What I did on my Saturday vacation

About a month ago I had to slam on my brakes to avoid a run-in with a Schnieder semi.
My truck picked up a bit (somekind) of a harmonic whine at around 70-75 MPH from the left front. I took it to the Brakecheck on Perrin-Bietle since I'd had the entire front end re-done at their San Marcos shop about a year ago. They didn't 'find' anything wrong with my front brakes, or bearings (Hmmm, you don't know my truck like I do). They DID, howerver reccomend they do a bearing and seal job to my rearend. To the tune of about $350. "Because you can start to feel the bearings when you rotate the wheel" (AHHH, well that kinda feels like the gears in my differential- which I've been meaning to add 90 wgt. to for about 6 months)

"Ok, so I don't have a problem with my front wheels?"
'None that we could find, but I would highly reccomment you get that rear end serviced'
"I'll think about it."

Now, almost a month later I take it in to the Brakecheck on Marbach because the truck is really starting to show brake problems- brake smell, HOT rotors, losing almost 1½ MPG. . .

"Mr. P. we found your brake callipers were stuck, your rotors are heat glazed and need to be resurfaced, your pads are shot (well at least you eat that cost), as hot as your wheels got, your bearings really should be replaced before they (seize-up and cut my spindle like a pipe-cutter). Your rear brakes need to be turned, your wheel cylinders are leaking and your shoes are so old they have spider cracks.

Ok, because the N.E. side Brakecheck didn't put my visit into their computer, it ended up costing me $371 in parts and labor- and almost 5 hours of listening to either Sat. AM cartoons or Mexican language TV.

I told the store manager I'd do the back brakes, just throw the drums on a lath (at $25 each) so I don't have to come back.

I got all the way home before I looked at my cell phone that I'd left charging in the truck.
My Real Estate agent had called (from San Marcos - about 90 min away from here) and wanted me to sign some forms so my bidder could start the buying prosses on the trailer. I want to get it out of my loan file, so we sold $6,000 less than I'd have liked.

I also spent $40 to get a prgrammable thermostat that "Slimer" couldn't change- since no-one in the house EVER thinks about resetting the thing. I came in Fri. and the A/C was set at 55º. No one had a clue how it got their, or how long it was like that.