General Craft & DIY discussion

When I was a young man I had a dream that that one day I'd own a little bit of property where I could build a little house and then live rent and mortgage free. That way I wouldn't have to work so much!

Along the way whether working construction, or visiting old historic houses and museums, or working amongst city apartments I was always interested in the different solutions to protection from Winters frigid winds or Summers heavy heat.

I found the book at a used bookstore about thirty years ago. I was living in an suburban apartment then. I had great fun pouring over the book and creating notebooks filled with assorted designs. Never a mansion. I knew I'd never be rich. Just what could be practical for my needs, simple as possible, affordable to build and energy efficient.

The book was the start of endless design schemes. Over the years I also gathered books on underground houses, solar houses, log houses and books on building techniques from foundations to stairs. When I worked assorted construction jobs I got to see first hand the effect of color and light. I also checked out techniques using alternative or natural material including teepees, yurts and wattle and daub houses with thatched roofs. More modern techniques seemed better, I mean, who wants to live in a smoky yurt snuggling up to a yak to keep warm when its 20 below zero?

Fifteen years ago the dream came true! It was long journey getting past the gauntlet of rent and car payments and too much credit card debt and then the never ending mortgage and the steadily increasing taxes and car insurance and then one day I found I'd made good decisions in always striving to get ahead and I sat down to design my dream house!

I paid to have the shell built, the rest was up to me. My house is actively cooled by a technique from the seventeenth century and actively heated with two modern heat appliances, one using locally grown fuel. Heating and cooling is augmented with passive geothermal and solar. Simple, energy efficient, secure against forty two below zero nights and just big enough for all I ever wanted to do at home when I didn't have to work. Now of course, Social Security is enough since I'm finally past the gauntlet of rent and car payments etc. etc.…...

I keep this book in my library because it helped prepare me for the day my dream came true.

Foxtower wrote: "When I was a young man I had a dream that that one day I'd own a little bit of property where I could build a little house and then live rent and mortgage free. That way I wouldn't have to work so ..."

It must be great to have realized your dream and be self-sufficient.
Happy new year !

By the way, what is the book?? Edit: nevermind, i just found it at the top in teeny teeny letters 🙂