Still, you are totally the "after" on What Not To Wear, with your cute, happy, waist-y self. :)

It WOULD be a really cute shirt if it weren't for the whole "nipples aflame" thing!

But I'd still wear it. (this coming from the girl who onced owned (AND WORE) chrome pants!!!)

Wouldn't Flaming Nipplage be a good name for a band though?

Yeah, I have no idea what designers are thinking.

Please keep yourself and the kitties safe during "fire season".

There was a movie once, that mentioned the winds of santa anna. infact, it was just last week I watched it. And I had never heard of that before. I thuoght it was odd that it would be windy in one part of cali only. And, I live in MN, where there are no trees and no hills, and very few buildings. It's ALWAYS windy here!

Can't remember what the movie was called. It had Cameron Diaz. and Jude Law. It wasn't that good.

mmm...Jude Law...

Well, I'll just keep commenting then....

I wanted to say this a minute ago...That movie, the one that isn't that good? Was made alot better by the fact that there were about 9 thousand and twelve absolutely gorgeous sweaters in it. I notice things like that since I started knitting...

Oh dear dear dear. :) Hahahaha. I am SO glad you noticed it before you bought it...and didn't realize it say, when you were looking at your pictures of an event...

Jude Law, or as my daughters refer to him, The Man Who Used to be Our Next Daddy. The man who currently occupies the Next Daddy position is Clive Owen. But I still have a soft spot in my heart for Jude!

Hmm...that dress just needs a few tassles, eh? It looks terrific, too bad it can't lose the odd bits of design placement. Weather is freaky warm up here in Nor Cal, just not right.

LMAO@"used to be our next daddy"!!! Used to be? he's not even in the running anymore?! lol! I still think Jason Statham probably takes the pot though. for me at least!

Fire sky is a freaky concept. Your non-diet is really looking good on you, though. Even the fugly shirt looks hot on you. Oh, that was bad... hot/fire. Back to work for me.

Hi Laurie, Your book is my current bike riding at the gym read. I am laughing and crying with you. Since I faithfully read your blog but never the comments, I don't know if it has already been mentioned, but I predict a movie. Reese Witherspoon playing you!
Thank you so much for writing for us, your faithful friends,
Ellene

San Diego is ablaze, too. I just posted pics on my blog. Fires freak me out. I was up all night glued to the news. All schools in San Diego county are closed. They're encouraging people to stay off the roads (and stay home from work) as much as possible. Scary...

The scary weather we have to worry about here is Uber tornados in the summer, (even as late as a few weeks ago there were still warnings!) and in the winter we get super snows! I moved here after, but my husband is always telling about the storm of 94 or something. the whole state was pretty much closed down. There's this 20 foot tall light in my driveway, they say that there was a huge drift that covered it. They had to tunnel to each others houses and stuff. SCARY!

Makes you wonder what the designers are smoking when they pick patterns and prints.....The shirt would be perfect except for the neon flames where we don't need them.....

It was great to have you in Houston!

Fiery nipples or not, it is very flattering, so flattering that I think people mightn't notice the fiery bits. Too bad we don't have Macy's in Canada. I would be trying that baby on myself.

"Fire Season" - you know, you can come live in Wisconsin...specifically Madison, "63 miles surrounded by Reality", and no fire season. In fact, almost no fire. (That bit you heard about tornadoes? Just an attempt to give us bad press, nevermind.) Incidentally - NO ONE would've thought of the flaming nips, those are lovely PAISLEYS!! Besides that, you look SMASHING in that shirt - find another that shape. I think they're calling them "babydoll", which puts me right off, but that high-waist blouse style is so flattering on ALL of us. Gee, you're so PURTY!! (I'm sorting out knitting to bring along to see you...2.5 days to go....) I think the word is SQUEEEEEE!!

Nipplage? The only time I have even had nipplage, not to mention boobies was when I was pregnant. 28 years ago. Sad. The shirt is too cute but signage for boobage is too muchage! Ha - I'm 12.

PS: Macy's? Did you say you found that at Macy's? I may have to go look (check around, maybe if there's another in your size the PAISLEYS will be placed differently, and it's just so CUTE~

nobody needs nips on fire...but the first thing i noticed was the lovely neckline. too bad about the ill placed print.

i really enjoyed your book. i may learn to knit!

