấy chén bát đã rửa tối hôm qua mà vẫn chưa sạch. Thôi thì chạy lại lần nữa. Khi máy chạy, tôi nghe tiếng nước lẫn tiếng gì đó rất lạ. Để ý nghe kỹ hơn thì ra là tiếng, “Ti… Ti… Tiền…”

After a few days of heavy rain, I needed to climb up to the roof to clean the gutters. I always dreaded going up to the roof and I didn’t go up last summer.

This morning, the weather was cleared; therefore, I decided to go up. Sure enough one of the gutters was clogged. I just had to clear it. I also hammered in the nails and tightened up the screws. The strong wind made them loose.

I wondered if anyone else was doing these. I haven’t seen any of my neighbors up on their roof to hammer in the nails.

At one point the sun hit me hard. I was sweating profusely. I was hoping I was not getting dehydrated.

Earlier today, I flushed our water heater. It was the second time I did the flushing based on the instructions I wrote for myself last year. Everything went well, except when I opened the valve at the bottom of the tank to drain the water. All I had to do was turning the big plastic knob to the left to open up the line, but I couldn’t remember. I tried to force it. Luckily I didn’t break it yet. It would have been a nightmare if that valve broke. I wanted to keep a note here so I can remember next year.

Every time my wife informed me, “The exhaust fan in the bathroom is not working,” I got stressed out a little. Why did the fan stop working again? I changed the new switch. I sealed the cover to keep moisture from getting into the electrical box.

I searched up YouTube and one of the suggestions was checking the loose wires. I removed the fan and checked the house box. Both the ground and the negative wires were completely out of the wire nuts. Nevertheless the fan kept working on and off for months.

I replaced the wire nuts and made sure the wires were tightly and securely connected. It was such a dumb mistake that only someone who had no confidence in fixing things around the house could make.

I am glad I found the issue and fixed it before I called an electrician.

I took our minivan to the dealer for an oil change. The cost was $125. Damn, the oil change alone was super expensive. I think I will do the oil change myself next time. I had been driven this car to work every weekend. From my house to Whitetail is an hour and a half.

I heard the clicking sound every time I made a turn. I asked the dealer to check it out for me. They claimed the A/T intermediate shaft was the cause and it would cost $1,500 to replace. I denied the service.

I am not sure how long I can keep this car before I have to pay so much to get it fixed. I am not looking forward to buying a new car. Cars are too expensive these days. I don’t even want to think about it.

We still have the 2018 Toyota Sienna SE for the long trips. I am going to just drive this car until it breaks down.

We have been couchless for a few months. I didn’t want to replace it. Couches are expensive and they turn you into a potato. We didn’t need one, but my wife insisted on getting one. Of course, she always got what she wanted. She ordered a set of Coddle Aria Fabric Sleeper Sofa with Reversible Chaise and Storage for $1250. I didn’t care much for it. It just took up space along with all the things we accumulated over the years. It is what it is. I just try to do my part to tidy up as much as I can.

Not sure when was the last time I replaced the windshield wipers for both minivans, but I bought them from Costco. They were Michelin brand, which weren’t so good. I don’t recommend them. I replaced them with Toyota genuine parts this time.

• Toyota Sienna 2018 SE at 80,000 miles. The full assembly cost $34 (with 25% discount) for both.
• Toyota Sienna 2011 XLE at 195,000 miles. The full assembly cost $34 (with 25% discount) for both.

While replacing the wipers, I put a towel on the windshield to prevent the medal J-hook from cracking the glass. I learned this tip from watching George Fotinakes’s video.

Went back to the anh Hùng this morning to replace pads and rotors. Once again, he only replaced the two rears:

2 Rear Rotors: $112 (25% discount)
4 Rear Brake Discs: $40 (25% discount)
Labor: $70
Total: $222

Note: Toyota Sienna 2011 XLE at 195,000 miles

This morning I took our Toyota Sienna 2018 SE over to anh Hùng to replace the brake pads and rotors. I text him two days ago and he recommended that I buy the parts from Toyota. I preferred Toyota’s genuine parts over aftermarket anyway. I called our closest dealer get a quote on brake pads and rotors for four wheels. He gave me a price that was over $900. My wife ordered everything online and I came to the dealer to pick up and everything cost $400. That was crazy.

In any rate, the technician took a look at our car and told me that I only needed to change the rear pads and rotors. He took 40 minutes to replace and charged me $70. I was surprised. He did an excellent job. I am definitely coming back to him to do more services. He lives only 15 minutes away from me. He is honest and he doesn’t charge an arm and leg. He only takes on jobs that he could do. It’s hard to find people like him nowadays.

Here’s the breakdown:

• 2 Rear Rotors: $150
• 4 Rear Brake Discs: $50
• Labor: $70

Total: $270

Note: Toyota Sienna 2018 SE at 80,000 miles

Getting a flat tire is a pain in the ass. If you leave nails and screws on the streets, fuck you. Whenever I spotted a screw or a nail on the street, I would pick it up and throw them in the trash so people won’t get a flat tire.

Instead of taking my car to Costco and wait for three hours to get my tire patched up, I decided to do it myself for the first time. I bought the Slime tire patch kit a few years ago and hadn’t had a chance to use it.

I enlisted my older boys to help jacking up the car and removed the tire. The screw was in there. We followed this instructional video on YouTube. The most challenging part was trying to remove the screw and inserting the tube into the tire. We also made a small mistake of releasing the jack before pumping the air back in.

After we got everything back together, Ðạo informed me that the solution was only temporary. We had to take the car to the shop to get it patched up correctly. Damn! We should have just taken it to the shop. Then again it was a good learning experience. I would feel more confidence patching it up next time.