Postcards To Home ♥

At 5pm this evening, a crew of us from WONGDOODY and heading across the street to the Elliott Bay waterfront to spend some time on a sailboat. Its a gorgeous day and Katie just went around seeing what everyone wants to drink. Should be a good time! Pictures to come!!!!

Friday I was able to take summer hours. I headed to the market and bought some dahlias. For $8, I got 6 orange and 3 red stems – just enough to add color to my apartment. The orange are currently sitting on my computer desk next to my bed and the red are over near the window. What a pretty flower. Flowers really are a great pick me up - even when you aren't down. Coincidently as I left the market to head up to Macy's my friend Tara called saying she was heading downtown and wanted to see if I wanted to meet up. Talk about perfect timing. So we met up and did some shopping. I bought a necklace that I have been eying up for a while. I will explain my justification for buying this local designer's piece in a future blog. Tara and I later met up with her fiance, Tom at the Noodle Ranch for dinner and drinks. It was a nice afternoon but I was exhausted by the time I walked home. I watched From Here to Eternity . One of the most romantic scenes ever is in this film. Its the famou...

I did something fun Tuesday night...I started going to Miss Indigo Blue's Burlesque Dance Class. Its a class that visits the classic burlesque dance moves, very much like a jazz class with such moves as the Charleston. It all started back in the roaring twenties when gals didn't have to wear corsets and long constricting gowns anymore and could wear knee length dresses with freedom to move their legs anyway they want. The class was TONS of fun. Burlesque dance is NOT like strip club dance. Like the Charleston its meant to be theatrical and expressive. Its more structured than you think...and not as easy when you are in heels. 1st class I learned the shimmy-shake, how to strut in various ways while incorporating the strut into dance moves, a few other classic burlesque techniques and we even did a final routine. I'll be missing class next week since a group of us from work are going on an evening sail. Woo-hoo lookout Capt. Hook, here comes shimy-shakin' Hossler.

My friend Adrian send out an email today with a link to the short film he is in called "Four Thorns For Aidan." He plays Aidan, a young guy who hijacks a car with a little girl in the backseat. I'm so proud of you Adrian! You go with your bad self yo! Can't wait to see the film – I hope it plays somewhere in Seattle! www.fourthorns.com Click on Trailer to see Adrian in action!

The McLeod Residence Art Gallery – July 21, 2007 On a rainy, muggy Saturday night, a few of us went to check out this gallery in my neighborhood. I had been wanting to check this place out. We met up at the Noodle Ranch for a yummy dinner with delicious drinks and then headed to the gallery. It was small but has some really cool pieces. I loved the wallpaper! They have a camera that takes snapshots and post on flickr. This is our group trying to figure out what the heck was going on. Better luck next time! Sat, Jul 21, 2007 at 8:41pm Originally uploaded by McLeod Residence Photobooth Sat, Jul 21, 2007 at 9:48pm Originally uploaded by McLeod Residence Photobooth Sat, Jul 21, 2007 at 9:49pm Originally uploaded by McLeod Residence Photobooth Sat, Jul 21, 2007 at 9:49pm Originally uploaded by McLeod Residence Photobooth Sat, Jul 21, 2007 at 9:48pm Originally uploaded by McLeod Residence Photobooth Sat, Jul 21, 2007 at 9:51pm Orig...

I went a year and a half without going for a dental check-up. DO NOT DO THAT! A week ago I saw the dentist who said my gums are in bad shape and I need to floss a little harder and more thoroughly at least once day - no excuses! Its been 5 days and wait for my Sonicare brush to come in the mail, I have done everything I have been told and my mouth aches. I was told this is normal since my gums are trying to get stronger. This sucks!!!! I will never miss a 6-month check-up ever again nor go that long without seeing the dentist. I will also stick to the daily routine as I should have been for the last 20-25 years!

As many of the readers of this blog know, my family are not gardeners. We are not weed pullers nor have knowledge of what most plants look like. A Hossler didn't do yard work, but a step farther - forest work! When I signed up to help clean up Luther Burbank park on Mercer Island, I expected branch trimming, light yard-work because I have spent a lot of time in the various areas of the park and knew it's landscape was well managed. Saturday me and my fellow Bean volunteers set out to help clean up part of the park, but only to discover we were helping clean up an undeveloped area. The coordinator said its part of the park but I know its not...at least not yet. They may intend for it to eventually be part of the park but at the current moment, its an undeveloped area. The neighborhood is fighting for this area to not get bull-dozed for new housing. I agree, they shouldn't bull-doze the landscape. However, they need a professional crew to get in there and spend a week conque...

I am not a gamer nor do I have any interest in it but I thought this video was funny. In the world of online gaming, people can plan video games with others online, talk to each other and work together to get ahead in the game. Some people are very into their gaming and take it very seriously. This video is hysterical!!!

This past week construction was going on at a construction site across the street from my apartment, along with road work. Crew were re-paving Denny Way, a busy street in Seattle. Not sure if they were missing their deadline or getting paid opvertime, but they woke me up several times Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night. The good news, my windows are pretty sound tight. However, this was during 80-degree weather and I wanted nothing more to have my window open. It looks like they finished paving the road. Lets just hope the new condo construction limit their hours.

