Susan and the Girls Vacation in Sedona June 22-29
Happy Birthday to Cheryl. Does chocolate taco sound like a good way to celebrate?

What a week in AZ with the girls! A beautiful place and fantastic company.

Here we are booking our rafting trip down the Colorado River. Mary was our booker.

Lunch break on our raft ride down the Colorado River.

Some beautiful shots of the red rocks of Sedona.

And the Grand Canyon is beyond words.

Watchtower overlooking the Grand Canyon.

Can't wait until 2010 for the next trip!!!

Endings and New Beginnings July 2007
The GREAT news first- Susan and Aris arrived on Tuesday, July 24 after a 3.5 day trip from CT to OR with all our earthly possessions. Aris drove the whole way (amazing!) and his mom contributed with her usual good humor, astute navigational skills, and passenger side braking!! Last night we slept in our own bed for the first time in 6 months. We are so happy to be in our new home in Portland after almost 18 months of nomadic life.






Come back...more to be added to this post!

Our First Visitors- Ty, Jen and Abby Tessitore- June 30-July 8

One of the first signs that you are no longer a visitor is when you host visitors of your own. Susan's brother Ty and his family, Jen and Abigail, became our first visitors to Oregon. The weather was perfect all week- sunny and dry!!! We also took care of Tara and Ryan Bloom's dog, Radar, while they visited family in Connecticut. Abby and Radar became fast friends!

The cherries are gone but Abby found the tree in our backyard much to her liking...

We had the chance to show off many places we have visited as well as explore some new places for the first time. We visited Cannon Beach and Pacific City on the coast...

On the Oregon Coast, Susan found that her reputation precedes her...

We went to Multnomah Falls among other sights along the Columbia River Gorge...

We stayed at the cabin along the beautiful Zig Zag...

We hiked Tom, Dick and Harry Mountain on a gorgeous day...

and Jen did some "lake surfing" on Mirror Lake!!!!

We visited the Rose Garden in Portland...

It was a great visit...The Tessitores have paved the way for future visitors...make your plans now!!

2007 Scheduled Visitors to Chez Ristau Portland

Mom and Ray Ristau- September

WHO is next- make your reservations today!!

Moving In!!! July 23, 2007

Sorry for the delay in the posts but the past month has been busy with Susan taking vacation (did she need one?!) in Sedona, AZ, our first visitors (Ty, Jen, and Abby) from South Carolina, and our own visit to CT to see family and friends.

More about all those happenings in future posts... as I write this, Susan and Aris are driving a 22-foot truck cross country with all our worldly possessions and expect to be here tomorrow. Here we are in CT loading and getting ready for departure!!

So... everyone's question to me has been... "how did you get out driving the truck cross-country?"