grandma? she's going to love that!

I love your writing advice! As an editor by trade, I have the most trouble with the part where you, you know, WRITE, without stopping to think about it, or to surf yarn p*rn or like that.

(As an editor by trade, as I've said before, I don't edit unless I'm paid to do so, or unless you ask me. I may occasionally quietly gnash my teeth.)

Also, your human and canine friends are all gorgeous! Also, yep, still 3000 miles away. Bummer. Going to put in today's contest entry now.

Oh I just realized now I had the comments off, whoops. I am having some technical difficulties over here... they are back on now.

Hi Laurie!
I attended the reading (I'm the one in the tan jacket, scarf, and khaki pants, right in the front row). I'm also the one that had tears leaking out of my face when you told the Capn Crunch story. I had to stop knitting for that one.
But I also laughed, so no worries about your power to amuse and entertain a crowd. Oh, and my friend is the one with the 5 cats, remember us now? So, anyway, just wanted to say hi, and maybe I'll see you at an upcoming stitch 'n' bitch meeting.

I have been entering the contest daily because I'm starting to think that you're never going to make it to NorCal. Which would be cool. Because not only do we have loads of yarn, but we've also got loads of wine.

Hi Brenda, I do very much remember you and your five-cat friend, thank you both so much for coming, I had the best time, it was so much fun, the vibe was just very warm and relaxed. Thank you again!

Dagny, I might come for "Stitches West" ... is that in NorCal?

Hi Laurie! Still no GA on the calendar, huh? Maybe one day.....

Thanks for answering my question yesterday!!

Laurie!! When are you coming up to see us Northern Californians??? *sniff, sniff*

Now I know who he gets it from, Evan smiles just like his Mama!

psychomom, I know!!!

maybe someday you could pretty please come back to MN...with a hot brother in tow....?

I love the concept of a yarn guard dog.
I totally get you on the two to seven days behind thing. How did it already get to be the first week of December?

although- MN would welcome you with open arms, even without a hot brother. I mean, they let me in, and my brothers a total dork!

looooooove IHOP! Have only ordered ONE thing....the same thing for the last 35 years....the very thin pancakes rolled up served with lemon butter......yummmmmmmmy.

Although I love a good veggie burger, I have to say I can't believe you went to IHOP and didn't have pancakes!!! Alright, I got that out. Don't mind me, it's just that it's impossible to find good breakfast in London. Now remember how you wanted to travel more? When are you coming here??

(oh, and re the stalker question on your last post: I am totally stalking you with a bottle of New Zealand Pinot Noir one day, as I think I may have threatened to do before. But I think that's the kind of stalking you'll like! oh yes, gooooood wine)

That is an awesome picture of you!

Laurie,

I'm not from So-Cal so can't help you with the yoga thing but let me tell you...Yoga changed my life this year! I have muscles in my arms and have lost enough weight that you can actually SEE them. The best thing is that at the end of a yoga session I've lost all thoughts of work or anything icky all that's left is nice warm restfull ohmmm happy thoughts and a sense of being in my body. When I'm home for Christmas I'm going to get my parents to go to a class. It's the annoying syndrom of the newly converted. I hope they have patience with me.

Thanks for letting us know early, I will definitely plan to come on January 19th!

OMG, totally coming out of the shadows finally today, no reason in particular. Well, actually because I'm on the top 20, I believe. Yay!!!

I've been reading for months and have to say I absolutely LOVE your blog. I sent you an email a while back and don't want to repeat anything, but I cannot express how much I enjoy reading your life though the innernets. It has made my college life and work so much easier. You have no idea.

Well, enough of that....

It's great to hear that you are having so much success with your book. I have to admit I will read it for a second time because it is that good. Your next one will defintely be a hit.

Your stalker in Texas,
Janet

I just looked up Stiches West -- it's in Santa Clara, CA -- just an hour or so from San Francisco and the East Bay. So WooHoo! it's in my range. Do come, Laurie. (oh, but, probably more tears and inappropriate hugging...just sos you know)

um, and IHOP, my secret guilty pleasure. Stuffed French Toast!

I didn't know it was possible to be caught up with your life.

*sigh*
.

How funny, I was just saying to my fiance Sunday night that I wonder how many Ana Bananas there are out there! The cashier at Wally World was one, I'm one, and now you post about one...

I've no idea where she teaches - but something in my brain (could be actual knowledge, could be unsigned cheetos) tells me that she is in your area -

http://tinyurl.com/2ld9dr

It's my FAVORITE!

Okay - not knowing CA AT ALL - other than how to navigate disneyland like a native...
here's where Seane Corn Teaches. (hat tip to the googlemizer)

http://www.sacredmovement.net/

Is your tour coming to Canada soon? More specifically Ontario. Wouldn't recommend now due to the delightful snowy weather we are having!!

You must come to Stitches West, I've already asked for the day off so I can be in the first wave of yarn hysteria, and meeting you would really just be the icing on the cake!

Sugar, you have more energy than my daily pot of coffee affords me. What is your secret?
And please tell me what sweater Allison is wearing? I love it!!

Allison said she got the sweater at Old Navy (I love it too!) and I do not have a secret, I merely have coffee LOL.

What is the Cap'n Crunch story?

Wonderful pics (you look great by the way)...Gracie the dog is soooo adorable!!