Cute top! Serious bummer about the flaming nipples.

Off topic: I finally caught up on my podcasts and you were AWESOME on Cast On! Really, really amazing. I really hope your book tour gets to Albuquerque (where we also have scary wind and sometimes scary fires...but far fewer people and buildings...heck, we're a lot less populated even if you count the cows).

And otherwise that is a super-cute top.
What were they thinking??

I didn't even notice the flaming nipples until you typed it out. I thought the pic was a "See how fabulous I look" kinda pic. You look great! Can't wait to see you in Minneapolis!

Oh, and BTW, have you tried the secret presciption strength antiperspirant? I think it's called Clinical. I am a sweaty gal myself and this stuff does work. It is expensive and they don't give you nearly enough in the tube for the 8 bucks or so that it costs, but it is totally worth it IMHO.

Hey, you are totally rocking that shirt, flaming nipplage and all! You should buy more empire waist style stuff. It makes you look all skinny and busty! Well, at least that's what I want out of a shirt! It looks like I can't make Peoria or Nashville. My co-driver will be out of town for both and I can't make the drive both ways by myself from here. Keep knocking em dead though!

Your fire season scares me, and (as I never tire of pointing out to you) I live 3000 miles away. (How do I contact your tour arranger?) The failure of designers to make clothes that a normal person could or would wear just annoys the bleep out of me.

So, did you knit on tour? If I had to go on tour (having followed the lovely Stephanie's adventures for several years now, I am all too well aware that glamorous? um, no) I would knit every possible second just to keep my anxiety level down to psychotic.

What if someone got LOST on the way to the nips? Hmmmm....it is maybe like a map?

Yeah, I would not want to be a boobie map either.

Lucia, I've made some progress on my legwarmer but now I'm thinking it's too big and may need to be felted. Can one wear a semi-felted legwarmer? And why must they come in twos? And why did I think this was a good idea? But mostly on the planes I'm trying not to freak out, I am not a great flyer. But I've been so exhausted it helps keep me from panicking. I think my publicist's strategy is to keep me tired so I don't have the energy to cry when I get on the plane. heh.

Nikki -- the Next Daddy list gets updated every once in a while, depending who's currently on my radar. Jude was at the top a while ago, but he got bumped by Ewan MacGregor, who got usurped by Clive.

My husband's reaction to my ever-evolving list is a totally straight-faced "Fine. As long as they pay for college."

embrace the fire nips. they're like pasties, but less nude. join me, and come over to the dark side!

I was at the Northridge mall this past weekend, and am glad fall fashion season has arrived. You look adorable in that shirt, flaming nipplage aside!

LOL, 'Our Next Daddy'! Stella, I am SO stealing that, and sorry, but Clive is OUR next daddy! Get in line sista! (Unless we meet Jason first, of course.)
Sigh, so many daddies, so little time.
On another note, Love the shirt, get a different print!

i honestly would not have noticed your flaming boobies if you hadn't pointed them out.

when i lived in CA as a kid, fire season scared me too. that and earthquake season.

haha! your husband is hilarious.

For some reason, Matthew McCauhnehey(sp!) is on my list, but only on the "potential pool boy" list. He has this incredible body...and sexy voice with a great accent, but one of the scariest faces I've ever seen. I wouldn't mind seeing him prancing around my pool in my mandatory poolboy uniform.

Of course, I'll have to get a pool....

"Flaming Nipplage" - - LMAO at work, have to close my office door to stop all the stares and glares from coworkers . . .

Oh well. They need to get a sense of humor!

Thanks for adding a smile to my (otherwise horrible) Monday, Laurie!

"why hello there...are your nipples on fire or are you just happy to see me?"

sorry michelle, i've got dibs on Jason.

Michelle -- I would be perfectly pleased if you stole the concept. My girls (ages 14 and 10) are so used to it that when I recently mentioned that I was considering moving Viggo Mortensen to the #1 position, the younger one actually protested quite loudly: "No! You can't change! Clive is our only Next Daddy! No Viggo!"

She wouldn't relent, even after I reminded her that he was Aragorn in LOTR, which she loves.

