Since I was born in Wheeling, West Virginia in 1936, I have lived in 17 houses. None of those homes had a Second Story or a Basement, except a small below-ground enclosure which housed a coal furnace in our 3 Wheeling Island homes. I have never experienced living in a residence that required going up and down a flight of stairs! My favorite house is the one in which I presently reside; 2800 square feet all on one convenient level, just for my Wife and I. Harry
@Hal Pollner That is one gorgeous Joshua Tree! Did you plant it there? I transplanted several in front of the house when I lived in Vegas, stopped by years after we had sold the place. They were magnificent! Hated to give it up,.......divorce. Frank
No, it was estimated by Arborists to be about 500 years old. When a Joshua Tree is transplanted, the California State Law says that it must be oriented in the same compass relationship as originally situated. Hal
@Hal Pollner I think that is true of many desert plants, though all I knew previously was that it was recommended the original positioning be comparable. 'Course, I dug up my Joshuas in 1974, out in the unconfined and undefined areas of Desert west of Vegas then known simply as "Red Rocks". After I left there, the entire Red Rock Recreation Area was included in a new, either State-run enclave, or possibly even under the National Parks and Recreation Areas thing. It is a most beautiful area, so close in to a major metropolitan area, yet so close to Nature. We hiked those mountains many times, encountering Big BHorn Sheep. Often, they were encrusted with overnight snow in winter. Downtown Vegas is at ~ 2000 feet altitude; Red Rocks involves a steady uphill climb driving west on Charleston Blvd., to perhaps 3500 or more. A stand of magnificent Ponderosa exists at the base of Mt. Wilson there, fed by a constant small water flow from high above. One of my all-time favorite secluded (then) spots of any we encountered as we endeavored to "break ties" in Crook County, IL. Frank
Lovely House, Hal . I've lived in many houses like you since I was born , only 3 times I lived in a Flat (apartment) when I was a child.. every house since has had stairs, including this one which I've had for 38 years , and even my second home abroad has 3 flights of stairs inside and also stairs leading up the front and back door . I would love now to have a house all on one floor, I have problems with my back and when it's at it's worst the stairs are difficult to navigate . I've been saying it for ages I'd like a one level house , but hubs refuses to move..
Not counting my parents' house or stays of less than a year, I have lived in 10 houses, 4 apartments, 2 duplexes, 2 trailers, 2 hotels, and a townhouse. One of the apartments was a garage that had been made into an apartment, although it still had the garage door so I could open up one whole wall if I wanted to. Only one of the houses I lived in had a basement and water would seep in during the spring. I prefer more than one level, for some reason. I guess because it makes the house feel bigger, or maybe there's the sense of exercise.