I have really become so appreciative that my husband is able to fix things around the homestead and save us money. I have been inspired myself to learn how to do things like changing my own oil and working on our tiny home bus when we can afford to do so.
A couple of weeks ago I noticed that our heating/air conditioning unit was not working as it should. It is always a stressful thing because if we need a new unit, that is so expensive. We have replaced several parts and done other maintenance over the years to prolong the life of the unit, but my husband is losing faith that we can hold off much longer.
Of course the heat would have to act up as we were getting the colder weather coming through. Thankfully, when my husband did get a chance to look at everything, he noticed some wires on the main power switch that were loose and burnt. I was so glad we could catch the problem before it became a real fire hazard. He was able to fix the wires, and now the heater is working great.
The latest project is working on my husband’s 4×4 truck. He went out of town for a weekend, and a few hours away from home, his transmission blew up. He had our dog with him as the inside of the truck filled up with smoke from the transmission. Our dog was climbing on my husband’s head trying to get out of the truck causing a serious hazard.
The tow alone put a real dent in our pocket book. The parts are expensive as well, but we are saving money on labor since my husband is doing all the work. We have spent some time getting all the parts together to work on the truck and to upgrade to a heavier duty set up. Finally, this weekend the work has begun.
It is a big project, but it helps me learn more about cars and trucks and how everything works. I am glad we have older vehicles so that we can work on all the maintenance ourselves. I am looking forward to actually getting my hands dirty and learning to do more things with my truck especially.
I haven’t helped as much on his truck as I might like. He did a lot of work while I was away, and then the weather is so cold. I don’t do well in the cold and we only have one warm jump suit;my husband uses that one. I am hoping for a warmer day and an opportunity to help more. I have done some random things like: holding down the brake while he tried to loosen a bolt, and working the jack.
It is interesting to me how I have changed over the years. It was nothing to think about paying someone to do whatever needed to be done. Now I find a real sense of accomplishment if I am able to do something for myself. I still have so much to learn, but I am grateful that my husband can do what I cannot. I am also glad that he is willing to teach me what he knows.
Photos Courtesy of The Faithful Homesteader
