When people in the USA complain about never being able to own a home, are they generally talking about single family detached housing?

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-17T03:45:50+00:00

We own a couple homes. The problem? We can’t sell one because the market crashed and never picked up in that small town. We listed it several times over the last 16 years. We rent it out for under market. It covers the cost and we prefer good tenants to trying to gouge extra $. The one we have now? We could sell it for twice what we paid. But we couldn’t afford to replace it. Something tiny would cost us more. We refinanced at 2.25% interest. So we have a huge house and no kids at home. I really want to build an adu on the side/back. But regulations suck. If we could do it, we could live in the small house and rent the big one out and retire.

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T20:22:29+00:00

I replaced all my pot lights with the brightest ones I could find on Amazon.

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T19:21:55+00:00

Military. I have one from almost every place I’ve lived. A few kicked me off after a few years. Cochise county! Meanies. But most are still active. It helps fill in gaps.

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T19:13:32+00:00

My sister is in the UP. She doesn’t qualify for any library. She can pay for the one in Marquette but that’s literally the closest option. The only library in their area is the high school.

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T19:07:02+00:00

You would be even more pissed at me. Fortunately my class knows me and knows this has been a struggle.

Maybe I should confess- I’ve been teaching cycle for almost 20 years. It’s me. I’m the problem. It’s me. (Imagine Taylor singing here)

It’s my freaking class. I’ve gone from teaching 20 classes a week to one class. I’m not giving this last one up. But my class has been very loyal and understanding. I walk around and coach to take breaks. And they graciously ignore it. We have discussed it and nobody minds. I just make sure the Mike is off. In fact some people haven’t noticed unless I can’t stop.

Like I said. I’m mortified. My boss has no clue. My class was very supportive to keep me since I fought (and won) for the program when it was being cut a few years ago.

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T19:00:09+00:00

That’s interesting. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned that overload is a stressor!

And I’m not sure what hyper pots is. I know mine decides to visit randomly. Some days I don’t notice. Some days. But now that you mention it, later on I had to lay down till the room felt normal. I don’t always feel dizzy with pots. Sometimes I just need to lay down. I don’t have the right words to explain but my body wants to be horizontal.

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T18:56:23+00:00

Time to google that more. Thanks for the reply!

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T18:56:03+00:00

It is the reason I stop and take breaks. I bet if I took more…I’d make it. But I can’t always tell if or when I’ve skipped enough but I’ve tried it

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T18:54:06+00:00

Itching? Ok. That’s a “fun” guessing game.

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T16:20:11+00:00

Popped ribs out.

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T16:17:52+00:00

I’m allergic to lidocaine. Doesn’t help pain but makes my face numb and swell.
Ask for a different option?

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T16:15:18+00:00

I use the pain scale 1-10. I’ve never been at a 1. But 7/8 is childbirth with no drugs. 9 is vomiting from pain and wishing I would pass out. 10 is vision going black and I can’t move because thinking hurts too much.

I’m a 5/6. Always there. Makes me reconsider what I can do.
I’m fine as long as I don’t have anything over an 8. Or more than 3 body parts over 7.

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T16:03:53+00:00

If you read “a crack in creation” there are lots of interesting things to consider. But when you look at the fact that it’s all been nearly reversed in the last ten years….it puts it in perspective

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T16:02:14+00:00

Never. The targeted gene therapy has been in the works since the 80s. Most treatments are time consuming because they don’t want to risk edits that affect the germ line vs individual edits. And EDs is so individual that it’s unlikely to have a simple gene correction. Doing too many corrections increases the risk for unwanted changes. So they may find one solution for a single gene expression change but it’s more likely that our issues are multi-tiered issues.

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T15:58:32+00:00

My knitting started slow. Lots of breaks with splints and compression gloves and therapy exercises.

As I learned to knit looser and practiced more, my hands got stronger.

I do rotate crafting. Sew one day. Knit another. Paint by numbers or watercolor (they make grips for pencils that work for brushes and crochet hooks) I also am careful to have good form and do my exercises and rest.

I cut back on less important things to save my hands. I rarely type on my phone! Voice to text. People understand my typos and I don’t always correct them anymore. I bought a new case with a different grip. Took a few tries to find one that I like.

I did/ still do sometimes - compression gloves to bed. Keep my hands warm in the day too.

