Who Didn't Move My Cheese & Busy Bee Mini Me Goes Volunteering

Feeling a bit disoriented (who didn't move my cheese - see below) and needing to keep active/get connected, mini me has been looking around for volunteering activities to help her make new friends.  Before leaving London mini me checked out the local marine rescue organisation - Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) - now world famous as a result of two movies about the injured dolphin, Winter.  Volunteering here entails a very rigorous process including a 'tattoo policy' -- only one 2"x2" tattoo is allowed to be seen whilst on duty -- as well as passing some on-line training and a background check before starting.  Fingers crossed we will get a call soon.  Hum just as mini me was considering an eyebrow tattoo - better put that on hold for now ....

At the other end of the spectrum almost immediately mini me found a volunteer help wanted ad for the city hall and made contact.  End of April a spot opened up, so mini me, hubby and life sized me trotted off (yes we can actually walk there!) for our first volunteering stint on the reception desk of the city hall (no jokes HW) for a town of circa 4,000 (no that is not a typo!).  Acceptance consists of willingness and training is 'on the job.'  We also found a newly published book on the history of our area - all 110 years of it!

Duties include greeting and triaging all visitors to the city hall,  issuing resident parking passes which allows those living 'off beach' to park for free at the local city beach front parks, answering the phone and distributing the post.  Queries range from the mundane to the bizarre and are always good for a laugh.  The combined city hall/fire department is also where one gets building permits for renovation - but of course no ulterior motive there for life-sized me.  The planning officer is a new post and is a great money maker as the city hall proudly publicises.  Two jail cells are now used for storage as policing has been outsourced to the county; eagle-eyed hubby spotted a window sticker from the London Metropolitan police stuck to the cell peek hole.

The remainder of the week consisted of getting sorted for our first guest, life-sized me's sister -- no small feat when one has no furniture.  We also got insurance for and bought a car, completed our application for USA medical insurance (now approved - yippee!) and met more contractors.  Found another volunteer opportunity at the Florida Craftsmen in St Petersburg -- not so sure about the name, however the products are beautiful and there are many women artists exhibiting - just had a tapestry exhibit which has inspired me.  Don't know if volunteers get a discount, but my enquiry about volunteering was met with lots of enthusiasm.  Life sized me will have to ration her time given away for free! 


A bit down market and round the corner was a bit of fun art ...

. . . which reminds me that I have developed a real hunger for ice cream living on the beach!  Still cannot get over the portion sizes especially in restaurants  (I eat often from the 'doggy bag' of the night before)  and do I ever miss British cheese - it certainly didn't move here with us; we have a choice of very rubbery local stuff or vastly inflated imported cheeses.

Off for a week of fun with sis ---- and oh our sea shipment has landed and cleared customs - hurrah - now where shall it go whilst we have renovation dust and chaos???