Bought my ticket back to Utah today. I’ll be flying in on Thursday, getting into SLC just before midnight. Not sure how long I’ll be staying. My guess is it’ll be a week or two, but we’ll see. My aunt is fading a good bit, and I want to make it back before she loses her powers of communication and her lucidity.
😕
Sad.
Hard to see loved ones pass.
…
It’s been a long day today, not a bad day, but a long one. I didn’t get much sleep last night, going to bed around… 3? And then getting up just before 8, I think. Funny enough, I wasn’t really tired today. I should be, but I haven’t been.
Did… 6 cars today? Yeah, six today after 7 yesterday. Lots of work. Put in 9.3 billable hours today, so that wasn’t too bad. Had Malaki with me for 8 1/2 hours ish. He’s learning. He made a lot of mistakes today, some that are really concerning, but… he is learning quickly. There’s just… so much to teach basically a novice. I really should have him ride along with me for a lot longer than just through Wednesday, but… he’s got a family and needs the money, so… I’m taking a pretty good-sized risk. I’m hoping I can leave enough step-by step instructions to get him through stuff or to talk him through stuff on his own.
(gulp)
It’s quite the balancing act. Make sure to get my customers quality service. Make sure to get my tech the info and… skills he needs. Find a way to keep him from making any big mistakes.
😶
Anyway, six cars. First one was a wheel bearing on a 2009 Ford Flex, I believe. Second job was a 2015 Honda CR-V with a big leak… turned out to have a loose transmission fluid pressure sensor. I… don’t even know how that’s possible. It was… ridiculous. The dealer said we had the wrong part, so we’re ordering the “right” part, but I’m betting they don’t know what they’re talking about, and we actually do have the right part, but in an effort to be 100%, I’ve ordered the part, and we’ll see. So… we’ll be back on that one Wednesday. My new tech made a pretty huge mistake, not putting the radiator cap on all the way. Had I not been watching, that could have been a major issue–overheat, blow the motor, etc.
Car #3 was a 2011 Honda Pilot that they thought had a charging problem, which is a very common problem with those, except… it wasn’t the problem this time. He just had a loose battery cable.
Wahoo!
Car #4 was a 2015 Chrysler Town and Country that needed a fuel pump. I’d done the diagnostic last week, and we did the fix today. It… didn’t go so well. Was supposed to be about 3 hours. I think it took close to 5? My new tech made another really big mistake and multiple little ones on that one as well.
He’s learning quickly, and he’s gonna be fabulous, I think. The question is, can he be good enough now to leave him alone?
😬
That’s probably not reasonable, so… I can’t leave him alone. I’m gonna have to be there with him without being with him. So… we’ll bust our butts to find a way to make this work–for my customers, for my tech, and… for me.
🤞
I have a feeling I’ll be spending lots of time on the phone over the next… while, as I help him. Maybe throw a few positive universe vibes out my way and my new tech’s way.
Anyway, 5th car was one that was overheating, but only at stoplights. That’s a telltale sign of a radiator fan that’s not turning on, and, such was the case. In this case, the fan control module had gone bad, and of course, you can’t buy just the module: You have to buy the whole assembly.
So dumb. It really is unconscionable how they run businesses. How do people look themselves in the mirror knowing their purposefully costing people more money, helping destroy the planet by forcing people to buy huge parts when little things will do. Ugh.
6th car was a 2008 Chevrolet Colorado that supposedly had a rough idle, but… I couldn’t reproduce the issue, so I cleaned the throttle plate, the MAF sensor, and tried to tighten up the PCV hose. After doing that, he said it was running better, so… hopefully, it lasts like that.
Now I’m home, writing this, working on work stuff to prep for my Thursday departure. So much to get done before then. It’s… nuts.
Gonna likely be a stressful time having him on his own, but… we’ll survive, or we… won’t.
There’s so much more to write, but… I never can remember it at night. Been some crazy days with some interesting stories that I just… don’t remember at the moment. But that’s okay.
Love and hugs.
Lift the World
~ stephen
Lift the World 
Hola, brother… Probably safer for you *and* your tech not to take any jobs till you get back. Or to really, really, selectively accept jobs.
On another note: I’m voting for you to grow your roots back into Utah…. I’d love to convince you to come here… Or to move near Tish – plenty of rural country and gorgeous wild mountains her direction… Also plenty of huge population centers and people in need….
But, you sound so happy in your mountains! And you love the lack of humidity! And lack of ticks (come on, you have to love that!) 🙂 And there is *so much* family all around who loves you and whom you love… So… That’s my vote! Yes, it’s crowded, yes there are pros and cons, yes, it’s expensive… But you’ve got to go where your soul sings!!! Sing it, soul, sing it!!!! And if you’re worried about Mom – she will be just fine! I promise!! And who knows if her own roots won’t go a-re-settling in the next few years anyway…
This is just my vote! Not designed for pressure or what I think you should do. It’s just what I think might lead to more happiness (and me getting to see you more!!) so it’s what I want. 🙂 🙂 🙂 So, take my wants for you with a grain of salt. 🙂 🙂 As a wise brother, a wise mother, and a wise step-son told me when we were on the road to find out: go where your heart sings… 🙂 🙂 🙂
All right! Love you, brother!
Safe travels!
Kiss Aunt L. for me…
I also vote the above