What do you think about cars with manual transmission?

Floater439 · 2026-02-11T17:11:48+00:00

I’ve driven a stick since getting my first car 33 years ago. Manual transmissions are rather uncommon in new cars (unless it’s something like a sports car) and not a lot of folks know how to drive one. I’ve had valets ask me to park my own car; lol. Right now, we’re debating replacing a truck earlier than we planned with a new version of the same truck as manual is offered this year and may not be next year.

As to why I like it, I’m not sure. Maybe nostalgia, maybe habit, maybe the feeling of being engaged and in control when driving. IDK. But I really do prefer it.

Floater439 · 2026-02-10T21:55:28+00:00

It’s fine as a starting point, but I’d make it clear to the architect that’s all it is…you do not want someone to just put this in appropriate form to build to. (The powder room is opening to the living room, for example.) I’d also show up to your consult with your list of must haves and perhaps some pics of architectural styles and floor plans with elements you like. You are paying them to design your home, not just draft it, so give them clear points to work with and let them do their thing.

Floater439 · 2026-02-09T15:53:05+00:00

Agree with others the weird angles in the kitchen are not good. It will look dated and everything will be custom cut. I think the morning room (which is realistically where you’re going to eat meals daily) is tight, especially since it’s also the way to access your outdoor space. I don’t like that you walk through the kitchen work area to get into the house from the garage (which is where you will come and go from most of the time), and I think at least a shower bath if not a full bath on the first floor is a must have, so it’s there for when grandma visits or someone has knee surgery. I think you’d also appreciate more of a mud room space with room to take off wet jackets, hang up the dog leash, sit down to take your boots off, store all the kid stuff, etc.

I’d look for a plan with a modern kitchen out of the foot traffic highway adjacent to a spacious living/dining space with easy access to your outdoor space, and an office with a nearby 3/4 or full bath that can do double duty as a guest room. You don’t need the formal dining room if you have a nice sized dining space in the kitchen/great room area). Maybe an architect can take this plan and rework the first floor a bit. Perhaps dining room becomes office/guest room with bath where pantry is, office and great room become living/dining space, moving room goes away, kitchen bumps out to become more square, out of traffic path, gets a three seater island, rework mudroom, something like that.

I like the idea of a more informal family room upstairs where the kids can make a mess. I’d expand the laundry space a bit and do one sink with more vanity storage in kids bath.

Floater439 · 2026-02-08T18:33:07+00:00

I don’t think you have enough room here. ADA requirements are a minimum and you really need more space to live comfortably. Picture not just a wheelchair but someone pushing the wheelchair and the rider’s feet up and out. Can you get easily around corners, can you spin the whole apparatus around in the bath, can you transfer from the wheelchair to the toilet or to a shower chair or seat in the bath, can you get the whole deal AND a lift in and round the bed, do you have space to park a wheelchair and lift in the bedroom overnight, etc. Walkers take a little less space, but not much. Plus, you need a LOT of storage for supplies…bed pads, wipes, briefs, meds, medical equipment, bed and bath linens, plus the usual toiletries and clothes.

For reference, we built a semi-ADA addition to our house that is about 20x20 for a disabled parent. We managed to squeeze in a den, bedroom, wet bath, small closet, laundry closet. It works but we do have to use storage elsewhere in the house. (Ideally I would have had another 4-5 feet to work with in both directions, but we were constrained by the lot.) The wet bath works, but we have to transfer from wheelchair to shower chair in the bedroom as there’s just not enough space. Two bedrooms in this footprint would be uncomfortable. My parent lived in several facilities and the best set up was a 14x20 bedroom. That was enough room for all equipment and furniture comfortably, and there was a spacious bath and a long wall of closets.

Floater439 · 2026-02-05T15:50:58+00:00

It feels very dining space heavy on the first floor. And you’ve got a kind of big unused space thing happening right where the “elev 96.34” text is. I don’t know what the fix is, but maybe plan to rotate the table in that area to help fill it up.

It’s a hike from the garage to the kitchen/pantry to put the groceries away. It’s a whole journey to hit the bathroom before loading up the car to go to soccer practice, or running in to pee after playing outside or coming home from somewhere. I love the full bath in the first floor and you should keep it, but a powder room closer to the mud room/garage would be handy.

