Footsteps

   Today, as I was sitting at the computer in the library, the sound of steps came from the area of the kitchen and into the diningroom. As my wife was out today, I assumed she had returned. But when she failed to make an appearence at the library door and our dog simply looked up but didn't make a mad rush to welcome her, I knew it was the famous steps again. But nonetheless, I got up and looked out the diningroom window to see if my wifes car was in the driveway, it wasn't. This is the first event for quite some time. The house was unusually quiet over Christmas.

Underground water

     Perhaps, as someone recently suggested, our "ghostly" manifications are in someway connected with underground running water. Now its true that some of the happenings around this place are too material to be caused in such a manner; however, I'm begining to think perhaps the sounds might be. The reason I'm beginning to think that way is due to the fact that this summer, I made an attempt to further block off the spring that perpetually runs through the basement. When this house was built (1857) the spring was handy for fresh water and a form of refrigeration. Now its a pain in the neck. Attempts at diverting it in the past only slowed it down. The attempt I made this summer has slowed it considerably. Half of my cellar floor is dry for the first time (possibly since the house was built). It may be coincidental; but we have not experienced anything ghostly or out of the normal since November and that was just a nervous dog. The last "happening" occurred in October. This is the time of year that the weird was most active. Not this year, its been very quiet.

Strange reactions from our dog

     I have said several times that strange activity occurs in this house usually after election day each year. So far this year, the house has been exceptionly quiet since the November elections. The single possible exception to this occurred last night. Having retired for the night, I was engaged in a romp with my dog, as we usually do, for twenty or thirty minutes before I bed him down for the night. He  really gets into the play. But mid play, last night, he suddenly stopped and stared down the upstairs hall. Thinking it a momentary thing I again engaged him in rough housing which he, for a moment, returned to; but again, suddenly, he stopped and again begin starring intently down the darkened hall, low growls issuing from deep in his throat. My wife asked me if I was sure I had locked the back door. I replied that I was. She was quick to point out that nothing short of an earthquake would deter our dog from playing. So I said I'd check the house out and see if we could determine what got the dogs dander up. Normally the dog will playfully preceed me when I'm going anywhere about the house; but this time he stayed in the bedroom until I turned on the backstairway lights which are a ways down the upstairs hallway. As I decended the stairs I could hear him coming, I was at the midlanding when he appeared at the head of the stairs but he proceeded no further. I went on downstairs, checked the exterior doors and found them suitably locked. As I passed the stairs on my way to checkout the diningroom, I looked back up the stairs to see my dog standing at the mid landing of the stairs; he made no attempt to come on down (most unusual). I checked out the downstairs rooms and front door. I found nothing that should have upset him. I went back upstairs, the dog now preceeding me, put himself to bed (also rather unusual). While I can't say there was anything paranormal about this episode, it was strange all the same.

strange activity early this year

     Strange activities are early this year. Today as I was answering E mail from the computer in the Library, I distinctly heard heavy footsteps go though the Diningroom. My wife was not at home, my dog was lying in the floor in the Library but facing the doorway into the Diningroom. When the steps were heard, my dog began growling; obviously he heard them too, and for whatever reason, but did not assiociate them with my wife. Which, of course, they were not. Moments later a door was shut hard, almost slammed, and the footsteps, lighter this time, again crossed the diningroom toward the parlour. This time the dog growled and moved away from the doorway toward the den. I left the computer and checked the Diningroom , Parlour and Kitchen. I found no one and nothing amiss. My wifes car was not in the driveway, so she wasn't home to make the sounds.

Today I saw "it"

     I was playing with the dog in the den. I was sitting on the floor, facing the library door, and the dog was in front of me, we were playing tug with one of his many toys. I distinctly saw someone wearing dark clothes with a white collar walk into the library. Thinking it was my wife, I  made a remark about the dog; but got no response. I got up and walked to the library door, no one was there. Noone could have left the library without my having seen them. I then went through the library and through the dinning room into the kitchen where my wife was working on a craft project. I ask her if she had gone into the library for anything and she replied ,"no". This is the first time that I've seen a "human" enity. My wife saw the child; we have both been witness to a small white with brown spotted dog on the rear staircase; but this is my first encounter. Strange, it happened so fast I really had no time to react to it. I do not remember the head, but plainly remember the dark clothing with a spot of white about were the collar would be.

