Day 3

Tuesday

            Half the group did home weatherization. We put on white jump suits, white face masks and blue gloves that made us look like big awkward marshmallows with blue hands. Some of us had goggles but some goggles were too dirty to use.  We all crawled under the house and covered the ground with tar to keep the moisture in. Then we placed a thick layer of fiber glass on the ceiling below the house. It took around two hours but it was a great experience. We had ten people all working together and our service could reduce the family’s heating costs by 40%.

            Five of us went back to Ellen King’s house to finish cleaning her dog cage and her numerous picture frames. We were glad to be able to go back to Ellen’s house to give her company. She was so grateful that she had someone to talk to and she said that living alone gets lonely. Her stories about her family and obsession with John Wayne were entertaining and she is definitely someone that we will remember. It is so great to see how she can be so happy despite being in the condition she is in.

            We all went hiking on the two trails in Camp Blanton called Nobby Rock and Watt’s Creek. This was an incredible experience and the end of Nobby Rock took us to the edge of a huge boulder which overlooked mountains in the distance. We enjoyed each other’s company on our way through the trails, and we can’t wait to do some more hiking!

            Later, a man named Jerry came to talk to us. He has lived his whole life in Harlan and gives tours at the coal mining museum. He worked in the mines and told us about that, the mining industry and about growing up in Harlan. He talked about how things move a lot slower here, for example, people don't honk at each other while driving. He told us how when he was in Maryland, he noticed how people actually follow the speed limits in there. (Here, they definitely don't--we'll be driving the speed limit and everyone will be passing us on these tiny, windy mountain roads!) He definitely offered a unique perspective, and it was cool seeing his perspective compared to other people we’ve talked to. He gave us a lot of background information about the coal mines to prepare us for Thursday's visit to the mining museum.

-Vicki, Hina and Colleen