Laurie- are your legwarmers flared?

I've got thunerous calves and tiny chicken ankles. I was thinking about making some legwarmers, but I wasn't sure if they would just accentuate my thunderousness. So I thought about making flare-y ones. Except the only time I see people wearring legwarmers nowadays is with jeans and pointy pointiest shoes. I hate pointy shoes!

But anyhow- I think flare-y ones would be ubercute!

HA! That top also has fallopian tubes! I'll never be able to look at paisely the same way.......

Why am I the only one that thinks "Firey Nipples" sounds like a stripper show? Come one, come all to see Heaven, Ginger and Essence in tonight's headlining performance of the great "Firey Nipples". And just think you could have laid claim to discovering the amazing Firey Nipples show but you had to say no while standing in the fitting room with your camera.

*snickers*

Hope the Santa Ana's are quickly in control and there are no more buildings damaged or people injured.

Cindi

The shirt looks good, regardless of flaming nipples.

I came across a "diet" today, and thought of you. The basic premise of the diet is to eat as healthily as you can and walk as much as possible: http://www.centerwest.org/about/patty/diet/index.php

The google hits that firey nippleage is going to get you....whhhhhhhoooooooooooo eeeee

I'm so sorry to learn your nipples are not aligned horizontally (as that shirt clearly shows). BTW, I hate Mondays too but loved the shirt. The colour is SO you. Couldn't you just go to another Macy's and find the same top, with the firey nipples in the back?

P.S. I just read something in your book that is very anti-legwarmer ... something about a pact NOT to bring legwarmers back. When I get a page reference, I'm posting it! This insanity has got to STOP. LOL

Other than the flaming nipples, it's a cute top. The cut looks nice on you and is very flattering!

One week from right now I’ll be on the road to Nashville to see you and I AM SO EXCITED!!!! I even talked my bestest girl friend into road tripping with me! We are going to see you, and drink wine (probably from a box ‘cause we are just classy like that) and buy shoes. It might be the best trip ever!

I am spending the next seven days practicing keeping my cool so I don’t do the weird babbling thing or just clam up and not say anything or even worse: CRY! That would just be mortifying.

Dear God: Please don’t let me cry when I meet Laurie. XOXO, Gus.

I feel like I’m off to meet a rock star. And did I mention that I AM SO EXCITED?!?!

(yeah, the keeping my cool still needs work…)

And btw, you could wear your pajamas and I would still be excited to see you. :)

That didn't come across as weird and stalkery did it?

you are so funny! And look how hot you look in the flame shirt!!
I live in Idaho. We also have fire sky. Weeks seem to go by in July and August where the light is gold and the sun looks red. I'd say that eventually you get used to it, but you don't. It is always disturbing and weird...

I'm down here in north San Diego county, and we've got fire sky right now too, boiling up out of the east and bearing down on us like the wrath of god. Scary. Hope you're OK up there! (ps: avoid fire nipples :) )

I think we're all posting about the fires. This is a really bad one in my estimation - and I was born and raised here.

Oh yeah, I meant to ask you. Do you keep up with the L.A. City Fire Dept. blog? I do. I'll see your crazy and raise you one.

http://lafd.blogspot.com/

Flaming Nippilage would also be a good name for a cocktail, as in "I'll have a flaming nip, thankyou" I would order one.
Friday's post was killer. There were lots of great moments. I can only imagine what it's like to be you.

The fires look scary scary - and you can also have earthquakes! Yikes! That's why my Mom always freaks out if I go to California, so mostly I only tell her when I get back. Hmmm can't remember if I've mentioned the January trip or not....

Anyway, nice shirt, if you could find one that had the fabric cut slightly differently. :) I probably wouldn't have noticed until after buying it and getting it home and then wearing it out, so nice catch!

Good luck with your next plane thingy! :)

I dunno, I think that thing looks pretty hot on you.

Or rather, that you look hot in it.

Fires=Scary!

I didn't notice the flaming nips until you mentioned them. The shirt is adorable and so flattering on you otherwise.

Hotnips. Excellent - for some reason I think of Ted Nugent.

You look good in that shirt, the style really suits. I would never have noticed the Flaming Areolas if you hadn't pointed it out.

