Finally? got the right syntax

nixos-config/home-manager.nix

@@ -7,10 +7,12 @@ in
 {
   imports = [
     <home-manager/nixos>
-    <home-manager/modules/programs/fish.nix>
   ];
 
+  # keep everything using home manager within this block
   home-manager.users.${user} = { pkgs, ... }: {
+    home.username = "${user}";
+    home.homeDirectory = "/home/${user}";
     home.stateVersion = "22.11";
     home.packages = [
       pkgs.firefox # browser
@@ -28,7 +30,6 @@ in
       pkgs.fwupd-efi # firmware updates additional EFI stuff
       pkgs.fish # fish shell
     ];
-  };
 
     programs = {
       fish = {
@@ -68,4 +69,5 @@ end
         };
       };
     };
+  };
 }