2017 ends to night

This has been my least eventful year. So I thought I should write something as a year ender. More than likely the reason there have been fewer strange events this year is simply because my wife and I haven't been home much except to feed our dog (Shadow), let her out and hit the sack; usually by 8 pm. If strange events occur during the day only the Shadow knows and she isn't talking. As my wife's health improves she will take over more and more of the duties at the store. I have a tremendous amount of work built up here at the house over the past two years that really needs my attention. Because we have been here so little during the day we have probably missed events the house seems intent on doing. With the new year, my wife continues to improve and takes over more and more duties at the store, hopefully freeing me up to work at the house during the daylight hours. So I might be privy to house antics. Anything strange will be reported. Sorry last year was so sparse.

Another Halloween has come and gone

Another Halloween has made its debut. I had a light turn out this year for "Trick or Treat"; only about 150 so I have lots of treats for next year, No I don't intend to pass out stale candy. I don't pass out candy. I haven't passed out edibles for Halloween since the big hoax scare a few years back. I gather up deals on toys during the year and pass them out instead. For a change I had only two trick or treaters who looked to be older than 12. I took a few photos but none came through with any orbs or such like. This just adds mystery to the fact that just three or four years ago I was getting numerous "orbs". I have been extremely busy this past year to set up elaborate camera shots or recorders. The lack of goblins this year was probably due to several factors; One. Trick or Treat in the village was not posted in the local paper. I'm sure the city fathers just "forgot", even though other towns and villages posted theirs at least twice. Trick or treat was the same night and time in most of the other locations so the surrounding area kids took a chance here. Secondly the weather, which was fine during the trick or treat period; however, it rained early in the day and looked stormy in the evening. Thirdly a lot of cheap skates do not treat here. The fire department came through with their after trick or treat party, so I'm sure the kids who showed up did have a good time. Maybe I'll be better prepared next year.

Disappearing and reappearing pen

This happened at the store we own and operate in a building that was built in the 1840's in a very small Ohio town. The building was built as a General Merchantile but fairly quickly became a hardware store and served as such until the 1980's when it sat empty for a while and then served several owners of miscellaneous shops until the turn of the 21st century. We took over the store and its present business (home décor and notions)around 2011. Today, my wife was working on store papers in the main show room, she was using a bright green pen. This was early and no customers had, as yet, arrived. The table sits about midway in the main show room. My wife is confined to a wheel chair with minimum walking with a walker. She hadn't been out of the wheel chair all morning. I was working at the cash register on the far side of the store next to the entrance. My wife had just finished a report and laid the pen on the table while she proof read her report. She finished reading and went to pick up the pen, but it wasn't there. It hadn't fallen into her lap. It was not on the floor. Had it rolled anywhere on that table it would really stand out. So I brought her another pen (also bright green) from our desk behind the cash register. She continued making her corrections to the report and making checks out to the utilities. Probably close to a half hour later she let out a surprise cry, and said, "Look here!" That first bright green pen had suddenly reappeared on the table. There is absolutely no was the two of us could have missed it when we searched for it. This is the kind of thing that makes you think, "Perhaps I have a ghost". Other explanations are more than welcome.

Experiment

Today I had lunch at the store again. Same place, same mug, same drink (RC). The RC was poured to the fill line on the mug. It stayed there. I even left it to wait on a customer and when I came back it was still on the line. No disappearing RC today. (Note last entry for details). So what happened last time? Another mystery.

Disapearing drtnk

Today I'm working at my wife's store. I just had a very unusual occurance. I cannot figure a logical explanation for. Having skipped breakfast to get here on time I fixed a sandwich from makings in our small store refrigerator. I poured a mug full of RC cola to go with the sandwich. As I sat there eating the sandwich I noticed the level of my cola had dropped a half inch in the glass mug. Thinking this is just something it do with the fact it was filled with a carbonated cola, I continued eating my sandwich; however, I did watch the cola in the mug and it continued to drop in the level. When it dropped about a half inch I picked it up to see if it was leaking. It wasn't. The bottom of the mug had a bit of condensation, but no liquid was in evidence. I decided to drink the cola while I still had it. Maybe I should have let it go and see how low it would get. The mug sat on a wood table. There was nothing close to it. The liquid had nothing to sink into. The mug was nor broken There was no obvious cola anywhere but in the mug. Where did the cola disappear to? Is thee a thermal explanation for it? Whatever, it was just plain weird.

