Here we are, a few days past Christmas, a day before New Year's Eve, trying to squeeze a week's worth of work into two days.

The dental business always gets a little busy at the end of the year. A lot of people realize they haven't used any of their benefits for the current (ending) year, and want to get some needed work in before the calendar rolls over. A few people have so much work to do that they want to split it between two benefit years, maxing out their benefit plan for the current year and then using much if not all of the bennies for next year.

This year we have a twist on that. We have the "fear of losing their jobs and thus their benefits" rush. I've heard from several people that they weren't sure what 2009 will hold for their employment prospects, and thus for their pocketbooks and for their health care benefits. So they've wanted to get checked out before the end of this year, and get needed work done prior to 2009. Uncertainty abounds in people's psyches.

We worked Monday and Tuesday before Christmas, and are working Monday and Tuesday of this week. On top of that, we've had some extreme weather to contend with. Snow, then ice rain which left our streets, drives and walks, and even our snow covered yards feeling more like skating rinks than anything else. Then more snow, then thunderstorms, a day with a record high temp (or near record), and flooding. We had to cancel one Friday because of the ice storm, and cut a Tuesday short before Christmas because of a snowstorm.

On top of this, I have to do my year-end accounting, getting the numbers all ready for the accountants and writing year end checks for accounts receivable and for employee bonuses.

I'll be here most of the evening tonight after work.

Happy New Year all, and as prosperous a 2009 as possible (given the economy). Signing off till next year!