ugh. dustmites.

ah-choo!

Yay for Evan!

LMAO !! I so needed that laugh.

Wow ! I'm second to post !!

**************

Great news on Evan. Will keep up the prayers.

OK. Now, third. :(

Third time is... the charm?

Ha! I KNEW I couldn't be the only one who channels her "inner sorority girl"! However, I DID think I was the only one to use that actual term ;-)

So, of course, I have to ask...what house were you in?

I was (well, still am, technically) a Tri Delta.

I was wondering what that big dust cloud coming from the West was. (I live in Nebraska) It's Laurie dusting her house. I bet LA is having one heck of a smog warning this week.

I was also wondering why I'm sneezing so much. It's the addition of five hundred and eleventy bazillion dust mites being released into the atmosphere.

Kappa Delta! =)

At least you don't have a neurotic cat... My girl cat is totally neurotic!

i LIKE neurotic. im neurotic. im convinced it means my neurons are erotic...or moronic, maybe both

I can't wait to see what you did.
I'm gearing up and preparing myself for some decluttering as well... taking cue from you to "make room in my life for life", but am having some pre-cleaning anxieties. I'm so overwhelmed I don't even know where to begin.

Now I have "yucatan if you want to" (sounds suspiciously like "you can dance if you want to" - is that how it goes???) stuck in my head.
anyway, of course you're not neurotic, you are Southern and quirky! and it's your book - you can be described any way you want! Hilarious story though.
Now I am very much looking forward to tomorrow's post! and winning things! and your book being published! and it being Friday! yay!

My inner hippie salutes your inner hippie. My inner sorority girl is recovering from having her brows and lip waxed yesterday (except I have to come up with another name for her, as I've never been in a sorority).

I'm stealing "I'm not neurotic; I'm Southern!" from you. Just so you know.

Looking forward to more about your home improvement adventures! Sorry you're so sore :(

Inner Sorority Girl! Love it!

another hippie, turned sorority girl, turned strange cross-breed of the two...
(Phi Mu)

Laurie, I loved that post. I loved that you were so, um NOT NEUROTIC in your cleaning that you actually got blisters. I probably need to go as hard-core on my house soon.

I have this pipe-dream of being very organized and uncluttered by October 5th. That way, when I return from my two week trip to Kenya, I can come home to a clean, organized house. (oooh - and fresh sheets!) It won't likely happen, but at least its a kind of goal!

Been following Allison's blog. Am sending mucho happy thoughts and prayers their way.
Am also looking forward to September 4th. I have warned my cat. Althought, he's such an attention whore that he'll probably love whatever it is, as long as I give him some lovin.
:)

Can't wait to hear (read) all the gory details of last weekend!

Laurie...I finally watched the cleaning show with the 2 English ladies...Oh my gawd...how do people just walk around that kind of mess and just ignore it. My house looks pretty clean compared to the ones I saw. I did like the tips they gave you to be more "green"...

Lulu

I am just flat out crazy. Vury perticuler about stuff. Quirky Southerner sounds muy beuno! I'm undergoing home improvements myself. I just wish that I could just torch the place and start over. Oh well maybe one day. ;-)

What abut Sarah with an H? I promise not to call you neurotic too often!

I checked with my inner hippy as she was packing her broomstick skirts & patchouli incense for Burning Man & its her position that Southerners are genetically incapable of being neurotic. You're just colorful.

It's really too bad that Narcotics Anonymous has the rights to the title N.A. It should belong to NEUROTIC Anonymous becasue we're so much cooler than them. Aren't we?? I'm sure we are. What do you think??

We definately are. I hope. Yeah, we are! (yikes)

Is it neurotic of me to blog every time I move out a couple of bags, or boxes, or tubs of stuff? Is it neurotic of me to re-sort, by color, the 400 colored paperclips my cat dumped into my shoes?
Okay, I'm going to go stir me up some dust mites. Or evict a couple of the black widows that live in my garage. Something! Ultimately I may even find my dining room table--I know it has to be in there somewhere!

Oh, and I am definately a hippie. I totally went to Woodstock in 1969. I lived in the next town from Bethel, NY and my (non-hippie) family and I got caught in the 8 hour long traffic jam in our blue Rambler. We didn't see or hear any music but we saw a lot of hippies.! I was 4 at the time and I got to find out just how much my father DIDN'T care for hippies.