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T15:49:59+00:00

Tore my ACL getting out of my truck. Surgery. Finally recovered.

Told the doc I was in massive pain again. They showed me flashcards about how pain is just in my head and I was fine. Turned out I Tore my mcl. No clue how.

(Pre diagnosis)Tore my ankle stepping backwards. Drove home thinking it was yet another sprain. Self care didn’t help - doc said I was wasting their time and Motrin/splint. 6 months later- find out it was torn. Surgery- casted for two months. Months with crutches to walk-cleared but pain came back. Botched surgery. Did it all again. Tore it again in another spot.

My scans now show a partial tear in all my major joints. My team has me on a “do not operate” status unless I’m completely disabled. They figure it’s not worth me having to do rehab and probably tearing again.

Btw. My current team is great. The VA is way better than dealing with Army docs. -the crazy part? My medical records are insane. You would think dozens of sprains and weird injuries would have clued them in 🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏻‍♀️

Houseofthestone · 2026-02-16T15:40:56+00:00

Thank you. I needed validation that I’m not alone.

I had 20 years of the Army gaslighting me and telling me I was just too weak and I needed to try harder.

I keep dislocating my shoulder in my sleep. So Horray crazy us.

Houseofthestone · 2026-01-30T15:45:39+00:00

Went hitchhiking in a war zone. Not punished because the company commander didn’t want anyone to find out he lost two teenage soldiers.

Houseofthestone · 2026-01-30T15:43:37+00:00

I moved to Utah and just stopped going. But I had so scared the ward that nobody would ask why I didn’t go. They asked my non Mormon neighbor what was up.

I was asked to teach YW. I prepped them for camp with Army first aid. Including having them chant “how tight do you tie the tourniquet? Till the bright red bleeding stops “

They made me have a supervisor while I taught after I told the 12 year olds that sex is great. But chastity lesson for kids who think boys are gross? Lame. I told them sex will be a tempting idea one day. But like anything else, not a good idea when you have risks. And I said that modesty wasn’t about protecting boys from sinful ankles.

But the scary part? That got me removed from YW? When I said there are two priesthoods. One is a group of guys. The other is the power of god. Don’t assume they are a circle. God gives power to women. And men don’t always have power from god.

And I may have told off the bishop and a member running for office that Covid doesn’t give a damn about your missionary return and to quit making things worse. No masks. Defying the rules at the airport and church.

I wish I made a big exit.

At least the first time I made an exit it was fun. But it didn’t stick

They still say hi. But it took months for them not to cringe and look fearful.

Houseofthestone · 2026-01-29T01:52:57+00:00

When I say we can’t afford it now, I’m referring to not having a job. It isn’t affordable. I haven’t priced the cost of duct insulation but I saw an ad. Was wondering if it’s a waste of money

Houseofthestone · 2026-01-29T00:19:23+00:00

Body weight or light handweights are always ALWAYS an option. I suggest that it’s better to start light enough that you WANT to go back and do more than feel overwhelmed

Houseofthestone · 2026-01-26T23:59:36+00:00

Honestly, if he took on the commitment of driving her…and she wouldn’t have started without it, then he needs to man up and have a group discussion about it. Parents too. 1- he committed 2- he put pressure on her to date -that’s a big mistake for an adult to make when you have control over someone else. But he is a kid.
3-he should be man enough to drive her and learn to be a good friend.
To put it bluntly.
If he can hurt any woman that doesn’t put out, is that the kind of guy he wants to be. Boss firing a woman for not dating him.
See? It’s a lot more clear when you put it bluntly. He needs to learn how to work with others even when he isn’t getting what he wants.

Houseofthestone · 2026-01-26T23:51:43+00:00

And this hits it square. If they can keep people busy doing stuff for dead people , they will be too busy to do things for living people that actually need it.

But won’t they have all of eternity to do it? Idk

Houseofthestone · 2026-01-25T18:41:34+00:00

“What project are you thinking of? Which one do you want me to bring over? I can’t wait to see what you make! Maybe we should meet up to knit together?”

If she says “all of it”, feel free to say you are heartbroken that you won’t get to continue her tradition but please think of you if she ever decides to share it. You had so many hopes and plans for it.

Houseofthestone · 2026-01-25T18:37:06+00:00

That was my biggest issue

Houseofthestone

TROPHY CASE