So, this winter on PEI has been a bit or a ‘slam’, and we are having trouble digging our way out. As most of you (in the US) know, the Northeastern United States has gotten pounded with record snowfalls. Well, it is not like those storms run out into the ocean once they cruise past northern Maine, they run into Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, and then PEI. So, we have gotten a pretty good dump of snow on a regular basis. This definitely has an effect on the delivery of healthcare in our little section of the world, that is, it increases the number of snow-days that we all suffer. In fact, over the last 14 days, the schools have been closed for 5 consecutive days (today included). But aren’t you guys ready for snow? Well, yes. However, being ready does not mean managing. The snow has been coming so quickly that the snowplow operators are having trouble clearing the roadways between the storms. You see, when the snow along the edges of the roads gets built up enough, then they develop into walls, and it is hard to push the snow off the road when there are 4-8 foot walls. Needless to say, this has caused many of the roads to become one lane roads (if you want a closer look watch the video).
The other issue from the storms is the regular re-arrangement of the snow after it has fallen by the strong winds that come with the storms. The snow drifts quickly backfill the cleared areas of the roadway and so the plow drivers have to constantly circle round re-clearing the drifts. This has combined to close the schools for the last five days and I have had more storm days in February than I have had in the preceding two years. Thankfully, the forecast appears to indicate enough warmth that we should have some melting in the very near future.
Buried in paperwork….Nancy has been working to get our paperwork ready for the Taxman. The joy of the New Year means that in addition to digging through the snow, it also means digging through the tax prep for the coming year. Nancy is preparing documentation and intermittently suffering from Traction Alopecia[1] from the numerous separate supporting documents to ensure that our savings accounts do not represent an attempt to cheat the government our of our tax. That is the US government, not the Canadian government, and they want to make sure we do not hide anything from their eyes. It requires that we document the balances throughout the year for each account, documenting the highest balance and lowest balance, providing samples of hair saliva for testing (well, maybe that is a little exaggeration). It is crazy, and as Nancy has mentioned, the BS to Fun ration is getting a bit unbalanced right about now. Thankfully, she continues to dig for all she is worth and hopefully we will see the top of the pile sometime soon.
Well, at least it is starting to rain today, so maybe we will have a little drop in the snow, and can only hope Nancy will get some similar relief for her pile soon.
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