08-12-2026, 09:27 AM
Nacho, your story about your wife sort of reminds me of what it's like to be a DIY'er in a condo complex. Living in close quarters with so many other people, everyone pretty much sees what everyone else is doing. Everyone on our cul-de-sac is pretty close, which is nice because we can all watch out for each other and celebrate life's ups and downs.
But, it's a sprawling community, and we get dog walkers from other blocks frequently. Never fails, someone will walk past my garage, see a hood up, and ask "Watcha doin?"
I'll usually say that I'm changing oil, rotating tires, checking brakes, etc. To which a typical answer is "Huh. You can just do that yourself?" If I'm working on a motorcycle, most people are mum, not understanding what I could possibly be doing.
Two days ago in blistering heat, Mrs. G came down to the garage and said "Um, it's 87 degrees in the house, and warm air is coming out of the vents." I glanced at the AC condenser, and was crestfallen to see that it wasn't running. Ugh. This could be easy, or it could be expensive. My first instinct was to check the condenser coil, an easy fix that makes up a large percentage of condenser failures. I replaced Mom's last year, at a total cost of $20.
Walking out to your AC unit in a common area carrying a multi-meter and tools... might as well have been wearing a space suit or a wizard's cloak. Pulled the cover off of the unit and started checking the coil. Passersby looked on with concern. In hushed tones, I heard one of our close neighbors tell the uninitiated that "he's the guy on the block with the biggest tool box..."
And, heck, now that I think about it, I am still using the oil catch pan that I got for my 18th birthday... perhaps I should be concerned...
But, it's a sprawling community, and we get dog walkers from other blocks frequently. Never fails, someone will walk past my garage, see a hood up, and ask "Watcha doin?"
I'll usually say that I'm changing oil, rotating tires, checking brakes, etc. To which a typical answer is "Huh. You can just do that yourself?" If I'm working on a motorcycle, most people are mum, not understanding what I could possibly be doing.
Two days ago in blistering heat, Mrs. G came down to the garage and said "Um, it's 87 degrees in the house, and warm air is coming out of the vents." I glanced at the AC condenser, and was crestfallen to see that it wasn't running. Ugh. This could be easy, or it could be expensive. My first instinct was to check the condenser coil, an easy fix that makes up a large percentage of condenser failures. I replaced Mom's last year, at a total cost of $20.
Walking out to your AC unit in a common area carrying a multi-meter and tools... might as well have been wearing a space suit or a wizard's cloak. Pulled the cover off of the unit and started checking the coil. Passersby looked on with concern. In hushed tones, I heard one of our close neighbors tell the uninitiated that "he's the guy on the block with the biggest tool box..."
And, heck, now that I think about it, I am still using the oil catch pan that I got for my 18th birthday... perhaps I should be concerned...
You know what? I actually would like a pickle.