: :: click Tree photo to see more images :: : I was all over Seattle this weekend. Taking the bus is a very peaceful way to learn more about the city you live in because when you are driving - you are focused on the driving, not the interesting architecture and beauty of your surroundings. Friday night I hung out with a friend. Saturday I bussed up to Upper Queen Anne to check out Bouncing Wall, a boutique that features local designer/crafters. To my suprise the neighborhood was having a sidewalk sale. Saturday night I spent doing homework for my own website. I never got into web design and want to get my site up and going so in my spare time I'm learning the nooks and crannies of Dreamweaver, the web design program. Sunday...ugh exhausting just thinking about it. I wanted to get a few gifts for there are several birthdays coming up. I didn't want to get my sister something from Macys or from anywhere else she can get at home. I bussed over to Ballard to see if there was anyt...

When it gets hot on the east coast, its hot- in the hundreds. Well when it hits the 90's here, its considered a heat wave. Here is the warning: Excessive Heat Warning EAST PUGET SOUND LOWLANDS-EVERETT AND VICINITY- SEATTLE/BREMERTON AREA-TACOMA AREA- 3:29 PM PDT WED JUL 11 2007 AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 PM PDT THIS EVENING. THE HEAT WAVE CONTINUES THIS AFTERNOON WITH TEMPERATURES REACHING INTO THE MID 90S TO NEAR 100 DEGREES . THIS IS 20 TO 25 DEGREES ABOVE NORMAL. THE COMBINATION OF HIGHER TEMPERATURES AND HIGHER RELATIVE HUMIDITY WILL CREATE VERY UNCOMFORTABLE AND DANGEROUS CONDITIONS ACROSS THE AREA. TEMPERATURES WILL SLOWLY COOL BACK DOWN INTO THE 60S OVERNIGHT. AN EXCESSIVE HEAT WARNING MEANS THAT A PROLONGED PERIOD OF DANGEROUSLY HOT TEMPERATURES WILL OCCUR. HOT TEMPERATURES WILL CREATE A DANGEROUS SITUATION IN WHICH HEAT ILLNESSES ARE LIKELY. DRINK PLENTY OF FLUIDS....

While I was home in Pennsylvania, I captured a few videos of Marissa. On her 2nd birthday- I am going to posted EVERY video Jenna sent me in her 1st year and then some!!!! 1.) Marissa tells how she got in trouble for the 1st time. Too cute! 2.) Marissa and the water table. It was hot the week I was in town so Jenna suggested I get Marissa's birthday present early - the water table. 3.) *UPDATED* Marissa and Grandpop have something in common. 4.) I'm a bad aunt!

R.I.P Dash If only it could float.

After hearing the news about Tommy, I spent a few hours doing house stuff, ran to IKEA with a friend and then headed to my first boathouse party. on Lake Union for a 4th of July BBQ. Beautiful day for a BBQ ::: click here for more photos! ::: What a fantastic time, great weather and amazing spot to celebrate the holiday. This is the view from Wendy and Todd's living room... The boathouse community is really cool. Its like a little village of unique houses. ::: click here for more photos! ::: When I first walked out onto Wendy and Todd's deck not only was I surprised by how cool it was to live on a houseboat, I quickly realized I knew their neighbor – My Boss! Pat Doody was outside on his deck talking on the phone. I knew he lived on Lake Union but a neat coincidence that he lives on the same dock. I said hello from across the water and he modeled his funny 4th of July vest. Here is my paparrazzi shot. ::: click here for more photos! ::: As some of you know from my email.....

The day started on a sad note, my cousin Tommy passed away. He was too young to go so soon. 43! He left behind an amazing, caring wife who adored him and two sweet boys. He had a heart attack Tuesday night while at dinner with friends. I found out Wednesday morning. I feel so horrible. I hate to see my family in pain. I know this hit the family hard. My cousin Peggy has already been through so much with losing her husband only a few months ago. I cannot imagine how hard this is for my great-aunt Claire. Losing your child must be the hardest thing someone could go through. Oh and his boys...they were in Florida with Peggy when Tommy passed away. Can you imagine not being able to say goodbye? Its truly heartbreaking. I feel so sad for my family and no words can express how sorry I feel for the Riddles. I am thankful that my Aunt Cathy is up visiting from Florida. Over the years, its become so apparent that my mom is a family stone. She maintains great communication with the family, espec...

I love my job. I love my office. I love the people I work with. There is always something funny going on. Today someone mentioned that there is a little people convention taking place in Seattle. When I was leaving for lunch, one co-worker said "oh Aimee is heading to the convention right now!" I replied with a simple "ha ha very funny Matt" while i heard various laughter. By the time I got back from lunch my co-workers wanted to measure me. I am officially 4 feet 11.75 inches but my boss thought I was 4 feet 8inches which would qualigy me as a dwarf. My cube neighbor Ken is doing research because he thinks that if I end up being under the 4 feet 10inch requirement that I probably get cool benefits. This was the topic at work. Too funny! I don't mind because I don't mind being short. I can laugh at myself and the fact I can't reach the office supplies. Here is the local news article about the convention. http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/...