Dude. FAITH. Who are you talking to here? HAVE YOU MET ME???? You know I keep up with my fireman's blog. And my LAPD blog. I even comment on the LAPD blog, they are not loving me over there. heheheheh.

I love firemen. And firemen trainees. And firemen. And mmmmmmmm.

California 4 seasons:

fire season
mud slide season
earthquake season
plastic surgery season

Glad to know you're really happy to see me!

Laurie,

After flying all freaking day yesterday (Alaska to Maine) and dropping and almost losing one of my sock needles (very scary at the start of a trip) when I fell asleep knitting between Seattle and Boston... I'm just hoping that you are signed up for some mileage plan or other. I't would be a shame for you not to benefit from all that "air" time when planning your next "Purl's gone wild" in Paris type trip.

I've enjoyed your tour blogging. Especially that you love it. It's a great feeling doing something that you are afraid of and finding that not only is it not so bad, but that it's fun. You are an inspiration to get out and DO. It opens up a whole world of possibilities.

Also, Santa Anna's---ick. I'm in Maine for a Forest and Fire Meteorology Symposium and the east winds are nice and humid here. Again, Santa Anna's---ick!

hehe little california--yr so sweet.

And mighty darn cute.

Ooooooh. Clive. Love love love love me some Clive. (the things a man can do with a carrot....or a gun...or me) Now my afternoon is shot.......

Thanks a lot--not (but really, yes!)

Laurie, what ON EARTH were you doing shopping at the infamous MACY'S????!!!!

You hadn't better mention that when you come to Minneapolis Thursday because we Minnesotans are very upset Macy's took away our beloved Marshall Field's, formerly known as, Dayton's.

Heidi, a girl has to get her shopping on. I am just saying is all!

I got curious and had to find out what "Santa Ana" was all about.

Saint Anne was the mother of all mothers.

Enough said.

http://www.catholic-forum.com/saints/sainta03.htm

the 25th... It just so happens i'll be in, near, or around the mall of america. shopping, taking pictures of abercrombie models, possibly going to oxygen bars, and maybe stalking bloggers/authors. It will also happen to be my very first time at the mall of america and i plan to buy shoes.

On a side note- I might be able to tell you (on the 26th!) exactly how many pairs of shoes you can fit into a mid-size SUV!

Of course you already know about the LAFD blog. I shoulda known.

xo

Knowing the weather caster is as important to you as the weather itself - I thought I'd pass a little Sven along to prep you for your visit later this week.

http://tinyurl.com/2fna6p

Do not die from the cuteness of Sven - I don't kid about these things.

I was at Macy's yesterday and they already had their Christmas decorations out! Christmas trees and holly and tinsel! Before Halloween! I felt like smashing pumpkins on their nice glass doors to protest.

Cute top though!

Did you know that mannequins sport nipples these days? At least in nyc they do! We talk all about this on one of our recent podcasts.

ahhh....the things that interest us....

The nice thing about those Santa Anas though is they clean out the pollution from the basin. I used to live right at the base of the San Gabriels and I LOVED how beautiful they were at this time of year. When they weren't burning.

Too bad about the fire nipples. It is a cute shirt otherwise. Obviously a man designed that shirt because a woman would know what was going to happen there.

Future Husband Clive was at a movie theater on the upper west side the other year for a premiere -- when I spotted him I ran out into several lanes of traffic to get near him as quickly as possible. I got an up-close look while he was giving interviews and all I will say, the man has the greenest eyes in the history of the universe. Can you say "mesmerizing"?

The movie that the first posters were talking about was "The Holiday" - happened to catch a re-run last night. I do love a happy ending and Jude Law was quite...ummm..."do-able" looking in the film. Actually the scene where Jack Black is singing the movie themes in the Blockbuster is a hoot...he is so funny it almost makes him cute.

Nipplage aside, the shirt looks great - you should go back and get it post haste...

Only one week til you are in NashVegas! Yippee!! Calling all Nashville CAP fans - we should meet up somewhere before the signing and fortify ourselves with some wine - getting all likkered up makes for a better Q & A I'm sure! (poor Laurie is probably cringing at this!!)

