Okay, Christmas is over and we can start to get back to normal, whatever the heck that is. Of course, the stores will still be total madhouses for a few days as people return all of the gifts they got and don’t want and shop for after-Christmas bargains. But at least we can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Let’s just hope it’s not an oncoming train!
Terry and I don’t get into all of the Christmas hype. We buy presents for the grandkids, but we refuse to spend a fortune on “stuff” just because the retailers have convinced us it’s the right thing to do.
We had a nice Christmas Eve dinner with Terry’s parents and sisters, and yesterday we enjoyed a quiet day at home listening to Christmas music. Terry caught up on her bookwork and logged in several new subscriptions, while I worked on my new Big Lake book and messed around online. In the evening we followed our tradition of going out to a Chinese restaurant for dinner. Then it was home for more music and just enjoying being together.
It looks like I need to find a mechanic. It would appear that we have a failing ABS sensor on our Ford Explorer. The ABS light came on driving home from Terry’s parents Christmas Eve, and then yesterday when we went out it was off but it came on again when we left the restaurant and we started hearing a noise from the left front. We thought we might be stuck, but we drove a couple of circles around the around the parking and the noise stopped. After a call to Greg White, we decided we’d be good to drive the four miles or so home, and while the ABS light stayed on, everything worked fine.
Today I plan to find a Big A Auto Parts or NAPA or such nearby and have them put a meter on it to check the fault codes, but from everything I have found online and learned talking to Greg about it, I’m pretty sure that’s the problem. It looks like a fairly simple job for somebody with the right tools and some mechanical ability, but it’s way above my pay grade.
Well, it’s Wednesday, and that means it’s time for a new contest! This week’s Free Drawing is for an audiobook version of Big Lake Lynching, the second book in my Big Lake mystery series. All you have to do is click this Free Drawing link and enter your name in the comments section below. Only one entry per person per drawing please! The winner will be chosen at random on Sunday evening.
And finally, we all need a laugh now and then, and when we saw this video from the Ellen show about what happens when you ask a feminist to hawk a sexist product, Terry and I really thought it was funny. Check it out, I think you will, too.
Thought For The Day – Of course women don’t work as hard as men. They read the directions and do it right the first time.
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Nick Russell
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Had to replace a front ABS sensor on my F-150 last year Nick. My son did it in his driveway, I think it took maybe an hour or so and the part was $20 or $30. You’ll need a good floor jack to get it up in the air, an air compressor and basic tools. It’s really not all that complicated. As I recall the hardest part was getting the line for the new one down from where it plugged in under the hood to the wheel. Took some trial and error to route it through.
Thanks for the chance to win!
Nick, if you need a good mechanic that will treat you right and not overcharge, try TPLT Automotive. It’s right on Main St between Signal Butte & Crissmon 480-807-0100. I don’t think you’ll be disappointment.
With hearing the noise my guess is a possible wheel bearing failure starting to occur. I hope just a sensor, but the noise while turning tips me towards the wheel bearing. Let us know the result please.
good luck with a inexpensive fix on the car if there is such a thing,I loved the Ellen commercial really needed a good laugh
I agree with Dave M. on bearing and if so do both sides because that other one won’t be far behind!…Sensor could be letting you know that the bad bearing is making it hot
Nick also could just be the squealer tab (if so equipped)that rubs against the rotor when pads need replacing going off letting you know that you need brake pads one that wheel. If that is the case also do the other side.
Dave Walker