Wow, Arnold, you really hit a happy nerve! I frequently find an excuse just to "...gotta run downstairs to get a _________...". Sometimes what ever I was supposed to be getting is long forgotten and I get engrossed with the various vignettes around the layout. Enjoying certain accomplishments, reviewing one thing or another maybe even quietly running some non sound trains. (Two rail running is essentially silent)
Years ago the wife wanted to move from our former home but I resisted. I finally gave in when she agreed to a ranch & that the RR can have run of the entire basement. No strings attached.
Little did she know...the washer and dryer came upstairs and there is a lock on the basement door for little feet.
Ranch houses can have twice the basement area of a 2 story home with similar square footage.
Yes Arnold, Paradise is only 13 steps away!
