Macho Mechanic

My breaks have been squealing at me for quite a while. They've actually begun to groan and moan every time I come to a stop. Surely, that can't be good. Since we're always cheapskates very frugal, Brad decided that he'd rather fix them himself than pay someone else "3 times the money" to do it for us.

So he bought the parts that the guy at Advanced Auto told him, looked up a tutorial online with labeled pictures of everything, and he changed my break pads. Or break shoes. Or maybe even rotors? (I have no idea what he did, really, other than make the bad sound stop. There's definitely a very good reason that my only involvement in these shenanigans was from behind a camera.)

There's just something so macho about seeing your husband with grease all over his hands. Even if he is making this face...

Chester wanted to help his daddy do the "big boy project," and he made great contributions to the repair by sitting directly in front of the fan for him. Thanks, Chester.  You're a real big helper!

Don't worry. Brad drove the car around the block a few times to make sure the brakes did, in fact, work, before he let me climb behind the wheel. (He's always looking out for me, that Bradley.) All week, my drive to work has been much more pleasant without the constant complaining from the back tires every time I slow down. Now I can better enjoy my 107.5 The River.

I'm totally impressed with my husband for successfully doing such a "manly" job even though he was completely unaware of how to do it in the beginning. He's such a gogetter. I really appreciate that drive in him.

Are you a DIY kinda person? Or would you rather trust things to professionals?