From the Dome

Monday – From the Dome, Tuesday – Catholic Thoughts, Wednesday- A Musician cont’d,

Thursday - Mom’s Page, Friday - Skylights, Saturday - Kid’s Page

Sunday – reserved for God

If you’ve never heard of Bucky, as in Buckminster Fuller, No doubt you have seen the products of his imagination—the Epcot Center, Arctic radar stations, even homes like ours. Friends who visit call it cute, a Smurf house, though ours is painted mint, not blue. My husband responds, “But would you want to live in it?”

All kidding aside, we bought the acre property and its domicile for the view. After we got here, we discovered some pros and cons. For example, we found out it would be cheap to roll it down the hill ($10,00) and make it a guest quarter. But we were too close to retirement for such an expense.

Pros                                                                                         Cons

As Bucky promised, this non conventional               Non-conventional means

home is terrifically strong since all the                     appraiser’s won’t touch it so, it’s

triangular facets are load bearing.                             difficult to figure its market value.

It is unshakeable, meaning it withstands                   We’ve had several earthquakes.

earthquakes unlike any other structure.                     Our dome didn’t even shiver.

Winds up to 70mph that roar up our hill can’t          But try to find a roofer for a dome.

peel off the shingles since, they simply whoosh       The cost to re-roof will  double

over it’s bald head.                                                     since so many shingles are wasted.

Because it boasts the most volume for the least       However you won’t be able to find

Surface it is super efficient in both cold or hot         your phone when it rings. Inside it’s

climates. Hence our electric and gas utilities            like the Hollywood Bowl projecting

are extremely low.                                                      sound and bouncing it back.

Since there are few flat walls, like our center-wall for the couch and side walls for kitchen counter, TV  book case, and entry doors, we have lots of space behind the curves of the dome. The curve behind our bed is fabulous for storage and our upstairs bathroom hides junk behind the dresser. Yes we do have an upstairs.

Last but not least, domes are a bear to wire and plumb. TG the builder took care of those details. 

Pictures next week. I'm still learning.