So, by association, I am a hippie, too. Right?

been keeping up on allisons blog and sending lots and lots and lots of good thoughts (kinda neurotically) :)

i am in fact neurotically labeling my moving boxes and wondering (a bit neurotically) if the moving guys will prejudge my yarn - why do i care?

i dont
i dont
i dont

really

This "win free stuff" better not have anything to do with Ed McMahon. He has dissed me one time too many.

But since it has to do with/not with cats, I'm all for it. My oldest one is dealing with the FLUTD right now and it's not a good time at casa de meow.

Onward and upward!!!!!

Let me grab my handy-dandy thesaurus. Here we go: Neurotic= anxious, fearful, phobic, fixated, hung-up, disturbed, irrational, and obsessed. Of these I like "fixated" best, (the others are just NOT you) so I'll turn to that page where we find: absorbed, stuck, fanatical, engrossed, hooked, and paranoid.

We could use "hooked" in a number of ways for a book about knitting. But doesn't "engrossed" sound so much better? Ask Allison to substitute the word "engrossing" for "neurotic" and we're golden!

Speaking of too many friends with the same name I have had three roomates named Laura. And speaking of the inner hippie my mother says I have Laura Karma. My mother is also my outer hippie.

...a rather clean neurotic!

Had to look it up to verify the story. I'm not neurotic either......

neurotic
2 entries found.
neurotic[1,adjective]neurotic[2,noun]
Main Entry: 2neurotic
Function: noun
Date: 1896
1 : one affected with a neurosis
2 : an emotionally unstable individual

neurosis
One entry found.
neurosis
Main Entry: neu·ro·sis
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural neu·ro·ses
Etymology: New Latin
Date: circa 1784
: a mental and emotional disorder that affects only part of the personality, is accompanied by a less distorted perception of reality than in a psychosis, does not result in disturbance of the use of language, and is accompanied by various physical, physiological, and mental disturbances (as visceral symptoms, anxieties, or phobias)

~lol, sputter, cough~

I've forgotten what I was going to say after reading Courtney's post!

Ahem, let's see...way to go Evan! Yay!

Soba needs to lighten up... :)

Thanks for the laughs today, I needed them. Been thinking all day that it's Friday and it's only Thursday. Sheesh.

Neurotic = interesting, quirky. IMHO, the tag "neurotic" is just good marketing. And BTW, Soba is soooo wonderfully feline.

Broomstick skirt? Are you able to give us a visual aid?
:-)

GO EVAN!
Neurotic isn't so bad.
And my real name is Emily.

Argh!!!! I am going on vacation tomorrow and I will miss it!!! I will be 20 minutes away from reall electricity for 10 days!!! Argh!!! I can't wait that long :)

Neurotic? You aren't neurotic.

We can win stuff soon?

Why would they say you're neurotic? That's crazy talk.

Really win things?

Really win stuff! Signed copies of some book... gee wonder which one and awesome knitty-related items and whatever else I dream up between now and then :)

Marin? Do you have too many friends named Marin? Can I apply now before the rush?

OMG does the sweepstakes have anything to do with the Ugly Mystery Knitted Cat Project? Oh please?

Soba is so precious. What a face. Even if she is annoyed with her minions.

I'm a colorful Southerner too, and probably neurotic, but we Southerners are neurotic in such fun ways!

Yucatan!

What's wrong with neurotic?

My name is Emily. I find that "quirky" is a good euphemism for "neurotic".

I used to live near a liquor store called "The Yucatan Liquor Stand." Now I can't hear "Yucatan" without thinking "Liquor Stand." Like "Marco"..."Polo" or "See you later"..."Alligator"

come and visit me in the Uk. Jeebus, I will pay half the fare just so you understand my version of NEUROTIC. I heart you sooooo much. please come and visit xxx

Now see, that's why I'm glad to have an obscure name. Like Tigger, I'm the only one! So I can be your friend, right? Right? I'd never call you... that word, and I promise to only stalk you a little and...

Tommy the Sith Apprentice cat says, "Minions are so annoying. Mine never open the tuna. Join me, Soba, and together we can rule the world bwahahahaha!"

He does not understand that Soba would destroy him with one paw... let him have his dreams...

Contest! Cats! Prizes! Excitement!!!

