Sorry about the long absence.

The wife's store has totally taken up my time. We drag home, get supper, and turn in. I have been experiencing an odd factor. This is my first chance to discuss it. This phenomena only occurs in our rather large upstairs bathroom. The room is large because it use to be a bedroom over the kitchen.
   Lately I have experienced shadows coming through the doorway that leads to the upstairs hall. The shadows are generally vague but appear to have legs, like a black dog. I see them out of the corner of my eye and when I look toward them they disappear. This has occurred several times over the past month or so. Yes, I have a black dog but her legs are not long and slim , like the shadows, but shorter and fuzzy (she is a schnauzer). She has been in the bathroom with me when these shadows occur. She does not react to them. So maybe I'm seeing things.T he last time this occurred I had the foresight to not look toward the movement. As a result the shadow did not disappear until it went behind a short wall just inside the doorway to the bath. The shadow originated from a wall of shelves on the southern wall, it came pretty much straight tward me, passed me and disappeared behind the wall. This time I had the sense to not turn my eyes toward it. The shadows legs were quite clear (long, short hair, black) the body was indistinct but where the head should have been pointy ears (like a German Shepherd) appeared. If I'm cracking up why is this only occuring in the lavatory and why a black dog?

I'm Brig's wife and want to share one of my experiences in the small store we own and operate.  Earlier Brig gave background on the store, noting it's an older commercial building.  Inside in the main showroom there's a deep ledge about 7 feet from the floor and running from front to back on the sides. I use that to display over-sized or large and fragile items.
     I have a friend who helps out at the store and sometimes brings in an unusual thing to sell.  She had worked for me the previous day and had positioned two vintage stuffed fabric dolls of hers on the ledge.  Both were 3 feet tall, but with floppy arms and leg,s they couldn't stand.  One was a girl wearing a calico print dress, yellow hair and gigantic googly eyes while the other was a boy dressed in blue pants and with a blue cap perched on his Dutch boy styled hair.  Both were facing forward with arms hanging loosely and feet dangling over the ledge.  Cute and a bit unusual, so I knew they'd attract attention.
     As I went through the opening duties, I felt like someone was watching me and checked the door to see if someone was waiting for me to unlock and let them in.  No one was there. With all the lights on and everything ready, I opened for business.  When I went behind the counter, I glanced over at those dolls and was surprised to see the girl doll turned to the side with one leg stretched out ON the ledge. I certainly hadn't touched her, and I was the only person in the building. I walked over, reached up with a yardstick and knocked her leg off the ledge which more or less straightened her up.  I was not going to be spooked by any doll!
     That day, two women customers at different times commented on feeling uneasy and as if someone was looking at them.  Then I got really busy which lasted past closing time, so I forgot about the dolls.  The next morning when I arrived, there were 6 black taper candles lying perfectly aligned on the floor under those dolls.  There were no black candles of any kind in the store.  I called my helper friend and asked if she'd brought in any black candles.  No she hadn't,  I put them in a bag and set them aside as the day became quite busy.  Late in the afternoon I noticed the girl doll was once again sitting with one leg stretched out on the ledge,  But a customer very well could have moved her.
     All was quiet with the dolls the following day, and I put them out of my mind,  However, when I opened the store on the third day, I found broken glass on the floor under the dolls.  The pieces were so fine I couldn't determine what had been broken,  Nothing was missing.  As I swept up the glass, the girl doll toppled from the ledge and somehow landed face up on my foot.  By then I didn't want to touch her, but had to get her back on the ledge.  I made sure she was sitting well back from the edge with her arms folded in her lap.  Then I went to the backroom to get a box to sweep the broken glass into before putting it in the trash.  When I returned, the girl doll's arms were well off to each side and not in her lap.  Did they flop there on their own?  I was doubting it.  They were soft, floppy and had no resistance to being posed.
     Day 4 was quiet with the dolls, and nothing was wrong, broken or out of place.  My imagination was running a little wild   was my thought.  An order of towels arrived and I had to set aside two for a customer who would be in just before closing.  I displayed the other towels on a folding rack under the dolls.  When the customer arrived, she wanted a total of 4 towels, so we walked together to get them.  The rack was completely bare!  Now how do you even begin to explain that to someone?  We both searched that area for towels.  We moved everything.  I checked the counter area and the box the towels had shipped in.  No towels.  I assured the customer they'd turn up and when they did, I'd hold two and call her.
     I was again moving everything in the space under the dolls when Brig came in.  He looked askance at me, but did help search.  In fact, we went thoroughly through the entire store.  I had the box and the invoice that proved there had been towels, but where were they?  Not having any answer for the situation, Brig went to his work area in the backroom,  I walked past the dolls, stopped, backed up and shook my finger at them.  The girl doll suddenly fell completely over onto her side on the ledge.  Exasperated, I left her there, but did say their tenure in my store was coming to an end.
      I called my helper and told her it sounded crazy, but I wanted her to please remove those dolls from the store.  She agreed to pick them up the next afternoon.  I hung up the phone, turned around and the girl doll was sitting upright. Poor Brig!  I yelled, blaming him for moving that doll.  He said he hadn't touched either of them.
     Okay, time to go home.  I started turning off lights, making a loop from back to front.  When I turned the corner and could clearly see the wall area where the dolls were, the missing towels were hanging neatly on the rack. Unbelievable!  I yelled for Brig to come look.  "Impossible" was his retort, but there they were.  I grabbed two for my customer just in case the towels went missing again.
     Right after opening the store on the 5th day, I noted that the dolls were no longer sitting side-by-side with arms touching.  There was about a foot between them.  I muttered that they were going home to live in a dark trunk in an attic.  When the first customer of the day came through the door, her eyes went instantly to those dolls.  She said they'd been prizes at some carnival-style game at Euclid Beach Park in Cleveland, and she had to have them.  Needless to say, she got them although I did wonder if she'd end up experiencing odd little events when they were around.
     So in the end, things returned to what passes for normal in the store.  We never discovered where the black candles came from or what glass item was broken,  While some of the doll's movements might be explained as shaking of an old building or precarious placement, there's still no answer for her sitting up straight from a prone position or for her leg moving upward to rest on the ledge.

