I Have Arrived!!!!

I have arrived in wine country! I headed out on August 14th from Salem bound for Sacramento, CA. It was a very long day to say the least. I drove until I could drive no more. I left around 9ish and arrived at my hotel in downtown Sacramento around 6:30PM. It was about 110 degrees and I was hungry. I got settled in my hotel and walked down the street for a little PF Chang's takeout. My night was under my window. I was totally disorientated and didn't know why I was receiving the tryouts in stereo through my window. As I peered out the window I saw a lovely lady in a white jogging suit singing a wonderful serenade to God only knows who. Within about a half hour, the man came outside. They had a wonderful reunion and retreated up to one of the rooms there at the Holiday Inn Express. What a topper to my day! LOL.

I got up really early in the AM and headed out to get my CA nursing license. It went off without a hitch, and I was back on the road bound for Santa Rosa by 10:30. Getting a CA license was so easy it was almost scary. It wasn't a bad drive compared to the previous day's drive. I arrived in Santa Rosa around 12:00. I got into my apartment and was completely unpacked within two hours. I headed to the hospital where I will be working and got my info on their charting system. The hospital seems old com paired to what I am used to at PPMC. Patients are in double rooms, the tile floors all through the halls, just a cold feeling all around. It will be interesting to see how they do things here.

After touring the hospital I retreated home to make a grocery list for what I was thinking would be a quick trip to the grocery store. I headed out. Remember I don't have any Internet to map quest anything, nor do I own a map of Santa Rosa. I just figure, if I drive I will run into some kind of grocery store. So I drive, and drive, and drive. Turning in circles, not knowing where the heck I am. I occasionally hit Hwy 101 overpass, so I re-orientate as to my whereabouts. It was nearing 8:30 pm and the only store I could find was Trader Joe's , Target, and BevMo (my new favorite store...it has wine, hard alcohol, mixers, soda, beer, anything you can think of related to beverages and more, hence the name BevMo. I did become a member of "ClubBev". I felt it was appropriate with my name and all....lol). Upon my third appearance at BevMo that day, I asked directions of three good looking gentlemen at the counter checking out with their assortments of alcohol. They all looked at me like I was speaking a different language...and then proceeded to ask me, "Don't you have a GPS?" At this point in my day I felt that the only response coming out of my mouth would be.....*#@! OFF! But I kindly said no I don't and thank you for your time. I went back to my little Liberty and proceeded to start crying. I didn't know what I had gotten myself into. I couldn't even find a grocery store! Just a this time my friend Brian text'd me. "How are things going?" I immediately dialed his number and unloaded on him for about five minutes. After I finally paused, he asked me if I was ok? I quickly said, NO! After talking me off the ledge, Brian convinced me to head into Trader Joe's get a few essentials, head back home and open a bottle of wine, and tackle the grocery store in the AM totally refreshed. What words of wisdom. I did just that.

The next day was much more successful. I indeed found a grocery store, a map, and a great place to get a good carmel latte. What more can you want from a new city. With still having no cable and no Internet I found myself yearning for human contact. I think I talked the checker at Lucky's ear off telling him my story of finding his grocery store. People here are for the most part kind, and will listen to anything. Sunday was much of the same. Just reading this great book I got at Borders....Good in Bed by Jennifer Weiner. Girls....if you need a quick read...this book is great. I have totally enjoyed it in my time of need here in Santa Rosa.

Between chapters of the book I have been going over the charting system for Santa Rosa Memorial. Those of you PPMC nurses who are reading this be thankful. The system at PPMC is wonderful compared to what is being used down here. There is no scanning of anything here. I am very nervous about this fact. No scanning the patient, no scanning the med, no scanning nothing. It is totally your say. With all the rooms being double rooms, this makes me very nervous. The room for error is huge! I just have to be that much more on my toes. It will be interesting tomorrow when I learn more about what to expect here....work wise that is.

Yesterday I ventured out to find the nearest Walmart. Of course Santa Rosa doesn't have one so I headed down to Rohnert Park, CA. I chose the wrong day to go to the only WalMart in the area.....day before school starts. I think everyone who had kids and lived in Santa Rosa or Rohnert Park was at the WalMart. I prevailed though. I got my elbows out and made my way through WalMart checking off my list. As I left, again I talked the checker's ear off. And headed back to my quiet apartment.

For the most part I like it here already. My apartment is nice, furniture is at a minimum.....less dusting! And the weather is great. Cool in the morning, warm in the afternoon, and cool again in the evening. The maintenance man is here now painting my walls. I guess I was a little early on moving in, but I don't mind. I do think though that he has a little ADD. He has left three times and returned 20 minutes later each time. Don't know if he gets lost or what. But I don't mind the company.

Thanks for taking the time to catch up on my new adventure. I have enjoyed recounting my last few days. Stay tuned for more. I will try to keep up with this so each entry isn't this long.

Hope all is well with you all. I miss everyone!

-Bev =)