Um, not that I'm trying to influence the judge but I did pre-order someone's book and I own almost no knitting-related stuff (being the noob that I am).

Great news on Evan! Yay!

Alright, I have learned the hard (or is that hardyharhar) way, that I should not read your blog at work... makes my co-workers think I'm nuts. (As if they needed more proof, right?)

I'm just saying is all... you make me laugh!

I love it! My favorite blog mentions my home state! Yes, I was born Merida Yucatan and lived in Acanceh Yucatan from the age of 10-14....some of the best years of my life.

Yes, everyone at home is accounted for, safe and sound...thank you (<----I know you didn't ask, but just in case you were wondering if I had family there...which, yes I do and they are accounted for, safe and sound).

OK, I'm curious - why do you need monkeys? Who is it that you know who is willing and able to send you monkeys?

Don't worry. The voices in my head have told me that you are definitely not neurotic.

HAH. When I heard on the news that Dean brushed up against the yucutan peninsula, I thought for SURE it was some kind of weather p0rn!!! That would be verbotten hear at FatCatLawFirm, and, no doubt, at WhiteGuysInTies.

Although, Hottie McZuke Holder might be worth the write-up!

Also, WHY did I always think "minion" could be singular AND plural?! I'm an idjit monkey. I'll come over.

Oooh! You just gave me something I can put on my "8 weird things about me" list. No, I still haven't done it, and no, I'm not telling you what.

I trust and hope you can accommodate a Lucia or two as well.

You are no more neurotic than I am. (snerk)

I went into the break room this afternoon and someone had left some giant Gad-zukes on the counter.
Are the zukes plotting to take over the American Business landscape???

Of course he/she wasn't wearing a tie. But we're a little more casual than that.

Hooray for Evan! I can't read Allison's post w/o crying so I've had to stop.

You need a Heidi in your life. Specifically a redhead from Pittsburgh who has three cats and only knows the knit stitch but knits the knit stitch very tightly. I'm volunteering.

Oh, and I was a hippie dippie sorority girl. Then again I belonged to the "smart" sorority, so if you had the grades, they didn't care what you wore.

Alpha Xi, Alpha Xi, Delta, Delta . . .

Hooray for Evan! I can't read Allison's post w/o crying so I've had to stop.

You need a Heidi in your life. Specifically a redhead from Pittsburgh who has three cats and only knows the knit stitch but knits the knit stitch very tightly. I'm volunteering myself for the position.

Oh, and I was a hippie dippie sorority girl. Then again I belonged to the "smart" sorority, so if you had the grades, they didn't care what you wore.

Alpha Xi, Alpha Xi, Delta, Delta . . .

Third time is USUALLY the charm, CAP. For me ? Maybe Fourth, Fifth, or Eighteenth. LOL

Is "Phi Poppa Toppa" a Sorority ? If it is, I am SO joining it ! ;) (Erm... Maybe I've chartered it. Can't remember.)

Cheers !

i think you need a friend named 'maryse.' i'm pretty sure you wouldn't have to qualify which maryse. although i found out that there's this pretty shiny lady wrestler from canada named maryse. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maryse_Ouellet and she goes by one name too. no, i didn't google myself. i searched on wikipedia. so there.

PS: Damn, Monkeygurrl ! You are a HOOT and a MESS ! Weather Porn !! ***snort!*** I am such a Weather Ho. I want to ride around with a professional storm chaser one day. Not much of a thrill seeker, but that would be SOOOOO cool !

Ten thousand cheers for Evan!!!

I was never in a sorority, but I am Southern enough to remember to shave my legs most of the time. I was, and still am, a dyed-in-the-batik hippie, and, in fact, still wear broomstick skirts and Birkenstocks -- or sometimes cowgirl boots. Right now I have on a green batik broomstick skirt and am barefoot because I am inside and I don't wear shoes in the house.

Everybody is housecleaniing in their spare time lately. It's too damn hot to go outside, and also it's hurricane season, so I have to be within reach of the Weather Channel. Just in case.

Hurricane season is icky.

Honey, all true Southerns are neurotic. It adds to our charm.

really!

