It snowed some more over night so I started the day out by plowing. Things are pretty quiet at the diner. Must be all the problems of the world are on hold for the Christmas season. The wind died down and it was a pretty nice day.

We've been having trouble keeping a water trough open for the heifer calves so we installed a new heater. When I just checked it, it seems to be working. It's 24 which is a lot better than 4. They're talking some light snow followed by ice then plain rain for the morning. I've been wanting to go up to the Tug Hill to pick up my larch wood but the weather hasn't cooperated. Tug Hill is not a place to go during inclement weather.

I went off to my consulting job in the afternoon. We've drilled some more wells and it looks like we've got the water problem pretty much under control.

We went in the evening to a Court of Honor for Jim's Scout Troop. It came as a bit of a surprise when the Scoutmaster mentioned that two of Jim's contemporaries will be eighteen in a few weeks. Eighteen marks the end of your career as a scout. Jim is good until next fall.

ThenI had to go to a Town Planning Board to see about adding a parcel I bought to my commercial parcel. It is amazing how you can live and work in small town America but have to deal with a rather elaborate bureaucracy worth of a big city.

We live in the part of New York where the Erie Canal is located. You can envision our leaders of the time saying " get your shovels and mules, we're going to build a canal." The President Elect is talking about a massive Public Works program. I can envision him saying " get your permits and remember that you are not allowed to build anything until all paperwork is place." This, I suppose is today's definition of progress.