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.