Dear Hubby was a fireman (retired from it now) - - maybe it's a good thing he is NOT coming with me to Peoria to meet you . . . he IS pretty hot, if I do say so myself . . . :)

At least you're not taking pictures of other people's nipples in the dressing rooms at Macy's. That is a really cute shirt. Just a shame they had to do the focus-on-my-nipples-not-on-my-face thing (like women really need any help getting men to avoid looking at their faces during conversations at the office).

The design on that shirt is horrendous, but OMG the cut is teh sexxay on you!

Man, and it was such a cute shirt other than the red nipple-highlighting dots. THIS is why god made black Sharpies.

Just sayin'.

I knew there was another book/movie that talked about the Santa Anas:

"The Santa Ana winds had come back and the whole city of L.A. was acting like it had PMS." -- From "White Oleander" by Janet Fitch

Your book finally came from Amazon! I read 124 pages Friday night when I should have been sleeping. Wonderful work Laurie. I had a good cry with you at the beginning and when I put the book down I went downstairs and apologized to DH for being emotionally distant lately.
I'd hoped to get a good laugh from the book as I do from your blog, but I got so much more. Thanks for the perspective.
Hope you come to Canada!

I grew up in fire country too- just on the other side of the world. The worst were the Ash Wednesday fires 24 years ago, talk about scarey skies! Stay safe.

And BTW I may be really late to the party but OMG!!! I have the book upstairs waiting to be read. The MOST travelled book I suggest - my sister bought it for me when she was in LA last week then gave it to my mother to bring over to the UK from Oz this last weekend. However she wrapped it in Christmas paper so I won't be reading it until December. But, I HAVE IT!

Oops! Credit should have gone to the Bobs and the lyrics from "Santa Ana Woman" (I was reading up instead of down). In "White Oleander", the mother said, "Lovers who kill each other now will blame it on the wind." Good book ...

Fire sky used to freak me out too when I was a kid in So. Cal. I remember in '93 when those huge fires burned down half of Malibu and Laguna- my older bro was bartending in Laguna that evening when we got a call from him. He had to evacuate the hotel, but because the city buses were no longer running he couldn't leave so my dad and I got in my dad's camero to go get him. As we crested over the hill on the highway I remember seeing a huge ring of fire along the ridge, and black smoke and said to my dad "Everyone is running from the fire, and we are going TOWARDS it?" and he said "We have to get your brother."

We exited the freeway to an empty city. No one was in that part of Laguna and there was smoke and ash raining down on us. My bro was waiting outside the hotel in the back of a fire engine, and I remember looking up the hill and noting that the fire was heading straight for the hotel. After we got home, I saw on the news that the hotel had burned down. The whole thing was terrifying, and I have to say those firefighters are brave men and women.

Mom and dad report from Whittier that ash is raining from the sky, and that the flocks of wild parrots that live in the trees around their house are hiding.

And by the way: the "Santa Anna" winds are really a mispronounciation. They are the "Santana winds" meaning "Devil winds" in spanish- that was what they were called by the spanish and mexican settlers before California became a part of the US.

How close are you to the fires? I just read online that 250,000 people have been evacuated. I hope you're okay, Aunt Purl!

One other thing...I just finished my Halloweenie Beanie, modeled after your pattern, and love it! It looks much different from yours though because I must've gotten off somewhere on my stitches. But I kind of like the affect of all the lines going diagonally up in a pattern. Stop by my blog to take a look-see if you have a chance. And thank's again for the inspiration! Oh...and I wore it out to a bar crawl this weekend where the theme was to wear a "crazy" hat, and I just happened to win the prize for "Best Home-Made Hat!" Yay me - thanks to you!

Nikki -- The movie you were trying to remember is "The Holiday." And I love your conversation with Stella about the Next Baby Daddy list. Sorry. I have dibs on Clive and have for many years since I first saw "Greenfingers" and "Croupier."

Laurie -- One thing that I don't miss about living in SoCal are the Santa Anas. Hopefully y'all will get some humidity soon and all the crazy fire stuff can stop. And someone will find the jerk who started the fire in Irvine.

That may be an unfortunately placement of design, but the rest of the top is sure cute. Can't just pick off the offending piece, eh?

