As I indicated by snipping, I was specifically responding to the notion that farmers historically took the winter off.

I have a teensy bit of personal experience here and the notion is laughable.

Thus, I assume he was kidding. (note: no smiley)

>You must be kidding.
>
>Actually, there "is" an element of historic truth to what Bill is saying, though as I added, most got 2nd and 3rd jobs. And in today's economy, they'd almost have to.
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>These types of things go both ways. Back in 2005 I was doing some subcontract work for a company in India. The nature of the work required that I was online, instant messaging with some of their people day and night (remember, they're roughly 10.5 hours ahead of East coast time). It was in November. I had told them for weeks that I would not be online Thanksgiving day, because I was celebrating that with my family and in-laws.
>
>Well, that day came, and they were calling me right and left that day about items that could absolutely wait until the next day. When I sent them back a message asking them to respect what they had agreed upon, their reply was, "But Kevin, we don't observe Thanksgiving, and we need to talk to you, we must keep the project moving forward, our client will surely fire us if we aren't moving forward today". My wife threatened to carve me up with the turkey knife if I gave in - and I didn't. (Better a temporarily upset client than an angry wife with a sharp tool in her hand!). Up to that day, the project manager was the nicest person in the world to me - after that day, she was a complete monster towards me.
>
>By contrast, if I were working with someone who was observing a holiday I don't observe, I can say for certain I wouldn't bug them on their holiday day. First, it's flat out wrong, and second (less significant), I know I'd be vilified for intruding on someone else's holiday (religious or otherwise).