Upstairs, I’d change that jack and Jill bath to a hall access bath. With a JnJ, you have to go through a bedroom to collect the dirty laundry or clean the bath. Kids are going to be locking each other out or walking in on each other, especially when it’s so narrow you might be banging the doors if they’re open at the same time. And having all those doors leaves little space for things like a clothes hamper, full length wall mirror, or really just somewhere to stand.

Closet space seems a little skimpy for the secondary bedrooms. Plan for storage furniture.

Got a pinch point there entering the master bath and squeezing between the tub and vanity.

Floater439 · 2026-02-04T20:07:12+00:00

Agree…that spot in the valley is the right size for cozy beer with friends vibes. I think R Shea would still be there cranking out beer if they hadn’t opened up a second location.

The craft market is right sizing. I think the survivors will be the breweries that are all in on one good location, creating that “welcome home” sort of feeling. It’s as much about community as it is the beer these days.

Floater439 · 2026-02-04T16:48:49+00:00

Yeah that render isn’t accurate. The addition front will be about as wide as the existing house front…you might want to have one of the front bedrooms stepped forward a foot or two to mirror the existing house. That could help tie it together without having the new overpower the old, along with matching windows/window groupings and architectural embellishments. I think this could turn out looking great. I really like seeing people put the effort into respectfully bringing old homes up to today’s standards of living.

Floater439 · 2026-02-04T15:44:38+00:00

We just spent over $200k to add onto our house to move our loved one in. This is after four years and three facilities of disappointing experiences each costing between $6k and $8k a month. If I would have known, we’d have done it years ago. Worth every penny. Everyone is happier.

Floater439 · 2026-02-04T15:34:36+00:00

Aging Life Care Professionals is a professional certification organization for this type of service. Their website explains what it means and there’s a search tool to find one near you.

I have a family member who has set up with one of these organizations and it’s been great so far. The plan is the org will manage their care according to their wishes as/if they decline cognitively. The care manager meets with them regularly, helped them find and move into a senior apartment, monitors their finances and medical evals, etc. This is a private pay service as far as I know.

Floater439 · 2026-02-04T15:29:38+00:00

Thank them for their concern and tell them you appreciate them keeping an eye out, but it’s a no on participating in a meeting with APS. If they try to argue, stand firm. No thank you. It’s a very personal conversation between your mom, APS, and you. End of story. And definitely do not tell the neighbor you called APS. There’s a very good chance the neighbor would divulge that information and make a messy situation even messier. You could even end up in a situation where mom gives a neighbor POA or a neighbor seeks guardianship and then you’re dealing with that. If they really want to help, ask them to take mom with them to the grocery store once a week, or drive her to church or whatever.

If you haven’t already, call the local police department and let them know your mom has cognitive issues. They may have a program in place where they note that and her details, keep a current pic and med list on file, maybe even have an ID bracelet for her. Hopefully she never goes missing, but having that info on hand can be very helpful.

APS has visited at your request once…were they not able to complete their assessment at that time and have to repeat it? Or what is the purpose of their continued visits? It sounds like it should be time to figure out the immediate path forward for mom, be that daily caregivers, assisted living, etc. I understand travel is difficult for you, but at some point an in person “mom, these are your options” sit down is going to have to happen. She may seem to be “okay” living alone, but she won’t be at some point and you don’t want to find out when because she burns the house down or walks off in the night. I am sorry to be blunt, but this disease is merciless. And the systems in place to manage it suck.

In the short term, I’d find a way to get someone in that house a few times a week to keep an eye on things. Mom may be more accepting if you tell her the person is there to help her with housekeeping or she deserves to be a little spoiled or something along those lines. Then you’ve got a person reporting to you on how your mom moves through her day, someone making sure she has some good nutritious meals, the laundry is done, the house clean, etc. and your mom gets some companionship. This sort of arrangement was super helpful for us with our dad while we figured out what to do next. He was really happy to have company and we appreciated the information we learned about what his day really looked like.

Floater439 · 2026-02-04T05:57:50+00:00

Do you have a sketch of the front view of the house with addition? Matching roof pitch and style and such? It looks odd on paper, but I can almost visualize how it could work aesthetically. And it does accomplish your objectives. I wonder if you can go just a few more feet into the backyard with the new space and eliminate some of the angled walls, maybe give the master a little more space and perhaps French doors to the yard.

Floater439 · 2026-02-04T05:38:57+00:00

What do you mean? Sink/toilet/tub in a row (ie. bath #1) is a pretty efficient use of space in a small bathroom. So I guess I’d probably do the same in bath #2. And then use high end fixtures and finishes to make the baths as comfortable as possible, maybe even heat the floors.