In the kitchen

     This is a first. Our kitchen has 6 doorways. One on the west wall, which leads outside and is the door we most use. On the north wall one doorway leads to the basement, it is a solid steel door with a large slide bolt lock. Also on the north wall is the doorway that leads from the kitchen, past the rear stairs, to the diningroom. On the eastern wall is another door that leads outside. We rarely use this door in the summer and even less frequently in winter. On the south wall are two doors, both lead into the pantry. The westernmost of the two is the one we use to get into the pantry, but due to the need for more wall space, we never use the easternmost of the two doors. In fact there is a hoover cupboard in front of it on the kitchen side and a washer in dryer in front of it on the pantry side. My wife and I were just finishing up supper (about 4 pm EDT). At the kitchen table, my wife sits facing the fireplace on the southwall, I sit facing the western entrance door. We were simply discussing events of the day when a door (behind me) was head to open and close and footsteps behind me. Taken by surprise,. I though some one had come in the eastside door to the outside. My wife looked startled saying "What the...". I turned and saw nothing. The dog, who was lying on the fdloor facing west, jumped up, turned and looked east. I said,"Who...?" My wife said, "There was nobody there, but the steps went into the diningroom." She was facing that side, so she would surely have seen anyone ,or thing, walk through that portion of the room. I heard the noise and steps and had to turn around to look. Strangely our dog did not further react to the episode, but did sit facing east for several minutes before lying back down. Those footsteps were close, passing not over three or four foot from where I was sitting. The door that sounded like it opened and closed is the one that hasn't been used in 27 or so years. That door is totally blocked. It would seem this could be a very active year.

The Basement

     I don't think I have written about this before. Our basement is one place where no one would care to spend much time. Two rooms are usually wet as a spring which once supplied cool waters for dairy products, has never been totally cut off. Two other rooms are, needless to say quite damp. Only the built up and walled in furnace room, which sits in the basements center, is high and dry. So the basement is dank, dark, and gloomy to say the lest. The truely strange thing about our basement is the fact you cannot keep light bulbs down there. I have replaced the recepticles, checked the wiring, all to no avail. I've tried long life bulbs, low wattage bulbs, low wattage bulbs with the " button", even bulbs guarenteed for 10 years. None last longer than a month. I have bulbs upstairs with the "button" that  are still burning when you need them that are over 5 years old. But not in the basement; they appear to have burnt out. Yet I rarely go to the basement and my wife never does. I'm always very careful to turn out the lights when I come up from the basement. From now on I plan to use the cheapest bulbs I can find, because it really doesn't make any difference.

Diningroom light

     Strange activity or something is beginning again. Summer is usually very quiet , but  beginning mid August, events are starting up again. Yesterday I was sitting at the computer in the library, it was midafternoon. My wife was out shopping or whatever, my dog was sprawled in floor taking a nap. The diningroom doorway to the library is less than 3 ft. from the computer console. I noticed the diningroom light had come on, but really didn't think much about it until it went off, maybe a minute later. Thought my wife was home, but the dog hadn't moved and she can rarely get in without his excited welcome. I said something to my wife and got no answer, so I got up from the computer and went to the diningroom. The light switch was definitely off. I switched it back on and off a couple of times to see if there was something wrong with the switch. There didn't appear to be any problem with it. I checked the driveway, my wife's car was not there; she wasn't home yet. I suppose it could have been an electrical abberation. Lights going off and on are not unknown here, but its been years since we had experienced it. Even back when it did happen it was usually in the parlour, not the diningroom. Times coming when I plan to set up a taperecorder and camcorder to see if I can catch, whatever, on video or audio.

Panting

     I  was in the library, using the computer, reading entries in the Atlantis Rising Forum; when I heard heavy panting coming from the diningroom. I thought it was my dog and said,"Whats wrong Rowdy, are you lying in the sun?" Upon hearing his name Rowdy got up from under my chair and looked at me. He was obviously asleep under my chair when I heard the panting sound coming from the ajacent room. When I spoke the panting sound stopped. The panting that I heard was like that of a dog who is very hot from exertion. To me it sounded like the panting of a dog considerably larger than mine. The sound definitely came from the diningroom. My dog and I were the only ones home. This is a new one for this house. Another noise I can't explain.

Sighs

     One of those rare but strange summertime occurrences. I was setting at the computer in our library. The dog was in his chair in the den. Noone else was in the house. From the dinning room came a long drawn out sigh; then another one. Quite loud and sounding discusted. I thought my wife had just come in and something perturbed her. The dog must have heard it too as he jumped off his chair and trotted toward the diningroom, but didn't go in. Thinking I'd better see what was wrong, I got up and went to the dinningroom. Noneone there, noone else in the house. My wifes car was not in the driveway. Two long discusted sighs. Are we going to get active earlier this year?

Finding all of this journal

      I add this statement from time to time. This journal is much longer than it appears. The earliest entries cannot be found by hitting the older entries set. For whatever reason it doesn't work. At the last entry you scroll down to, you will see a "Link to this entry" site. Hit that; and the same last entry that you just read will reappear, however, if you scroll down on it you will see a referral back to an earlier entry and each entry after that will have a referral back to an even earlier entry until you reach the last one (actually it is the earliest entry) "Strange house in a strange little village."

Alls quiet

I have added no new entries as the house has been very peaceful since my May 4th entry. These quiet periods are most often in the summer. The peace and quiet only makes the active periods all the more strange when the more active period begins; usually around election day (early November) and through the winter. This year it continued through spring. I intend to post only when the abnormal occurs. Or if I happen to remember a past event not yet mentioned.

Footsteps

     As I add to this journal anytime the strange occurs; I will add tonight. Actually, I've been working on the computerr since about 6 pm. My wife is at work, my dog has been antsy all evening. Its about 10:30. Footsteps, seemingly coming from the kitchen area  into the dining have occured on at lest three seperate occassions tonight, Sounding like a light womans step in hard soled shoes on hardword floors. The dog has growled and barked on each occassion but has made no move to leave the library where he and I are at the present. These footsteps are common enough here; I rarly check them out anymore. They sound like they come from the kitchen, across the diningroom and end about where the diningroom table sits. The diningroom is carpeted, by the way, even if the steps sound like they're on hardwood floors. When you reach the bottom of these entries, hit link to these entries and the last entry will come up again but if you scroll to the bottom of it you will see other older entries that you can get into.. This journal is much longer and you can scroll back to some of our more interesting mysteries.

Haunted bookshelves`

     Sometime ago I related an incident whereas the bookcase coughed several times, No explaination was evident then or now. Last night I was working with the computer in the library. It was rather late, a bit past midnight. My wife had retired for the night as she had to get up at 5 am and go to work. She has a very erratic schedule. The dog was sound asleep on the rug directly behind me. All of a sudden a noise, exactly like an empty tin can crashing down a brick road, jarred me suddenly from my work. The dog awakened  lay growling and looking directly at the fourth section of our built-in bookshelves. As I was sitting parellel with the bookcase and not more than six feet from it I was in an excellent position to hear the direction of the sound. The bookcase was built into the library when the house was built in 1857. It extends from ceiling to floor (about 12 feet). After the coughing episode, I had drilled several test holes into the back of the bookcase looking for an opening, like a passageway. I found none. The bookcase is on a wall that is away from the street, and is on a wing of the house. I immediately checked the rear of the house where the library juts out. There was no sign of anything that could have made such a loud tinny sound.

Pistol shot

   I was working the computer in the library yesterday when what sounded very much like a pistol shot, very loud and very close. The pup who was sleeping in his favorite chair in the den came running to me in an agitated state. I went immediately to the front den window and looked out on a perfectly peaceful street with no cars or people in sight. My neighbor across the main street from me doesn't own a gun; I doubt he knows how to fire one. My next door neighbor who is really a good 100 ft. from me does not believe in firearms. The house on my other side belongs to me, it is my shop and storage shed . There are no houses behind me for a quarter mile. I heard the "shot"; my dog, obviously heard it, but no one else in town that I spoke to heard any kind of loud noise. Most people in this tiny village go to the local post office for their mail, a  cup of coffee, and a lot of gossip. Thats where I asked about the "shot". This is not that unusual for this house, just another unexplained noise. But as I have said before, these crashes, shot sounds, etc. are so loud, so real, you never hesitate to investigate. Just another strange day, in a strange old house, in a strange, historical, little village.

Friday 13th Jinx

       This past Friday the thirteenth was something else. My nephew asked me for a copy of the family coat-of-arms as he wants to build a violin with the coat in the front. I took the coat picture off the wall and realized it was too big for my scanner. So I took it into the den and used my digital camera to copy it. When I tried to get the computer to take the picture off the camera it wouldn't work. We recently got a new computer and although the program had transfered ok; it apparently is not compatible with this computer. So I took the copy and drove into town (about 8 miles away) and had a copy made at the local print shop. I had it reduced to 8 by 10 so it would fit the scanner. I got in the car and drove home. When I got out of the car...no print nor original. Holy Cow I must of placed the pictures on top of the car while I was unlocking the door and drove off scattering the pictures along the countryside. I immediately got back in the car and drove back to the print shop; I didn't see the pictures in the parking lot nor along the road going in. I went into the shop and asked if anyone had brought them in, perhaps. No luck. I went back out to the car and took it apart inside....no pictures. I drove home, Emailed my nephew the dumb stunt I'd pulled. Then I remembered the digital pictures I had taken, so I made another trip into town to see if anyone could pull them up for me. No luck... all the shops had some sort of different set up. Totally frustrated I came home, by this time my wife was home from work and I lamented my woes to her. She assured me that I was simply a computeridiot and she would save the day by bringing up the pictures off the digital camera. I guess she just proved that we are both computeridiots. In the meantime my nephew tried to find the family coat on line. He found several, but not unfortunately the one in direct line for our family. I told him that as long as I had it on the digital camera there was always the possibility of it being saved.Saturday morning I went out to the car to drive to the post office and there laid the original coat of arms and copy, in plain sight for anyone to see. No further comment.

Strange movements about the house

     As I intend to mention anything strange that happens here, in this journal, this is todays event. Again I was in the library working on the computer. My dog was in the den, easily observable from my position in the library. My wife had gone upstairs to read and possibly take a nap. Sounds of footsteps coming from the rear staircase, through the dining room and the rusel of clothing, like a coat ,were very plainly heard. I asked my wife if she wanted the computer....no answer. The dog was still plainly asleep in his favorite chair. Perplexed, I got up went into the dining room....no one there, I checked the kitchen.... nothing. I went upstairs, it was obvious my wife was asleep in our bed, an open book resting on her. This has been a most active month for strange unexplained noises in this house, much more than usual.

My Dog

     I'm beginning to worry a bit about my dog. He's about 9 months old now. Again ,today, he had a snarling, hackle raised fit about the dining room. My wife and I were in the kitchen, just finishing up supper, which we generally eat at an earlier hour than most people I know. It was early, still light outside, though this house can be rather dark even when the sun shines brightly. The pup had been busily running from the kitchen through the dinningroom and into the library dispersing his toys all over the place. Suddenly, for no apparent reason, he stiffened, his hackles went up and he began snarling and barking toward the diningroom (we were in the kitchen); there was no quieting him down. My wife suggested I go into the dining room and show him there was nothing therein. He followed me, hesitatingly, jerking first forward than leaping back, until I entered the dining room. I walked around the dining room table, showing him there was nothing there. He turned and returned to the kitchen going to his water bowl to drink. I guess he strained his throat. I ,again, have no idea what he thought he saw or sensed. None of my other dogs ever reacted as violently. The most they ever did was face down the upstairs hall, at night, and emit low growls. This dog seems to have a "thing" about our dining room. Yet he often naps on a pillow next to the heat register in that room.

Phantom entrance

     Not a big deal, but I was working upstairs today, the dog was lying lazily nearby. My wife was at work. A sound that was distinctly like our backdoor opening and closing was clearly heard. The dog jumped up and ran down the backstairs to the kitchen. Thinking my wife had returned home early, I went down the stairs as well, asking her why they'd let her off early. No response. The dog was standing in front of the backdoor looking confused. There was no one around. Typical for this house; after a while you just accept it as a fact of life and return to whatever you were doing.

Footfalls and doors

     I said earlier that events most often take place in this house between election day and new years. But this year the house has been noiser than usual even into January. Footsteps have been heard on several occasions. Not in the upstairs hall and front staircase as is usual but coming out of the kitchen and into the dining room. In the past I have heard them coming from this direction and leading on into the library. But this year, I am in the library so the steps seem to end in the dining room.The downstairs back door on the western side of the house will not stay tightly closed even when locked. As the temperatures are hovering around 5 degrees here now at night, I don't need the backdoor to be ajar. The lock is turned and the door tested, it is tightly closed. Later entrance into the kitchen often finds the door ajar letting in considerable cold air. I may need to place a slidebolt on it; but that didn't cure the problem with the upstairs door to the porch. If this be spooks, I wish they would learn to close the door after themselves. My dog had a hackles up, snarling fit last night. I was in the library using the computer. My wife was not home from work as yet. The pup had lain about for some time in the vicinity of the radiator. He roused, looked intently toward the dining room and let out a couple low growls. I asked him what his problem was. He continued to snarl not taking his eyes off the darkened diningroom. His hackles went up and the snarls became almost frantic. I wasn't sure what had gotten him going but it unnerved me as well. I got up and preceeded to the dining room; turning on the lights. His reaction became less intent, but he was looking in the general direction of the diningroom table. Slowly, carefully, he made his way to the table, looked and sniffed about. Finally settled down. I have no idea what he saw or thought he saw.