Mumbling again

a Last night, about 8 pm give or take a few minutes, I was upstairs with my dog Shadow when I experienced a brief episode of mumbling, The mumbling sounded female and angry. As usual I could not make out any words. Shadow reacted with her ears going erect but she seemed confused as to where the sounds were coming from.. The mumbling only lasted roughly half a minute. Sounds from the street need to be extremely loud to penetrate the walls of this house. Basketball players on the village playground only two lots and across the street from here are not heard. The fact that the mumbling seems to have no point of origin also eliminates an outside source. It would be really interesting to me if I could tell what was being said. My wife was reading a book and heard nothing.

House was noisy last night.

The house was noisy last night. Some of the sounds were really frustrating. Just before dark I was tending some plants on the rear porch. A loud tapping sound occurred. It really sounded like someone hitting the concrete with a steel hammer. The sound was not cons istant, it came in bunches with a lull between. My back porch (on the eastward side of the house is block and concrete. There are shrubs (I'd like to eradicate) planted around the base of it. As a result of these shrubs, I cannot see the base of the porch. The hammering was relatively loud. I quit what I was doing and walked the length of the porch trying to locate the source of the noise. I finally narrowed it down to an area near the center. But as soon as I was kneeling to part the shrubs the tapping moved away from that area and started again several feet further on. I never saw the source of the noise as it appeared to be leading me on. I finally gave up when it got too dark to see much (I have no light on that porch). So what the heck could be tapping steel on concrete (or sound like it?) I haven't been back there again yet to see if the noise continues. I know of no animal or bird that would likely be hammering on concrete with what sounds like a steel hammer. When Shadow and I turned in last night , I heard what sounded like a drop of water hitting a tin plate. The sound occurred several times with various periods of silence between. I also heard sounds like a twanging of metal at odd times. Like I said, the house was simply noisy. No point in asking my wife if she heard anything because once she removes her hearing aids she hears very little. It will be interesting to see if the odd noises continue tonight. The weather here last night and today was very unsettled. Temperatures in the upper 80"s daytime and mid 60's at night. We have had a good bit of rain but none yesterday or today.

Strange running footsteps

Tonight I an alone, except for my dog Shadow. My wife is staying with friends until she can get in her appointment with a knee specialist. I was sitting here reading E mail, Shadow zonked out on her pillow in the Dining room. Overhead I hear the heavy footfall of someone running down our longer upstairs hallway. Whatever it is sounds like it is barefoot or wearing socks. It does not sound like hard sole shoes. The running goes the length of the hall and stops. I would go investigate but I know I wouldn't find anything. For some reason I feel the runner was female. It's just my impression. There has been no further sound from the upstairs. The weather has taken a turn for the cooler today. The temperature did go to sixty today but its only about 50 now and with a light breeze blowing you need a light jacket to be comfortable. The sounds of walking are fairly common here but I think this is the first time I've heard running when there is no one here. I know its the house making the sounds; I just wish I could figure out how it does it. The footsteps, whether walking or running, are sequenchal and the sound moves in a particular direction. I have a hard time thinking pipes or boards would be so well ordered. Shadow was and still is asleep so I have no idea if the "running" would have gotten her attention or not. If it be spooks they should wait for Halloween.

Mumbling again

Once again I have had mumbling. It occurred a couple nights ago, I have just gotten time to report on it. My dog and I had just turned in for the night. The mumbling started while I was in bed reading. Shadow, my dog, did not seem to notice it. On the other hand I fear my old pup is getting hard of hearing. She recently turned 12 and I've surprised her a couple of times while coming up the stairs. Nothing use to ever get past her hearing. Anyway the mumbling in the bedroom was typical. A male voice this time was in the lead with other whispering about. Never loud enough to make out what is being discussed. I was tired but I got up to see if I could determine where the mumbling was originating. It sounded just about the same in every upstairs room. Like I said, I was tired so I didn't go downstairs. Finally, getting a bit perturbed of it I said, "Dang it, speak up so I can understand you or shut up." It was possibly coincidence but the mumbling faded away at about that point. Shadow had followed me about the upstairs but I really think she was just curious about my movements rather than because she heard anything. We then turned in for the night. I really wish I could tell what the mumbling is all about. It's frustrating. Did I mention that I forgot about the spy camera and left it running until the batteries gave out? When I, by chance, saw it and took it down it had shot 660 pictures. I have no idea what could have activated it so much and so far I haven't had time to go over them. I had the camera set up to shoot across the front of the parlor. I changed the batteries and set the camera up again to shoot the front stairway. The next day I had 60 shots. I still haven't found the time to see if anything interesting is on any of them. They did work I did check them on my tiny monitor to make sure they at least worked. The wife had been sick; maybe if we can ever get her straightened out I'll try to see if I got anything.