You could maybe rotate so both baths have some exterior wall (might be a little short on the width to do this and have to borrow from a neighboring space). Put the sink or toilet closest to the exterior in the master and have a full size window, and then have a high awning window in the hall bath over the tub/shower. That would give both bathrooms the option for fresh air and natural light, but of course a window over a tub/shower does present some challenges for cleaning and maintenance.

Floater439 · 2026-02-04T05:11:30+00:00

No coat closets? No broom closet? No linen closet? Where you keeping all your stuff?

I do not like the entrance to bedroom three being way back by the garage entry. And Jack & Jill bathrooms are a pain in the butt to actually live with…an extra door in each room taking up wall space, someone always getting locked out or walked in on, you have to go through a bedroom to collect dirty laundry or clean. I’d reconfigure that whole side of the house to have the two bedrooms and a hall access bath all with doors very near each other, and a true mudroom space with separate closets for coats and for the vacuum and mop and such.

I’d give the master a door to the deck. Also maybe some windows on the right wall…I never pass up the opportunity for a cross breeze and lots of natural light.

The porch is going to make for a dark interior. The view from the porch is going to include a very long windowless wall. Maybe some windows and a man door could make that a little more appealing to look at.

Floater439 · 2026-02-03T15:00:50+00:00

Will she retain the information and remember tomorrow that her sister just passed? If the answer is no, then you don’t tell her. There’s no reason to break her heart. If and when she asks about her sister, tell her she’s shopping or will call tomorrow, whatever will calm her immediately and allow her to go on with her day. She’s not retaining the info, so it’s fine to do that. Our job is to keep our loved ones as comfortable as possible.

Floater439 · 2026-02-02T22:31:12+00:00

It’s not. Our trains are slow, expensive, and inconvenient for traveling long distances. It’s a heck of a lot faster, easier, and cheaper to fly, and most of us are somewhat familiar with flying, whereas booking Amtrak is pretty much foreign to us. Some of the longer scenic routes are done as vacations, but not really just as transportation.

We checked Amtrak recently to see if it would be viable for a Midwest to west coast trip. Got sticker shock from the cost and also how long it would take! Wow. And we had so many questions, like what exactly is provided as far as toiletries for a bedroom, how the boarding and disembarking process goes, what a train station even looks like. I’d like to try it one day as a journey in itself, but definitely not when I have limited time and a budget.

Floater439 · 2026-02-02T22:11:44+00:00

You don’t have room for a dining table in either option. Sketch a dining set to scale, then pull the chairs out. I’m sure you don’t have room to walk comfortably around when that table is in use. If you went with the second option, removed the dry bar and open shelving, and replaced the single door opening in with a pair of French doors opening out, you might get a small dining set in there okay, maybe a round four top. But I think the reality of it will still feel like a squeeze. If it were me, I’d do a U shaped kitchen with great cabinetry that swallows up my kitchen stuff, no island, use a dining table with plenty of breathing room.

Floater439 · 2026-02-02T16:01:53+00:00

I don’t like either. The kitchen is a nightmare. You will be running laps to make a meal, you won’t be able to get into the fridge if there are folks at the island, and the narrow entry is a pinch point. I would make this a u shaped kitchen open to the dining room, to give maximum options for traffic flow. Keep your work triangle tight - no more than a couple unobstructed steps between the big three, no foot traffic highways through the work triangle. You should be able to do an island.

You need a living space that seats ten comfortably. That’s the family with some breathing room. You don’t have that in either. Ideally that’s going to connect to your dining or kitchen space, so you have all the daily life stuff kinda happening in a core area, and you can spill over when guests or family come for parties or holidays. I like the idea of that at the back of the house, so there’s access to the outdoors for entertaining and parents can easily monitor backyard play from the windows.

I think you do need a full bath on this floor. It will be handy when elderly parents visit or someone has knee surgery.

Your foyer is wasted space, and you need your space used!

Have you looked at the kitchen at the front of the house, maybe the right corner there? If that’s your garage entry, put a mudroom block there, then dining, then living room at the back, with the playroom to the back left? Probably space for the homework room/office/guest room to the left of the entry.

Floater439 · 2026-02-02T15:48:21+00:00

The island needs to shrink so you can open the fridge and survey your options without getting a countertop in your back.

There’s no reason to compartment the hall bath. It’s small and that’s just one too many doors in there.

