Shadow Games

Shadow. That's the name of one of my three cats. He isn't all black, but is mostly covered in black fur. He actually got his name thanks to chasing his shadow and one time as a small kitten, jumping AT the wall to catch it. Only he got his bell rung.

But this isn't about Shadow, the kitty. This is about shadows in the hallway near my children's bedrooms.

Last week, after the kids were all in bed, and were INDEED sleeping, I went down stairs to watch some television and hang out with my husband for a while before it was time to go to bed ourselves.

Before finally deciding it was time to get some z's, I had to make a trip upstairs to take my nightly medication and use the uh... little lady's room.

I'd just gotten to the landing and then the first couple of steps, when I peered up, where the door to the basement was only partially open. And I don't know why, seeing as usually, I am looking DOWN at the steps (bad eye, so cautious).

Suddenly, I catch a glimpse of what appeared to be "shadow feet" moving along the underneath of my door (it's set a bit too high up in to the frame, so you can see underneath the door fairly well).

With the door partway open, I noticed the feet, and even some "shadow legs" moving somewhat steadfast past on the wall. It's as if someone had been coming out of my son's room, in a quick-walking manner. The bathroom light was on. If it weren't for it being so, I can guarantee that I would never have been none the wiser.

The feet made NO noise whatsoever. No breeze was felt. Just the sight of shadows.

No, I wasn't scared. Surprised, yes. But not frightened. I still got up the stairs, went about my business and then back down to go to bed.

At some point, I am hoping to buy a digital recorder and at first just place it up in the attic, seeing as I always feel uneasy up there. Even in the daytime. I want to see what kinds of things I could maybe pick up.

Then, eventually, I'd life to do an EVP session up there, in my son's room, and in the family area of the basement.

Am I scared? No. Nervous? Yes. Because I am a tad bit worried in regards to what type of answers or responses I may end up getting. But my son deserves to be able to sleep in his room at night without worrying.

Shadows, including an arm and a hand, as well as a full-body shadow has been claimed to be seen at night, including by my oldest (who is very matter-of-fact and doesn't take to playing things up).

I have had a child-cousin witness the doorknob of the attic door (with it being locked up via padlocking) turn and shake. As did one of my son's friends.

Also, my son's room remains MUCH colder than any other area of the house. And that includes the basement. Even in the summertime, it is relatively noticeable.

My husband and I have both in the past came face-to-face with either a shadow person, or a shadow fog/mist. And on both occasions, in OUR bedroom, late at night.

Someone... or something is trying REALLY hard to get noticed. For what reason, I have not a clue. Plus, the cousin in question has seen a shadow figure in the attic, according to her (again, not one to lie or embellish). And she described what my son has seen in the past.

Touches and Such..Active Home Again

This past week has been a strange one. Between one of the kids, my husband and myself, it seems that the house seemingly is "coming alive" again, paranormally speaking.

And when it happens to my husband, it is HUGE. He isn't a complete skeptic. Not anymore. Heck, he isn't even at 50/50 now. More like 75/25. I had blogged about one certain incident that happened to him a while back that almost completely reversed his polarity on the subject. But it wasn't enough to completely change his mind. I even tried cookies! (=

Anyways, between the three of us, it's been exciting. And a bit creepy. Let's start with the oldest, shall we?

She went in to the kitchen earlier in the week. It was mid-evening, just getting dark outside. She opened the fridge to find something. I think she was thirsty and looked around for drink. She said she closed the door to the refrigerator, with her hand on the handle.

Next thing I know, as I happened to be sitting here at the computer, my daughter comes in to the living room with a puzzled, shocked look upon her face, with her eyes widened. She asked if I heard a "knock" coming from the kitchen. I told her no...

That's when she exclaims that she heard a knocking coming from INSIDE the fridge! She didn't dare open it and she said it was loud enough that I SHOULD HAVE been able to hear it myself. She didn't go in to the fridge for a couple of days after the incident, thanks to it freaking her out so bad.

As for my husband, he had a strange, but not scary experience. Let's just say that I think that the "extra cat" of the house finally made it's presence known to him.

He was sitting here playing his POGO games, minding his own business the other day. Doing the usual thing. It was midday and wasn't doing anything out of the norm, per say.

Out of the blue, my husband turns around with a look upon his face that reads utter shock and disbelief. Then out comes, "did something rub up against my leg?"..I sat there, with this odd look upon my face. Like "what the hell are you talking about?!". Then I asked what it felt like. And he said like a cat was rubbing against him.

