We Made It!

After two VERY long days of driving we made it to Portland. We managed to get here safely. I did manage to get the back of the truck and the trailer wrapped around a pole at a gas station but luckily there was an attendant that drove semi trucks! Lucky us.

<---Cricket being helpful

Cricket took a turn
driving-->

We arrived Saturday night and checked into a hotel. By Monday morning we signed a lease!

Our new address is:
26 SE 30th Pl.
Portland, OR
97214
It is apparently a very "hip" neighborhood near many amenities. Whole Foods is one block away, an Indian restaurant and hot dog place is down the street, and of course there is a Starbucks on the corner. Down the block there is a movie theater that serves beer and pizza while you watch the movie, which sounds pretty great. We also live three blocks away from a giant park that has a dog park, pond, and tennis courts! So far the neighborhood has been very pleasant.
Our house it two bedrooms, one bath, basement, and a small room that I made into my own walk in closet. We have a large porch and a back patio with a small (10x10) area of grassy dirt for Cricket. I convienetly forgot to take pictures of the house, but you can go to this link and see the front. It is the green single story house.

http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=26+se+30+pl+Portland,+OR&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=26+SE+30th+Pl,+Portland,+OR+97214&gl=us&ei=ppO6Sqf-OovosQO40KCRCQ&ll=45.52242,-122.633965&spn=0.010539,0.020535&z=16&iwloc=A&layer=c&cbll=45.522495,-122.63397&panoid=jPsqCiiNfTKZ8285Pnyi0w&cbp=12,99.37,,0,5.38


I have orientation tomorrow and Friday and then school starts on Monday! The internet machine is being hooked up tomorrow so Brendan will be able to work from home. Hopefully we can poke around town this weekend. Cricket is adapting well and loves the new dog park, there are lots of puppies to play with.

Here are some things about Portland we have learned:


1. They have an extensive beer and wine selection in all grocery stores.




2. They have a mountain named after me.

3. It is illegal to pump your own gas. Someone does it for you.

4. Hip places like coffee shops, restaurants, and bars do not have signs for bathrooms or labels on the bathroom door. It's a constant guessing game, is it a closet? Men's? Women's? you have to open the door to find out.




Our first dinner at home!

So far things are going really well. Our only complaint is that we aren't hip enough and need to invest in some dark clothes. Brendan also will need to buy shorter shorts and tighter pants.
Which none of wants to see.
Good-Bye for now!
We miss all of you.
Emily and Brendan