Hope the wildfires are contained soon. We've been there ....ain't no fun breathing air you can chew. :-(

Please tell me you bought this shirt.. or a different design in the same style.. it looks too good on you to let a couple ill placed flames ruin it! :D

I second Ellene's motion - Reese Witherspoon should play Laurie in the movie adaptation of Laurie's book.

I'm in SoCal visiting my parents for the weekend - this is crazy! They live in Yucaipa. It's dead calm here but there's smoke all over from the Arrowhead fire. And I was supposed to leave today but my flight - out of Ontario - was canceled. That's okay, I didn't want to go to work anyway. But it's so sad all the houses that are burning.

Cute top. Someone wasn't watching where they placed the pattern pieces when cutting out that fabric - or maybe they were! Either way, it just might be appropriate attire for "fire season." See...Macy's thinks of everything!

I never thought about it before, but taking pictures of yourself in the dressing room might be a good way of cutting down on those impulse buys. How many times have you (that is all of you) bought something, worn it out and THEN seen a picture of it? I probably would never buy any new clothes!

The problem with fire season and earthquake season is that sometimes they are the same. October (Loma Prieta earthquake and the Oakland fire happened on the same weekend -- a few years apart thank goodness).

Kay T

otherwise, that's one damn cute shirt. I am the queen of changing my mind and returning clothes. Thanks for that head's up on Macy's policy - especially considering that's where I tend to do most of my reverse-shopping.

And yeah, these fires are nuts. They're a bit too close to home for at least two of my friends and my SIL. The winds just need to ease up.

I like the shirt. With all the soot and fire in the air, men in LA need some extra markers on women's clothes to know where to look.

And finally, you are wearing something NOT black!

And I don't see Reese Witherspoon at all.

Hey Laurie,

Sorry to hear about the fires. Pretty scary! Hope the rain we're experiencing just north of you in Canada moves south and takes care of it.

Saw you on Northwest Afternoon today. Good job! You are so darn cute, and amazingly strong. I'm glad to see good stuff is coming your way, and hope it is followed by much, much more!

Laurie,
I called in for a mental health day at work today and to help with my mental health I checked your site and saw you were going to be on NW Afternoon and I saw you! You were great! I wish I could have met you when you were in Seattle, another time. I love you and love reading your blog. Thanks for helping to keep life real for the rest of us.
I also finished my first Halloweenie Beanie, baby size, for one my coworkers' new baby. It's darn cute! Just like you.

Hey Laurie,
I'm blogging the fires too, except from out here in the O.C.

With all the smoke and ash in the air, I'm pretty much in lockdown 'cause of my health issues.

And I still think Julia Stiles could portray you...

I used to live in southern Cal and I hated those darn winds. Not to mention it depended on who was talking about them what they called the darn things, Santana winds or Santana anna winds, I swear even the news casters couldn't keep it straight.

I'm really glad I don't live there anymore especially since it's burning again. Then this winter there will be all the mud slides because the fires left the hills with no vegatation to keep the dirt where it belongs. Those are the pits too.

The first time I ever heard of the Santa Ana winds was when Emily Valentine first moved to West Beverly High and Dylan took her on a date and told her about them. :)

Despite the nip-flames, that top looks hot on you, (no pun intended)! :-)

http://www.atmos.ucla.edu/~fovell/ASother/mm5/
SantaAna/winds.html

you have to paste it together but this site from the dept of atmospheric sciences at UCLA actually talks about the Santana myth. They are, in fact the Santa Ana winds.

FYI

Why "Devil Winds" you ask? (Go ahead, ask!)

Glad you asked! Because the original inhabitants of California felt that when the winds blew, the locals went insane.

So, in other words, the wind blows pretty much all the time!

Hey Joe,

I can vouch for that! ;-)

Thanks for reminding me of the story behind the "Devil Winds!"

Flaming Nipplage and the Fallopian Tubes!!! Awesome band name! Congratulations on your Non-diet and size 14's. Wish I could get me some of your willpower (and more kitty pictures). Enjoy your new you!

Actually - I love that top...very slimming.

Dying with the fires here...a friend had to go up to Arrowhead to save the family cabin

Born and raised in Southern California I was, but haven't been back in 15 years. The memories of fire season and the Santa Anas, however, have not faded with time. Be safe!

