House has been quiet

     The house has been quiet. This is normal for late spring, and very little seems to happen throughout the summer months and into the early fall. Most strange activity seems to take place in the late fall though winter and into the early spring. The missing tape recorder has never turned up. The new recorder, aside from the strange basement episode, has not recorded anything of interest. I got a new puppy, a black schnauzer, for a companion to my other dog. So far she hasn't reacted strangely to anything about the house; but neither has my older dog for several weeks. It will be interesting to see if she reacts like he does.

Photograph

     This really may be nothing, but it is the first time I have ever taken a picture and had, at lest to me, a faint ghostlike likeness. Though I usually use a Minolta or Zenite to shoot pictures, this time I was using a simple point and shoot Ansco. I had recently made a new knuell post statue and attached it at the top of the handrail post  leading up the front of our winding staircase. The piece is made of ceramic; I bought it in greenware and had the lady of a local ceramic shop fire it for me as my own kiln was too small to accommodate it. She wanted to see a picture of it finished and in place. This was the reason I took this particular photo. I was using the wink flash on the camera and Kodak 800 speed film. When I got the pictures processed the statue photo came out very well. The figure at the head of the stairs did not immediately jump out at me. It was probably on the third viewing that I suddenly noticed a miscoloration at the turn in our winding staircase. Just in front of the alcove where I have tried using the recorder on several occassions. The golden brownish head shot has, to me, the appearance of a womans face. It is located just about the right height for someone coming down the steps. I can figure nothing that could have reflected into that area from the flash. Admittedly, you need to look at the area on the photo for a moment or two before the "head" takes form. My wife says she can see it too but chalks it off to a reflection or a development fluke. She could be right. But this is certainly the closest thing I've ever gotten of a picture of a "ghost".

Recording in the basement

     The tape recording I attempted in the basement only adds to the confusion. Not a lot of tape was used in the basement expriment which indicates the basement is pretty much soundproof. Not even my dogs loud yapping is registered on the tape. You can clearly hear me setting up the recorder in the approximate center of the cellar. You can hear my footsteps as I climb the old rickety wood stairs to the first floor. Then there is a period of silent tape, which makes no sense because the recorder is only on when noises activate it. This is followed by footsteps in close proximity of the recorder; which I at first assumed were made by me retreving the recorder; except there again follows a silent period of tape and then the sound of the cellar door, followed by steps coming down the stairs and toward the recorder, which really was me retreving it. So what were the footsteps that sounded between my going upstairs and then coming back downstairs? Why was so much tape silent on a sound activated recorder. There were no silent areas of tape on the attic recording that featured so much sound. Instead of solving any mysteries, I'm only compounding them.

Attic sounds

    Recording for twenty four hours in the attic was a disaster. Obviously the attic is not nearly as soundproof as the rest of the house. A lot of tape was recorded which indicates that the attic is really rather noisy. Though I have never heard birds when I've been in the attic; there seemed to be a lot of sounds, much like squabbling starlings. There were footfall sounds far too loud to be bird feet, my dog could be heard barking though the sound was pretty muted. Every car or truck on the street was recorded. With all of this going on. other sounds, though present, became too enmashed with the trivial sounds to determine if they were unique or not. A powermower was also included in the mix. So I'm going to chalk that one up to experience and try the basement. It might be interesting to see what outside noises are auditable in that deep, grizzly, area of the house. It might be interesting to note that no human voices, except my own testing voice, were heard on the tape. Seems strange, in a way, doesn't it?

New Taperecorder

     As the old tape recorder has not reappeared and no longer appears to exist, in this house anyway, I purchased a new one. I plan on trying it out in the attic first. Then I'll try the basement. Those two areas have not been attempted as yet. We are moving into, what has been in the past, a quiet period. There were a few episodes last year during the late spring and summer; but generally speaking most activity goes on in the fall and winter months.

Many strange sounds

     After a long quiet pause; something broke loose today. Actually just a few minutes ago. I had been working in the Den; clearing up materials I had been using in an art project. Bushed, I went into the Library and turned on the computer. I figured that while I relaxed I'd see if I had any E mail. I hadn't much more than started when the sound of footsteps and the rustle of clothing was clearly heard in the Diningroom. My wife is in town today and my dog was with me in the Library. I called out,"Back already?" but recieved no answer but clearly heard footsteps retreat from the Parlour through the Dinningroom and heavy steps going up the rear stairs. This brought me up quick, even if my dog hadn't started barking frantically, my wife does not move rapidly up any stairs. I quickly ran to the window and saw that her car was not outside. My dog was at my heels, had the sounds originated from my wife he would have ran ahead to welcome her. I rushed up the back staircase looking for an intruder. I found noone, anyplace. My dog remained at my side, both barking and whinning. I went through the upstairs and down the front staircase. I checked the front door, it was deadlocked from the inside. I moved through the downstairs; noting that the Parlour door was closed. I had heard the heavy footsteps come out of the parlour as if the door were open or nonexistant. I went through the dinningroom and into the kitchen, no one was in evidence. The back door was closed and locked. We mainly keep that door locked, even when we are at home, primarily because it has a tendancy to blow open. I heard these sounds, my dog heard the sounds. Again I have no explaination for them. But this time, whoever, or whatever made them was in a big hurry. Not like other times when steps were lighter, like in a normal walk.

   The tape recorder is still gone. It appears to be gone for good. This week I intend to purchase another one. This is very frustrating , not only because of the cost, but also because the recorder had the original tape in it that had recorded a couple of episodes of sounds that I wanted to check out further. Keep in mind, no one other than my dog, myself, and my wife have been further than the parlour of this house since Christmas. My dog is too short to reach the areas I placed the recorder in; my wife would tell me if she moved it or put ot away, and I know I'm getting old, but my memory hasn't gotten that bad yet. This is very frustrating.