.

I got all the things for my PIF ready and sent them off a week ago last Saturday.  My PIF recipient has received it.  If she posts a picture of the things I sent I will post a link for you.  I sent her some really pretty fiber to spin, a cute old fashion Easter toy with candy in it, a pen with a soft plastic sheep’s head on the top, two hand knit dish cloths, a bag that I machine embroidered “I love to knit with handspun” on, two yummy special chocolate candy bars and the knitting book “One Skein -30 quick project to knit and crochet”.  As usual the PIF was fun to put together.  I may do it again next year.  The nice thing about them is you have a whole year to put things together for your (up to 3) recipients.

I broke down and went to the Dr on Saturday because my breathing has been uncomfortable, lots of dry coughing, and I’ve been so tired I haven’t even worked very much on the comfort shawl I need to finish.  He listened and said yes, you are rattling in there (referring to my lungs, not my head ;)).  He also said that this was the sickest summer he can remember in his 50 years of doctoring.  He attributed it the tearing down of many of the houses that were damaged 2 years ago in the horrendous floods they had here and all the mold and mildew that has stirred up.  Everyone’s allergies have been much worse this year, including my own (and I have awful fall allergies).  I’m afraid it will probably be the same next year when they finish up the “de-construction” of these flood damaged houses.  He put me on some medication that will help with the coughing spasms and I will continue to take my decongestant and allergy meds.  Oh the joys of allergies.

My supervisor at my temp job told me she had extended my stay and was checking into when they could hire me on permanent.  WOOT WOOT!!  That was what I was hoping for!!!  I have been working temp jobs since I lost my job at the Title Insurance company about 3 years ago due to the collapse of the housing market.   It’s been unsettling knowing the jobs were temporary, but Heavenly Father has been kind and they have been long term while I’ve waited for a job that I enjoyed and could do well that was permanent.  I wouldn’t want to do this again, but it has been a learning experience and gives me a lot of compassion for all those who are seeking work in this awful and depressed economy.  I know that my “good fortune” in being able to support myself (even if a bit scary because of the instability of this kind of work and the change in wages with each job), is because I pay my tithing.  And I know that my ability to have a safe place to live, that is within my means, is because I work hard at keeping the Sabbath holy, leaving the worldly things to the other 6 days of the week.  Those are promises that go with those commandments.  How blessed we are when we follow the commandments, and how grateful I am to understand that.