1966 -  I discovered that buildings don't have to be square when a round (not a dome) high school is built, and am inspired to draw my first floor plan, a 32-room mansion.  My parents are forced to go digging in a geometry book when their 9-year-old inquires how to figure out the circumference of the circular house if the diameter is known.  I was still working on multiplication tables at school, while at home I was told about a concept called pi. 

1971/1972 - I read "Ideas and Integreties" by R. Buckminster Fuller and decided I want a geodesic dome house.  Later, I went through phases:  A-frame, free-form foam (produces cyanide gas if it catches fire), underground / earth-sheltered.  Eventually, I returned to the geodesic dome.  Perhaps it was the dome home erected by Natural Spaces at the Minnesota State Fair that did it.  I love the feel of the dome space.

'80s and '90s - I sent away for brochures from a few dome companies.  I sketched floor plans.  I showed one sketch to my dad, who was the chief housing inspector for the city.  He teased, "I condemn this house!"

1996 - I attended a 3-day dome building school put on by Natural Spaces. 

April 14, 1998 - Closed on 6.3 acre parcel of land that will become Shamrock Acres.  It has been perked for a mound septic system.  The soil is heavy clay, and back in the spruce swamp at the north end, it is wet and slippery.  While I saved up money for the house, I worked on my site plan using MS Visio.

November 24, 1999 - My dad died.  In the hopes that his soul had not yet left the room, I asked him to come and inspect my future house, and leave some kind of sign that he was there.

June 6, 2000 - Made down payment on Tulikivi soapstone fireplace from Woodland Stoves.

July 17, 2000 - I got a Builder's Risk insurance policy from State Farm.

July 2000 - Elevation Drawing - I now have my blueprints and the elevation drawing.  Before starting, I changed the big bank of 7 windows on the south side of the house to 5 windows.  I think I might have even been happy with 3.  The windows are big, and expensive. 

August  2000 -  I was advised by 2 parties to change the location of my house site.  My first choice was in a low-lying area, but close to the road.  Unfortunately, the "ideal" or highest spot is much farther back on the property.  The driveway will cost me more, the electric line to the house will cost me more, and I will be closer to the 3" high pressure natural gas line that crosses the property.  I reluctantly chose a new spot, believing the new spot will save me from being waterlogged.  I signed up for a membership with the St. Croix Electric Co-op ($147.43) and got my building permit from the Pleasant Valley town board ($50), after my 390 foot gravel driveway ($6000) was put in by Wang Excavating and approved by a member of the board.

August 31, 2000 - I put 50% down on my dome kits from Natural Spaces ($25,208).

September 2000 - Lindus Construction staked out the house site. Wang Excavating pulled a sanitary permit from St. Croix County,  put in the septic tank and mound ($10,000), and excavated the house, garage, and storm shelter sites ($4135).  The hole was dry.  Halverson Concrete poured the footing walls for the house and garage, and the storm shelter walls ($13,704).  Slabs and basement floor will be done in the spring.   Lindus Constuction got someone out to apply a waterproofing membrane to the basement wall, and put in drain tile around the footing.  It rained for 3 weeks straight, and the basement was never dry again.  Either the water table is high, or a channel has been opened to a spring.  It will be a never-ending battle.   I got a bid on the cost of the total project from Lindus Construction (minus the items I already took care of).  I left the office in shock at the price, and decided to go it alone.  I paid Lindus $1439.24 for services already rendered.

November 2000 - Dean Monicken installed basic electric.  I now have a meter on a post, with an outlet.