If I were to dog-ear all the pages that resonate with me, well, the entire book would look as if it had gone through the shredder. Funny how coming to terms with the newly-single life seems to be pretty similar, whether it's divorce or widowhood. I just can't hate on the late Mr. so in a lot of ways that's really bad for me!

Mission Viejo. That's where I graduated from HS about 5 THOUSAND years ago. :) Congrats on the being almost caught up with your life. Something I'm striving for. Mebbe next year.

Oooo. Yes, indeed Stitches West is in the Bay Area. Woohoo!!! It will be in Santa Clara next year. I'm marking it in my calendar.

OMG! I LIVE in Mission Viejo, CA! I cannot believe you are coming down to my neck of the woods in January! I am sooo excited! I will be there with bells on!! LOVE YOUR BLOG and the book was great! See you and Grandma in 2008! : )

I wish I could teach you the "Gracie" song to sing to Gracie! My furbaby Gracie loves it. . .

What about Bob? how is he doing?

Thought of you this past morning when I got my new work photo ID- I am an OOMPA LOOMPA. Or maybe just went overboard with the self-tanner. Gah. If it was my driver's license I wouldn't care, hardly anyone sees that, but noooo, it's my ID that I have to have prominently displayed at all times at work. Blech.

On a happier note, I can tell you that your book gave great pleasure to a newly-divorced co-worker who just finished reading it (loan-out #2). Of course, I already have multiple copies earmarked for Christmas presents...

Waaaah! I used to live right there, in Mission Viejo! I so could have dropped by.

For anyone planning to go to Borders, get off the freeway at Oso, you can't get there easily from La Paz.

Coming to Kansas City, maybe? Pleeeeeze?

Wow! I was stringing Christmas lights inside with the TV on watching Better, which I never do, and there you were being interviewed. Coincidence? I guess so. It was a treat seeing you. And #1 on the Amazon self help book list. Amazing! Best wishes from the Asheville area, NC

DUDE YOU'RE GOING TO BE IN MY TOWN! I am so there on January 19th, but being forgetful - please post it closer to the actual date. I will be there with book in hand. Oh this just made my week so much more palatable. Thank you!

Your book and blog are wonderful! Thank you!

I am not a knitter at all. The only thing I ever knitted was a granny square in Brownies (circa 1965) and it was purple and hideous.

But I am a France lover. I was looking at the 'Paris Daily Photo' this morning and there are some photos of knitting that I thought you'd be interested in seeing.

www.parisdailyphoto.com

Scroll down to the December 4th post. It's called 'Texas Knitters'.

Again, thanks for sharing your life and fantastic sense of humour through your blog. I look forward to reading it every day.

How exciting! I look forward to meeting you on January 19. Do you sign previously purchased and read books? I'm making scarves for Christmas presents and need to finish the mini bracelet purse. Your instructions are great.

Dotty -- I will sign anything! Any book! Even if it's not mine! hehehehe

See you on the 19th :)

Sue F. -- I feel your pain on the oompa loompaness. I have to get a new passport photo this year and I am not messing around, I am doing the full-on glamour shot thing LOL. After living with a badd passport pic for ten years and now my horrible driver's license pic, I think I deserve -- no, NEED -- a glamour shot in my life!!!!

My first time commenting. I've been reading your blog for a quite a while now. I'm a "Valley Girl" too. I finished reading your book over a weekend while my husband was visiting his girlfriend. (lying thru is teeth that it was a male friend from work)
I laughed, I cried, and finally confronted the jerk on Monday. He packed and left that day. Now, I don't know what to do with me.
I was, infact, this morning thinking of joining a yoga class. I need to do something besides sit here and feel sorry for myself.

marsha, hang in there honey. you've just joined a huge club o women w/o lyin', cheatin' men. you will survive and laugh again.

laurie, looking forward to meeting you in mission viejo in Jan :0)

mckay.

On Yoga -- If you are looking to take it up, I can tell you it changed my life as well this year. I originally did it for the physical benefits, but I think I have gotten more out of the - oh, I hesitate to say spiritual, but I've only had 1 cup of coffee so I will - spiritual side of it. I constantly ruminate/worry/obsess and tend to be fairly stressed out all ... the ... time. I have a great, great teacher. She is very inspirational and an overall fabulous person. Seriously. For me, it took finding the right teacher. I've been to lame classes before. Not fun. Unfortunately, I'm in the Midwest, not LA, so I can't help you there.

Plus, I'm surprisingly bendy now, for a "big" girl (ahem), and I could bend more if my stomach weren't in the way. Plus, I'm a lot stronger than I was. It's not sitting around and chanting; it's HARD.

And if you aren't thinking of taking up yoga, then, uhm, nevermind!

:),
Suz

so... you want to come to Colorado, right :) See the pretty snow???? Use your scarves??

your book has been timely for me, as my husband told me a month or so ago he's not sure he wants to be married anymore. He did agree to counseling, and that is helping, but we'll see if it keeps us together. I don't know at this point which way it will go.

Any chance you might make it to Northern California???

What an awesome idea for the passport picture. I may borrow that ~ 8 years from now when my current passport expires. I hope I remember.
With my work ID at least I can console myself that everyone else's is just as bad and for 5 o'clock in the morning it's not TOO bad. I guess.