Loud female voice

A couple days ago, I was home with just my dog "Shadow". I had managed to sprain, strain or otherwise compromise my back between the shoulder blades and was taking it easy lying on the bed in the master bedroom with my dog beside me. I was reading a book and the house was very quiet. Suddenly with no forewarning a voice was very clearly heard coming from the rear stairs. It was loud, definitely feminine voice that said, "Yaup?" that's slang for "are you up?" I replied that I was and expected to see my wife appear. She didn't. Shadow heard it too as her ears went up and she was alert. I called back down the hall several times that I was "up" (even though I was lying down). Still no result. Very gingerly I did get up and make my way down the hall. No one anywhere. The back door was locked as my wife always locks up when leaving the house ( so do I, it's just a habit.) I called my wife who was down at her store and she simply stated it must be one of the "staff" checking up on me. This house was a rest home for many years before I bought it. Another strange thing is that my dog, though she seemed to hear the voice, did not react in her usual noisy manner. Only two females have a key to this house, my wife and my god daughter. My god daughter was in Virginia at the time and my wife was running her store roughly 10 miles from here (As the crow flies.) Old houses can be very interesting if they don't drive you nuts.

A sstrange thing

Last night we turned in early. It was snowing and I figured I'd have to clean a path to my car and clean the snow and possibly ice off the car. Around about 3:30 am I was awakened by a movement on the bed; kind of like someone sitting down on the mattress and getting up again. This occurred at least three times, maybe more for it to awaken me. My first thought was that it was my schnauzer, Shadow, who usually sleeps the foot of the bed. I thought she had gotten a drink and was trying to jump back into the bed. But by this point I was awake enough to realize Shadow was just inches from my head and sleeping soundly. Of course, when I sat up to see what was going on there was nothing there and the movement ended. My ever vigilant Shadow was quite zonked through it all. At my age, when you wake up in the middle of the night you have to make a bathroom run. Even going to the jon and returning did not awaken sleeping beauty. I don't have any idea what was going on. Just more of the strange in this place.

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.

Alone at store again

The wife is still unable to work, so I'm running the store alone again today. Lots of customers, this is my first break. So far all has been quiet but the business of doing business. Looks stormy outside but no precipitation so far. just cold and windy.

Strong, loud steps

Yesterday, I had to run my wife's store alone. Her bum leg was really putting on a show. The doctor ordered in some antibiotics. I sure hope they work. Anyway I was at the store by 10:15 am. The official hours are 11 am to 5 pm. Being so close to Christmas, I had a pretty steady stream of customers. So by closing time I was pretty much pooped. After 4 o'clock the customers went down to just a few. By 4:45 I finished up with the last one. I started turning off all but the main lights and brought into the store items we had displayed outside. I went back into the second show room to unplug a few items we were demonstrating back there. All of a sudden I heard s loud stomping, like someone with heavy boots or work shoes. The sound like it was in the front show room. I had locked the door after I brought in the outdoors merchandise so I couldn't imagine who could have gotten in. Naturely I rushed into the front show room to see who it was. There was absolutely no one. After checking out the store I went about finishing up closing chores. Before leaving the store I figured I'd better pay a trip to the jon which is located in the rear of the back showroom. While I was in there I again heard the sound of heavy shoes or boots stomping across a wooden floor. Only the front showroom has a wooden floor the rest are concrete. I hurriedly exited the lav and went to the front showroom. The steps sounded like they were coming directly toward me up the middle isle. As soon as I stepped into the front salesroom the steps stopped and there was no one to be seen. No way anyone could have side stepped me or hidden. These phantom foot steps appear to be harmless, but they can really be a bother. You always wonder, in the back of your mind, is there someone here, playing tricks or worse? Our store sits alone on a large parking lot. Go out the main door and look for a city block in all directions. It just does not make sense.

Door opens and closes itself.

Yesterday, after work, my wife went upstairs to unwind and I took my turn at the computer in the Library. Shadow, my dog, was dozing on her pillow not far from me. My wife came into the computer room at about 9:30pm and said, "When you were upstairs, why did you open my door and not say anything?" Whoa I replied, I've been right here since I started (about 6:30pm). "Somebody opened the bedroom door about this much (indicating 6 or 8 inches) and when I said, "Yes?". they closed it again." The bedroom door opens from the long upstairs hall. The doors in this house are original, heavy Oak or walnut construction. They do not swing freely. When opening the door it stays in place when pressure is released. It takes some force to swing these doors open or closed. The upstairs hall is pretty much enclosed and not subject to drafts unless the attic door is open and even then I doubt any draft resulting would move one of these doors. I have no idea what open the door or closed it. But I do know these doors do not open and close without some pressure being applied. Finding exterior doors that I know darn good and well were locked...open is far more common than watching a door open and close its self. My dog goes bonkers when anyone other than I or my wife enters. She was quite quiet. We keep our exterior doors locked. Including the one off the western side of the kitchen that we most commonly use. It does swing fairly freely and invites flies in when open. We also keep it locked to keep warm or cool air inside. I have no idea what opened and then closed the door to the room my wife was in. Its just one of several mysteries I'd like to solve about this old house.