12 steps to not building an igloo

1) carve a large, flat circle into the snow with a shovel and lots of effort while beer and snacks are on their way.

2) using a saw and long knives, cut large slabs of perfectly packed snow from under the snowmobile tracks and carry them to the prepared site, being careful not to loose your footing in the powder along the way.

3) rejoice in the sunshine that lets you prance around in few clothes and absolute bliss.

4) drink beer while listening to DNTO blasting from the radio and place the foundation blocks in a circle that is much too large for your engineering skill.

5) happily lug blocks about and chink them together using the packing snow that the sun is making for you as you play.

6) when your mits are soaked through, start getting a little cranky - the sun will be setting in a few hours and there is much left to be done.

7) it won't work, you say? too big, too much angling of blocks for only 2 builders? no plan? that's okay - keep going! your pants can only get soaked through completely and then they won't be any wetter after that.

8) get frustrated with your co-iglooist and the impending failure as the topmost blocks keep crashing down around you, trapped as you are within the "walls" of this labour of love.

9) go inside to keep drinking and warm up a little as your long-johns and panties dry over the stove.

10) go back out as the moon is rising to build your igloo by dusky light.

11) when the walls crash in once again, admit temporary defeat, and scramble back inside to prepare for supper, saunaing, and sex.

12) congratulate he who resurrected the igloo all by himself once you've left him alone to sculpt the snow.