Laurie, your book is a "recommended read" at the bookstore where I work part-time - we can't keep it in stock!

FYI I am more than a little hurt by all this "I love Portland/Seattle" talk. You made us feel so special in Houston and now it seems somehow.... hollow.
You can still make it up to me-just toss a bone.

"Be safe" thoughts and prayers to West Coast Firedom from East Coast Droughtville!!

I'd have SO bought that shirt, taken it home, worn it to an interview, and just before I went on stage I'd have - only then - noticed the flamming nipplage. Good call, Laurie!

Hey are you ever coming to NY to promote your book?

Faith's right, the winds are named after the Santa Ana Canyon from whence they come. And to whence I wish they'd go Pronto.

We have forest fires in Washington, but they stay in our FORESTS! Not too late to decide to move to Seattle, Laurie. Lots of really cool writers live up here.......Sherman Alexie (my fav!), Tom Robbins, Julian May, Octavia Butler (until she passed, that is), Tim Egan, Dave Guterson, Ivan Doig, Charles Johnson, Jonathan Raban, Indu Sundaresian, and I haven't even mentioned the famous Canadians just across the border! Alice Munro!! You could join the party!

I have to say that the top is pretty darned hot! I'd like to second/third/fourth/... your other readers and suggest you find another one in that style without the unfortunately placed flames. Meanwhile, I hope you get through these fires unscathed. Prety scary stuff.

I'm a frequent reader-never commenter. I love reading your blog. And I'm a teacher with (former) sweaty pits. It was embarrassing. Try Certain-Dri. It fixed the problem. Like, that day.

Who all is coming to the Nashville signing? Are there alot of us?

YIKES!!! I'm watching the 30 minute CNN news cast that we get over here.. lots of 'fire footage'...

Don't forget to carry big bottles of water with you-- so, you can douse yourself, your jeep, and your shoes with it.. 'you know.. JUST IN CASE!'

Check out my blog.. when things calm down for you-it's only about a week old.. (I have a tendon injury in my hand-- so, no knitting for me for awhile darn it.)

I've so enjoyed reading your blog for quite some time- even if I never posted-- I always figured you'd never get down to the 11hundred88th posting.. which is what I'm left w/ because of the time-zone lag.

Be careful out there, oh and maybe also pack a bandana (to cover your face/mouth if needed).. and if I was there- I'd need an inhaler.

Good luck on your next round of 'book doings'.. :D

Well aside from the wee flames it looks good, so - seriously, what WERE they thinking! Good that you noticed that NOW and not LATER. We knew you were a smart cookie.

Be safe! (You and the cats, I mean.)

I was born & raised in So. Cal. Yes, it burns every year fanned by the wild Santa Anas. And the sand storms....yikes...once we were at a standstill between Lancaster & Victorville for hours in one. Earthquakes...been thru a few. BUT, where we live we have the threat of tornadoes & that scares the livin' peewaddin outta me!!!!!!

The dress has nice colors, but nips on fire?? A little too much I'd say.

I live in Denver, Colorado, and we get Fire Sky here, too. It's when the forests in the mountains directly to our west are aflame. (We had a governor a couple of years ago who once announced, "All of Colorado is on fire!" Thanks, Gov.)

My daughter's best friend and her mom moved to San Diego in July. Daughter and friend spoke on the phone last night...friend's school burned down yesterday. Sigh.

Hi Laurie... Love the flaming breast shirt... hahaha... My book just came yesterday!!!! I'm already done reading it!!! Thank you so much for putting yourself out there for all of us!!! I know it's tough...

I found your blog last week after reading about it in Simply Knitting (UK). I love it! I'm addicted! I'm barely working! I keep wanting to comment on posts two years ago, then realise that would just be silly. So I'm commenting here.

I'm looking forward to finding the book here.

Now back to March 2006...

:-)

Bossy didn't even notice the Nipple Flames because she was too busy admiring the cute shirt. Is it too late to go back?

Laurie, let us know if you are OK.

OK ALREADY! This fire crap is are not funny anymore! New Mexico has sent our fire fighter to help, I hope for the end soon.

I love Califa!

...crap is not funny...

And I want the fire to end.

Not for the end of the world.

Oy!