The whole Yucatan thing can be a new Weather Channel drinking game. "blah blah Yucatan..." chug. Kind of like the old Bob Newhart game. Anyone else remember that? The characters say "Bob" and you take a drink; they say "Hi Bob." and you chug. No? Just me then. Ah college.
Speaking of, I was in a sorority that lasted only one year. I'm not saying Mr. Newhart had anything to do with that mind you. Anyway, my inner sorority girl took off years ago; the patchouli, incense and granola were too much for her.

Sometimes I still shave my legs in her honor.

I like to think of myself as uniquely me. Sounds so much better than neurotic, weird, etc. I don't know if I should be happy or offended when people agree with the description, however... (Apparently I do have issues, but don't tell anyone. I'm trying to make them appear charming still.)

Thoughts and vibes and prayers do help. It's a miracle of modern non-science.

What if one doesn't have a cat? Can we still enter the sweepstakes? Can I borrow a friend's cat? (Bet they'd LOVE that. Maybe they would).

Looking forward to hearing about your adventures among the domestic fauna tomorrow! And regarding flora, how are the peppers?

CAP!! First time commenter - long time reader.

So happy to see that Evan is doing well.

So sad to see the news of Roy's passing.

So proud of you going off and writing a real live book! My mom pre-ordered it for my birthday coincidentally in October. She is a good mama!

I have a friend named Roberta....

OK, so this week, the favorite words seem to be "Yucatan" and "neurotic."

Next week they'll be something else.

Don't be so neurotic!

You neurotic? I don't see it. ;)

I love your blog. I can't wait to read about the home improvements!

A contest? Prizes? Coincidence that you're giving away stuff immediately after your big clean-up? I don't think so.

Well, maybe yucatan, but I can't.

--just another JENNIFER

Don't worry. William Faulkner was also a neur... I mean "colorful Southerner" and he's a famous writer.

Personally, and I am not Southern but rather a Brooklyn-then CT-turned-New Jersey girl, I see nothing wrong with a little neuroticism. Keeps all those sorority girls on their toes, watching out for where Yucatan next.

Hey Laurie,

Could you take a look at my blog and tell me if my Marrow is the same as your Zuchini? Because we also call the big ones Squash and the little ones Courgettes in England and I just dont know!

Crazyness!

Thanks
AM

So, if you live on the peninsula AND you are a worrier, doesn't that actually make you a Yucatan neurotic ???

Sorry. It's still early and I've already downed a pot of coffee. Hooray Friday !! Woo-Hoo !

I am called Emily. How can one go about submitting friend applications? ;)

No more room for Sarah's?!? Yikes! And I was just having this inner conversation with myself the other day if I should use the word "neurotic" in my blog profile....but of course I'm not really neurotic.

HA! Bet you don't have too many Dale-Harriets either, OR "Dales" for that matter. FYI: no matter what anyone tells you (i.e. "what about DALE EVANS?") it IS a boy's name. It is NOT a girl's name. And yes, my mom DID want a boy. Hmmm...having said that, I DO have another Dale-friend-girl whom I greatly admire here in blogland. Nevermind then. Can't WAIT to hear about your cleaning bit because I'm about to start my own, and let me say here: WARNING! I'll post the day so that everyone can put towels around their windows and buy little paper masks because when *I* start.....whooooah! (Evangeline and Lilliane are looking at me out of the corners of their eyes.) Oh - and they both ordered me to write "Soba, can WE be your minions too? Puh-LEEZE?"

Oh god, laurie, I'm DYING over here. I was born and raised in Atlanta by a steel magnolia (way back before all the yankee (re)discovered the city), so I'm all over your southern-ness. And no, you are NOT neurotic. As another poster said, quirky is a real good word to use.

Besides, anyone who is a Kappa Delta is NOT neurotic.
Phyllis
(KD from Duke U)

I'm quite sure you don't have any other Anna-Lizas, at least not spelled like me.

Maribel? Is that "mama-drama" Maribel? Hi!

Does this mean that my copy of the uncorrected readers copy where it describes you as "slightly neurotic" (hey, only *slightly*!) is going to become a Rare Collectible?

signed, the bestest friend named Astrid you've got until another one turns up which may take decades

Anna-Liza, yes its "mama-drama" Maribel...HI!

Ann-Maire, don't you crazy Brits also call arugula "rocket"? (Or, of course, one can say those crazy Americans call rocket arugula). Takes all kinds.

Any room for girls named Consuelo??? (It's supposed to mean consolation, but I don't think it works)