Here are a few things I would like from Santa, if he would do the labor as well as supply the gift:

- A shallow well. There's water all around my property but I have not yet put in a well.

- A screen door. During the summer, the bugs tend to get in. Then you've got a problem at night.

- Solar panels for heat. Actually, several readers suggested I contact the Maine Solar Institute. Maybe that would be more realistic than waiting for Santa to take action.

- A dock in the river. I know state regs discourage it, but it would make getting into the canoe a lot easier.

- A reliable woodsman. Bob the (reluctant) woodsman has yet to begin the task of thinning the forest. We agreed in July, and we even signed papers. But he has yet to start, and he doesn't return phone calls.

- Gary's phone number. Gary the (energetic) Logger this fall did some cutting in the parcel across from mine. It was a clearcut (which I don't want) but at least he did the work. I think I will call Gary this winter to set up a schedule for spring.

Unless Santa decides to make the contact himself.

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