Aja, welcome to the group. I think you will find the people in this meetup group to be very friendly and inviting. Some members have an extra kayak, paddle and PFD (Personal Flotation Device- aka life jacket) and will be willing to let you borrow on a group paddle. Just keep an eye on the discussion/trip sections and let us know if you can attend an outing.

not many weekends off work? Thats fine, we have weds night and tues night after work paddles starting soon! Also you could always find a different job, but thats just a bit of work.