When things go wrong… well, it seems they always will! This is how we feel sometimes when a series of bad things happen to us. It disrupts our normal routine and it unsettles us. It ruins the fun we’re having at the moment.

Just last week on our trip to Baguio, I had an unexpected car problem in Tarlac. We decided to check in at a nice hotel for two nights. It was a challenging situation but it was fun as well. Not really, totally bad. We faced the challenge positively, not losing hope. I realize that God does allow bad things to happen to us sometimes according to his own good purpose. And sometimes, we may never know why God allows something evil to happen to us. We just have to continue trusting God fully that all things will work out for good in the end. The Lord helped us and we were able to reach Baguio and back home safely after that interesting stopover in Tarlac.

On our way back home, on the way down along the wet and foggy Marcos Highway, there was heavy rains in some parts of the road. At one time, I did not see a really huge pothole and we hit it really bad. I felt pity for my 18-year old car. It’s the same thing at EDSA. There are a lot of portions where the road is really in bad shape. It can cause damage to a car’s under chassis parts.

After a few days I noticed strange noises underneath my old Ford Lynx. I went to an under chassis shop and suggested to the  mechanic that he check the stabilizer links. I was right. Some parts loosened up. The stabilizer link needed re-tightening including the front-right shock absorber. At least it was just a simple problem. I was relieved when it was fixed and the noise was gone.

It was time to relax at home again. But then again another unexpected car problem came up! We need to buy food and groceries after our trip in Baguio but the car won’t start! The car battery was totally drained! Then I remembered that the night before, for whatever reason, I connected the car alarm at the fuse box. I usually unplug it. It could have been the reason — just maybe — for the battery to be totally drained. I should not have connected that old alarm system which I don’t use anyway! I also noticed some loose wire in the trunk and the rear left signal lights casing was filled with rain water. Hmm… I think that I should have the whole electrical system checked for loose wires or anything that is causing the car battery to discharge too fast.

Anyway, I called up Motolite and they are re-charging my car battery at this time. I’m using their spare battery at the moment. If my battery was just drained, then re-charging it is just fine. But if the battery is no longer charging, then I need to buy a new one. Ouch! I will soon find out. Maybe tomorrow.

And then there was water leak in the bathroom! After so many years, the shower knob just suddenly got busted and water was gushing out profusely! It was hard to control the water pressure so I had to to close the main water valve. From a car mechanic, I was now a plumber this time. I bought some needed short pipes, pipe fittings, valve and other items at Ace Hardware and did some plumbing work. After about 24 hours without water, I think that I have fixed the plumbing problem. I just plugged the old and busted shower valve with Vulcaseal and created a new piping system leading to the shower head (see featured photo above).

Well, not bad for a senior citizen. I think I can still be a handyman even though I’m now 64 haha!

I hope to have a another wonderful week. Hopefully, there won’t be another interesting challenge for now so I can relax a little bit. Thank you Lord for taking care of this senior citizen!

My first visit to Baguio City was when I was still a teenager back in 1973. From  Teachers Camp, it was easy to go Session Road or Burnham Park but after the passing of many decades, the whole city has become more congested with people and more vehicles of all types. It is for this reason that I usually don’t go to Session Road, the public market or the Burnham Park anymore when I visit Baguio City. I haven’t been to these places for decades now.

But yesterday, after visiting the Dominican Hill, my family and I were ready to go home but we somehow got lost in the city haha! Google Maps was no help at all. The GPS signal got lost many times as we drove in tight, sharp curves and steep roads due maybe to the city’s varying terrain and dense concentration of buildings. It got me even more confused and lost in the city.

And so I ended up at Burnham Park without me intending to hahaha! Since we were already there, we decided to park the car and check the series of souvenir shops nearby.  My daughter was actually looking for a gift that she can give to her friend abroad and so that was timely.

I saw a public toilet so we all went there. In my travels around the country, I have noticed that public toilets are no longer free. One has to pay in order to use the toilet. But this particular “comfort room” at Burnham Park amused me hahaha! They give a discounted price for senior citizens hahaha! I thought that was funny.

On our way to the souvenir shops, I noticed a homeless man sleeping in the park. I felt sorry for him and I wondered how he is able to survive the cold at night. It did rain a little bit but somehow it did not bother him at all nor did get up. Maybe he was just drunk and not a homeless man. I don’t really know.

After that unplanned shopping for souvenirs at Burnham Park, we went home back to Laguna. It was nice to drop by that park again after so many decades.

Many of us are familiar with what is called, “Murphy’s Law” which Google says “is an adage or epigram that is typically stated as: ‘Anything that can go wrong will go wrong.'”

