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5:20pm - This weekend has been exhausting. I have essentially done chores from dawn until dusk. I've been mowing the lawn, doing house chores, and changing the brakes on all 4 tires of Leslie's car. Its one of those things that I've known for a while that it needed to be done. But when the car is actually still working, it is hard to make the decision to go ahead and do this job. Originally I had decided to take it down to "Just Brakes" since they advertise a $99 brake job for all 4 wheels. But I soon found out that this is a complete fraud and nobody gets their brakes done for that price. It looked as if it was going to cost me close to $300 anywhere I wanted to go. So I decided to undertake the job myself. I knew how to do the front brakes, but those rear drums were an unknown. So I decided I'd just do the front brakes and pay somebody to do the rear ones. So we took the car down to Sears since Leslie wanted to go to the mall. I had already called them and they quoted me a price of $150 for changing the rear brakes. Well, I got down there and they guy told me there would first be a $15 charge for checking the brakes. I said, "What are you checking, exactly?" THe guy gave a relatively dumb response saying, "Well, we need to check them out." I again pressed him, "What are you going to be checking on them? I already know the brake shoes are worn out, I want them changed. What is there to check?" He beat around the bush for a while and eventually told me that they would also have to check the front brakes. I said, "Why? I don't want you to do anything with the front brakes?" He then went on to inform me that if there were something wrong with the front brakes, they'd have to do them too. I told him, "I already know there is something wrong with the front brakes, but I don't want to pay for that, I just want you to change my back brakes." Turns out they refused to do that, so I just told them I'd take my business elsewhere. Instead I took my business to the auto-parts store and bought replacement pads for all 4 tires. Anyway, i did the front ones last night and it didn't take too long. The rear ones were a complete and total pain in the butt. I do not know if I'll ever mess with drum brakes again. I think I'll pay to have them done. Granted, after I'd already replaced the front brakes, I guess Sears could have done the back ones since they wouldn't find anything wrong with the front. (assuming they were honest) ANyway, fortunately it is all done now.

I've been putting a lot of thought into an electric car again. I watched a very fascinating documentary today called, "Who killed the Electric car?" And I was just blown away by some of the stuff I saw in this movie. In really made me angry in so many ways. It is obvious that we'll likely never see a viable electric car made by a major auto maker until the oil runs out. That can't stop me from converting one myself. That option is starting to look a lot more realistic. I'm going to attend a car-show on October 13 in Garland all about electric cars and conversions. Hopefully I'll pick up some good information. If I could build something viable for Leslie to drive, we could save a fortune in gas since she spends about $250 a month on gas. That figure will only continue to rise as gas prices continue to rise. It really makes the idea of an electric car worthwhile not only for environmental or technological reasons, but it actually makes sense for your pocket-book too. We could pay $250 a month on gas, or about $30 a month for electricity for an electric car. THe choice is a no-brainer.

ANyway, I think I'm about to try taking a nap. My back has been killing me for several days now. I've got a muscle that I think is spasming back there.