My First Day As A Volunteer

Today was my first day as a volunteer at Morristown Memorial Hospital.  I was a bit nervous so I couldn't fall asleep last night and then had to get up at 6:45 AM so that I could take care of the dogs, get dressed, and get myself out of the house by 8:15 to be sure I could get to the hospital by 9:00 AM.   It should only be a 20 minute drive without traffic, but Rt 10 is bumper to bumper in the morning so I gave myself extra time and was therefore able to make it to the hospital on time.

On Wednesdays I am a courier which means I walk around the hospital picking up stuff in one area and then bringing it to another area.  The hospital is huge -- there must be 5 or 6 separate buildings all interconnected via long corridors and hallways.  And since the hospital is built on a hill, the ground floor level in one building may be the second floor in another building or a sub-basement in a third.  Very confusing!  Other volunteers lead me around today to show me the way -- but I still felt like I needed to drop a breadcrumb trail to be able to get back to the volunteer office.

Seems like these women like to rest a lot between walks and they went down to lunch as a group around noon.  I will probably go to lunch next week (just for the company)  but had other things I wanted to get done today and wanted to leave on time so I didn't go with them.  Problem is that there was no one left but me and I wasn't comfortable going to places I didn't know how to get to.  But I amazed myself  and everyone else by going on two runs on my own -- din't get too lost and got back to the volunteer office with enough time so I could leave on time.  Yay me.

This coming Friday my computer ID may not be ready so I may not be able to do the Info desk.  Kim suggested that I may want to do courier again just for the day to familiarize myself more with the hospital.  I can't do Friday next week because I will be in Allentown PA at a cake decorating class that I signed up for months ago.  So first day at Info desk may get pushed off until October 11.

I picked up Natalie after school at 2:30.  Not sure what to do with her from 2:30 until Dan comes to get her around 5:00.  Next week I won't be getting her because of the cake decorating class.  Then for four weeks she will have swimming from 4:30 until 5:00.  After that I will have to find some activities to fill our time.

Had dinner with Josh, Lauren, Emma, and Jacob this evening.  I made chickens stuffed with rice-a-roni which I put into the oven when I got there at 5:45 - they were ready by 7:00.  We wound up eating late because Lauren didn't get home until after 7:00 and Josh didn't get home until around 7:20.  I had to leave around 8:00 so that I could get home and spend some time with the dogs.  Tonight was the last Wednesday at Josh's until the end of November.  I have to skip next week because of the cake decorating class and then have a 6 week group therapy session for newly separated and divorced women on Wednesdays.

Tomorrow is another first: my first beginners ceramics class at the Montclair Art Museum.  I need some rest!