Ford Lynx 2000

Preparing the car in advance for a long trip, I usually have it checked. I went to my favorite car mechanic to have the brakes checked, had oil changed, engine checked and the mechanic said all was fine — ready to go. I usually clean the spark plug myself too and had the car washed — which seldom happens haha!

Aircon Busted!

Then off we went yesterday and reached Petron at NLEX northbound where we stopped for lunch. And as I usually do, I routinely check the hood. To my surprise, the aircon fan was not working. No wonder, there were times when we felt hot inside. We noticed something was wrong. To make a long story short, we exited at Sta. Rita and looked for an aircon repair shop. I had the whole fan replaced with a “surplus” part. My car is already an old model year 2000 Ford Lynx. It’s difficult to find original parts these days for this old car. After 18 years, that aircon fan was replaced. Thankfully it was not the engine fan that got busted. Otherwise, the engine could have overheated. Then off we went again and reached the Tarlac exit.

Then it happened again. What can go wrong did go wrong again.

Car Engine Dead!

Right after I paid the toll fee, I drove on but after a few seconds the car’s engine suddenly died. I coasted along and was able to park the car on the shoulder — thankfully. It was still near the toll gate.

I really appreciate the patrol crew of NLEX Corporation because they helped us without asking for anything in return. They called a towing truck which brought us to a car shop in Tarlac City. We exited the expressway again.

This is not the first time these good folks at NLEX Corp. have assisted me. I’ve had interesting experiences before at NLEX when I suddenly got dizzy while driving a few years back. See my other blog on this one.

Thanks to Friends in Tarlac

I also thank the Lord for my church friends in Tarlac who helped me tow the car from the Tarlac exit to a car shop in the city. I’m ever grateful for such friends. It’s good to have friends all over the country!

Anyway, according to the Ford Lynx experts, it was the MAF Sensor that was busted. That is, the Mass Air Flow Sensor, which is an electronic part that controlled the air-fuel mixture and also, it had something to do with helping the alternator to function well — something like that — as I understood it from the expert mechanic.

It was tough looking for a replacement part all over the city because the mechanics said my car was already obsolete. It may take a long time before it could be replaced. My other alternative was to go to Apalit, Pampanga or to Banawe in Quezon City. What should I do? I prayed and petitioned the Lord some more to guide me and help me.

MAF Sensor Cleaning

Then I searched the internet for this MAF sensor and found out on YouTube how to clean it. And then I suddenly remembered that my mechanic in Pampanga about six years ago told me he fixed my car problem by cleaning this MAF Sensor. And so very carefully, I cleaned it at the hotel. I went back to the shop where my car was parked and I installed it myself. And voila! The car engine started and no longer died! I can’t describe the feeling of joy!

Now I know. From now on, I’ll make sure I’ll clean that little part which can cause big trouble big time if not cleaned!

But then, I sensed that something was still wrong. But thankfully I noticed a hose and pointed it to the mechanic who now saw me and assisted me. When he touched it, we found out the hose was brittle and cut in half. That was another cause of the problem. In short, we replaced that hose and the car engine is working well again.

I’m writing this like a telegram jumping here and there and making this story short haha! We’re still in a hotel in Tarlac but hopefully we can proceed with our trip with God’s blessing.

One sure thing is: God was with us all the time. I felt his love and care for us all along the way. We are actually enjoying our stay here at Sun Garden Hotel. It’s got fast internet connection and it has a big swimming pool. A good place to relax after all our troubles!

Thank you Lord!

I have a lot to write but I’ll do that later when I have more time. The exciting journey continues. Thanks to all who prayed for us as we faced this “exciting episode” in Tarlac! Thank you for remembering us in your prayers. Much appreciated!

Some people celebrate their birthdays and some don’t. Some spend a lot on lavish celebrations and some don’t. For Jinjie’s birthday yesterday, my wife and I just asked our daughter where she would like to have dinner with us on her birthday and she chose to go to TGIF at the Ayala Malls in Solenad. It was just a simple dinner and we just thanked God for the blessing of giving us our second daughter. We are blessed with two daughters. Children are indeed blessings from the Lord.

It was our first time to visit at TGIF Solenad — or, as they also call it, TGI Friday’s. It was our daughter’s choice. I was surprised that there were about 4 or 5 other people who were also celebrating their birthdays that evening. I guess TGIF is a place for birthdays and families. Interesting.

I gave my cellphone to one of the TGIF staff so she can take a video of us. Here’s the video below:

After dinner, we were served coffee for free and since my daughter was feeling cold already, we went outside TGIF where they also have tables. We had a relaxing time. TGI Friday’s at Solenad had a pleasant staff who served us well that night. Below is a video outside after we had dinner: