The End of the Recession

I'm sure we'll all be pleased to hear the news that the recession is officially ended.

My knowledge of economics is pretty limited and once past the basic news I get a bit perplexed and tend to switch off! I do know that with all the doom and gloom in the media at this time last year my diary was noticeably quieter than usual for January. Chatting to colleagues and patients in other lines of work a lot of people noticed the same, less work around for the first part of 2009.

Generally this seems to have improved a lot in the later parts of 2009, Wetherby Orthodontics included.

I do wonder just how much of the recession was "created", the media saying how awful it was going to be and people holding back on spending "just in case". That's not to take away from people who have lost jobs, homes or businesses, as I'm sure for some people it's been awful, and I do have friends who have lost their jobs.

Hopefully the same will be true, now the media say everything is fine then spending will return and businesses will start to prosper again. I visited the White Rose shopping centre in Leeds on Saturday, very little sign of recession there, lots of people and lots of spending going on!

Have a happy and prosperous 2010 everyone.

New photos coming soon...

Last night the photographer came to the practice to update our staff photos. Those of you who've been to see me recently know that my hairstyle is rather different than the one on the website and that the nursing staff have changed. So new photos of me with Carly and Faz, and of me on my own. Hope they'll be available soon and we can update the website.

I can't guarantee I won't change my hairstyle though...

Smile Awards 2010

We're on the shortlist!

I entered two catergories and have been shortlisted in both which is brilliant. The Orthodontic Smile with a case treated using twinblocks and fixed braces (if you don't know what these are there are explanations on our main website) which meant that extractions were avoided. The Interdisciplinary Smile was jointly entered with Jack Cooke, with a case we have treated together, using braces to improve tooth position and then veneers to really finish off and complete the case. Its a case we're both really proud of and I'm so glad its been shortlisted.

Once I've informed the patients I'll post some photos.

So, a trip to the Big Smoke beckons for the awards ceremony at the end of March. This will be the fourth I've attended, I'm hoping its my time for a win soon.

Snow

This is the view of our car park from the practice this morning (about 10.30am). Its been snowing since the early hours and still hasn't stopped. Although it's not the first snow we've had this fall has affected the roads the worst, as most of the rest of the snow has been over the Christmas holidays when it's generally quieter anyway.

Four staff haven't made it in, and I've only seen two patients so far this morning, most have cancelled, and I don't blame them, its not worth risking getting stck anywhere, braces can wait a day or so!

The most exciting thing was two cars getting stuck on the small slope up from the road, after which I put back on my winter gear and shovelled the drive. Not that you can tell now, its all covered up again.

I'm going to be finishing early and walking home.