From Steel City---August 19, 2007

Well, I've been so busy I haven't had time to write. I have been in Pittsburgh for 2 weeks now. I was sick for a few days when I first got here, but I am OK now. They reallly work us hard---14 or 15 hour days sometimes. Pittsburgh is a really neat city with lots and lots to do. You get the idea Pittsburgh is a big industrial city that is smoggy but actually there are NO steel mills in Pittsburgh and the city is very, very clean. You don't even see a cigarette butt on the sidewalk downtown.

We tried to go to a Steelers game last weekend, but we could not afford the tickets once we got there ($50). We did go to a Pirates game last night. There was a tremendous fireworks display after the game, better than any Firefall I have ever been to. Also a band called Povertyneck Hillbillies (country music) played and they were very good.

I am getting by up here. I like the city, but I am not real thrilled with the residency program. (Cheryl breathes a sigh of relief). I am staying in the nursing school dormitory next to the hospital. It's sort of like the ghetto, but it's good enough, especially for free. It is very safe here and I have absolutely no qualms about being out after dark. This is in sharp contrast to Fort Worth! I am off to Evansville, Indiana, over Labor Day weekend. Probably won't get to see the family until some later, but I am still hoping...

Everything is fine in Des Moines expect we are still homeowners in that city. We have had a couple of nibbles, but no offers. The kids are ready for school in Des Moines, though we would have preferred to have them in Springfield by now.

Here are a few pictures.

This is the Western Pennsylvania Hospital.

This is my dorm next to the hospital. I am on the fourth floor, second window from the balcony

This is the change machine in the dorm. It offers you 2 nickels for a dime, 2 dimes and 1 nickel for a quarter, or 1 quarter, 2 dimes, and 1 nickel for a fifty cent pieces. It cannot accept bills. I have been laughing about this all week. Hilarious!

This was taken from the 9th floor of the hospital. This is the neighborhood in which the hospital is located. It is called Bloomfield. It is also called Little Italy because most of the people who live and work in this neighborhood are of Italian ancestry.

This is PNC Park, home of the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates beat the Phillies 11-6 last night. This picture was taken from my seat which I was lucky to have because the game was sold out. The bridge nearest the ballpark is the Roberto Clemente bridge. It is closed to traffic to accomodate pedestrians walking to the ball game before and after the game. The further bridge is the Seventh Street Bridge. These bridges cross the Allegheny River

This is the Pittsburgh skyline. The building on the far right with the four spires is the U.S. Steel Building.

Well, that's all for now. I will write when I can.

P.