Weird Action last night

My wife had gone upstairs presumably to bed. I was planning on answering a couple of e-mails. Our computer rests in a typical cabinet made for TVs or computers. It has two long doors that are normally closed to hide all the wires and gadgets. We don't close the doors because of numerous items that have found a home in front of the cabinet and the keyboard light which is located on one of the doors. The way the cabinet is made, the doors have about a one inch gap between the inside of the door and the cabinet housing. Anyway, with the door open you have a limited view of the doorway that leads from the dining room to the library. I was answering an E mail when I noticed a light colored clothing pass in front of the gap. Thinking it was my wife, I called out, "Ready for the computer, already?" I got no answer and no one entered the library. I figured my mistake and resumed typing. It happened again. I pulled the door forward, but there was no one there. I moved the door back and forth several times to see if I could regain the effect. There was nothing light colored even close by. Perplexed I ,again, resumed my typing and it occurred a third time. This time, I got up I went to the doorway, I checked all over. There was nothing about that could have looked like anyone passing in front of that doorway. I finished my letter, sent it and turned everything off. I needed to take Shadow (my dog out for her nightly constitutional anyway). If you think I was seeing her? Nope. Shadow is so Black she disappears in a dark room. So we went upstairs. I checked with my wife to see if she needed anything and she said she was fine. Shadow and I went into the master bedroom and prepared for the night. Shadow sleeps at the foot of the bed. My wife uses the bedroom called the Noah room because she has a leg problem that can have her up several times a night. Anyway we were well settled in, I was reading a book, as Shadow and I had already had her nightly romp before bed. I hadn't even gotten drowsy yet when I distinctly heard my name called, quite clearly and with some volume. Thinking my wife needed something I made my way to the Noah room which is immediately down the hall. When I entered the bedroom my wife was reading the newspaper and looked up with a look of surprise. "You called." I said. "No I didn't." she replied. 'Somebody did, I said, "Loud and clear". "It wasn't me" she replied. By the way, she continued, "Why are you and Shadow running up and down the hall?" "We.ve been in the bedroom for almost an hour", I replied. "Well something has been activating the hallway motion lights". It wasn't us. My wife can see the motion light from the Noah room because that bedroom has a transom over the door. When I went back to the master bedroom, I sat on the foot of the bed and petted Shadow, so I could see if the hall light would come on. It didn't. Old houses are interesting and colorful; but they can drive you nuts.

Possible solution?

I had one poster suggest that wind blowing through an old pipe might make the mumbling sounds. I certainly wouldn't discount that idea out of hand. This old brick house certainly has many nooks and crannies. But taking other things into consideration makes me wonder if it really is the wind. Wind might explain why the sound is heard about the same through-out the house and we certainly have almost perpetual wind in this area.But sometimes the mumbling sounds distinctly masculine and at other times feminine. Considering the amount of wind that blows through here, it would seem the mumbling would be quite frequent, or daily. But it is a rare occurance. But still the wind is a possibility. If I could just locate the pipes it plays or the morterless bricks it plays around and why only at rare times.

Mumbling again

I had a short period of mumbling night before last. It occurred just before midnight and lasted between five and ten minutes. The voices, a least two of them, were female, just low enough that no words could be made out. It was downright cold outside and spitting ice crystals. I first noticed the mumbling as I exited the Library into the dining room. I walked out from the dining room into the parlor thinking it was someone outside. There was no one visible outside and even kids playing in the street in the daytime do not carry in through these thick walls. I retraced my steps back through the dining room and into the kitchen where the mumbling seemed about the same. I was about to go upstairs where I would have a view of most of the surrounding territory (as much as darkness would permit) when the mumbling faded away. I have pretty much discounted that the voices were coming from the outside. The walls of this house are thick and the storm windows are triple and were closed (the temperature was around 24 degrees). We have never figured out the times we have had actually loud, easily understood voices. The mumbling is far more complicated and an even greater mystery. The loud voices originate from a completely closed off dumbwaiter that use to service this house. The loud voices are very rare but when they occur they are very clear. The mumbling, on the other hand, is consistant though out the house but never loud enough to understand. Considering the time of night and weather conditions on this last episode I think I can rule out people outside. But what in heck was it?

Extremely quiet period.

I haven't written for some time as there has been nothing of note to write about. All has been quiet on the home and store front. Nothing has appeared on the spy camera. This has been a most unusually quiet period. I'm just making note to let every one know I'm still here. The weather has been weird, going from 26 one day to 55 the next. We've had rain, freezing rain and snow. Today it hit 59, tomorrow is suppose to be in the 50's then drop into the 30's on Monday. With all of these temperature changes you would think this old house would be filled with squeaks and moans. It has been very quiet. It anything occurs I will write of it.