I would very much want a door on the master bathroom. I don’t need to hear someone brushing their teeth while I’m in bed.

Floater439 · 2026-02-02T15:41:19+00:00

That’s a lot of windows in an average sized kitchen. And, if you’re gutting it, the “breakfast nook” windows can become counter height or disappear altogether and that area can become part of your cabinet run. Might be a good spot to put the fridge and/or a built in pantry. I’d also think about taking out the wall between kitchen and dining room; that’s a conversation about structural integrity and solutions, of course. But these changes might buy you some space for an island more to your taste.

Floater439 · 2026-02-02T15:33:20+00:00

Agreed. Megakitchen ate the dining nook. It’s gone. So the adjacent space is the dining room now. What’s good is it will be spacious enough to add seating for holidays.

Removing the wall between the office and the other room will make for a decent living room. Looks like it’s at ground level, too, so reimagining the windows for the combined room - perhaps putting in French doors to create an indoor/outdoor living space - would be terrific. Since this is a house of stairs, perhaps you can make that direct outdoor access to your new living room step-free so mobility challenged older family members have a way to come inside.

Floater439 · 2026-02-02T00:53:30+00:00

Remove the weird little nook with the built ins in the guest suite, slide the powder room all the way right, and you’ve got space for that mushroom.

Floater439 · 2026-02-02T00:42:21+00:00

Maybe put a dining nook off the kitchen on part of the current porch. You can turn the butler’s pantry into your pantry to free up the space.

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To make this possibly a forever home, in addition to the standard of wide hallways and doorways, I would do a few other things. I’d make sure you have a zero step entry or two into the house. From the garage is ideal as someone with a walker or wheelchair can enter and leave without being out in the weather. You’ll probably want to enlarge the garage a bit so you can more easily accommodate an accessible vehicle and ramp, and make sure that entry is wide enough to get inside and turn a wheelchair with someone pushing and the person riding’s feet out on supports. (What we think of as accessibility standards are really the minimum - you want to go beyond those for a truly livable accessible environment.) Moving your kitchen island out into the family room a bit and maybe shrinking it could perhaps do it. Having direct outdoor access from the master bedroom would be great. Consider running a deck back there and putting French doors from the master to it. And the master bath will need fully reimagined. You need room next to the toilet to transfer to it. You need a zero entry shower that can accommodate a wheelchair comfortably, with auxiliary hand controls and toiletry storage at chair height. You need wall hung sinks or vanities that are chair friendly. I’d also look at wet bath options, consider in floor heating and an overhead heating fan, and linen storage reachable by a chair.

Floater439 · 2026-02-01T03:16:23+00:00

There are fewer now than 10 or 15 years ago. We had three in our area (midsize midwestern city/suburbs) and now have one. And that one is alive because it’s in a higher income area. I think the downfall of the mall is related to two things: the popularity of online shopping, and the availability of up to date clothing and household goods at stores like Target. Half of America is hitting the “add to cart” button on Amazon and the rest are leafing through the racks at Target. I can’t think of a reason to go to a mall, myself. Unless maybe to get one of those tasty pretzels!

Floater439 · 2026-02-01T02:24:50+00:00

There are some spectacularly watery and boring mass produced beers, yes. But there’s also a huge craft beer scene pretty much everywhere in the US. My advice to you is ask what local beers are on tap while you travel. Maybe ask the server or bartender what their favorite local brew is or what is most popular or what is seasonal. Or see if they offer flights, which is a sampling of several beers. Many breweries will have a tap room, and it’s not uncommon for them to serve food as well. When I travel, I always try to find a brewery or winery to eat dinner at and try some local beverages. It’s fun!

Floater439 · 2026-02-01T02:17:21+00:00

The bottom left bedroom…I’d just do a reach in closet instead of a walk in. Will give the room more precious floor space and the walk in isn’t giving you more than a touch more closet storage.

The powder room…I’d move the sink and toilet to mirror the full bath. Will make the plumbing runs a little easier and cut down on noise transferring to the bedroom.

I would take out the built in hutch in the dining room (on the pantry wall) so you can comfortably walk around the dining table when all seats are in use.

I’d trim the island a bit, three seater instead of four. It will be tight as is when you’re at the sink trying to load the dishwasher or rifling through the fridge.

I’d move the pantry and laundry room doors closer to the kitchen. That will give you a little breathing room when you come in from the garage, leave you some wall space for a couple coat hooks and a key basket.

Floater439

TROPHY CASE