One problem...All three cats were OUTSIDE. Our Bearded Dragon, Gobi is NOWHERE near able to brush up against anyone in the manner my husband described. And all three of my kids are long out of the "crawling" stage.

So, we chalked that one up to the "ghost cat" in residence that I have seen (from the corner of my eye)on countless occasions. The strangest part is that it is almost a spitting image of my cat, Shadow. And it happens so quickly, it's as if the cat is elusive on purpose.

Then, the same evening as when my husband had his experience, I too had a strange occurrence of my own.

As a mom, you have this innate ability to sense things. Even with your eyes closed and having music blaring in to your ears with headphones on (as to drown out the crowd while TRYING to take a small siesta). This includes people walking in to the room and those walking past you in said room.

Once or twice before, I have written a post regarding Shadow People. They are dark-looking figures with no real identifying features. And they can be seen even in pitch black darkness of a room, being that they seem DARKER than the room that they appear in.

Never once did I actually SEE anyone/thing go past me. But I felt it's presence and I also had "seen" the shadow whisk past me through CLOSED eyes. One reason I knew it was NOT a living, breathing soul was that it walked briskly past me TOWARDS the side coffee table on my side of my bed. As if it went through the lamp and through the wall right behind me. The wall leads out to the basement foyer and stairs to go up to the main area of the house.

And, not only did it happen ONCE. No. Of course not! It happened three or four times. Almost back-to-back. Each time, I opened my eyes to see an EMPTY room, with the bedroom most-of-the-way shut (as I had it).

Stupid ghost! Bad enough my kids don't always leave me be to take a little nap. Now the ghost(s) have to bug the crap out of me too!

The Sound In The Attic

I finally got a good listen to it myself. Eerie, to say the least.

As it so happens, I was in my girls' bedroom, where all three kids have been sleeping (seeing as my son's room has been ice cold, thanks to the Attic, which has the stairs leading to it within his room's access area) as to tuck them in for the night.

I'd already kissed and hugged the youngest and middle kids. As I was about to hug my oldest (who is eleven and still likes HUGS ONLY at bedtime) I'd heard it. It was a dragging/rolling sound above our heads. The attic sprawls the length of the house. And this was CLEARLY right above us on the East side of the home.

My oldest exclaimed "THIS is what we hear EVERY night, Mom! About every ten minutes something drags or rolls. It keeps us up sometimes."..

My husband has also heard noises from the attic of what sounds like a pencil being rolled back and forth while sitting alone, quietly in the living room.

Whatever is up there, it is being playful more than malicious or malevolent. Still though, even in the daytime, I cannot stand to go up there. At least not alone. No sooner do I get half way up the steep, narrow steps, do I feel a sense of someone not wanting me there. As if I am invading THEIR space and THEIR territory.

At least now, I have heard the noises for myself. Not that I had ever not believed my children, mind you. The kids aren't really scared. But they do get a bit agitated. I've told them to openly tell whomever is occupying my attic to keep it down and to let them go to sleep.

Has it worked to do that? I am thinking so, seeing as they have been sleeping better at night lately. But the noises still do happen between late evening and very early morning hours (before daylight).

Take My *ADVICE* When It Comes To Dealing With "Gifted" Children.

Yesterday, I had posted about what happened at the Wendy's restaurant the other night in regards to my six-year-old daughter. To read it, CLICK HERE.

After reading a couple of the comments that others had posted and after talking to my stepmother, I decided to talk about how I handle the kids and their "gifts". I know that at least two of them "see" things. where as one (my oldest daughter who is eleven) primarily only hears things.

In the space of about the last six years, between two very different homes, one being out in the country, living in a single wide trailer that is as old as ME, and where we are living now, which is a brick home with a full, finished basement and a full attic, and is NOT sitting on it's original property site, many things have transpired paranormally speaking.

As most people who regularly read my blog know, my first experience with any kind of ghostly activity was at the age of eight. From there, it just took off. And for years, I never said anything to anyone. That is until my father told me of some "weird things" he had happen, starting after my mother's passing in 1989. But she too had some creepy stuff in that home in Fremont happen as well when she was alive.

Thanks to my knowledge and better understanding of why ghosts "hang around" and spirits make their presences known, I can honestly tell my three children I understand their fears and DO believe them when they say that they have heard something "walking", "being dragged", "being played with", "see someone".

Although, the number one thing I am STILL trying to make them realize (especially my son) is that we cannot tell EVERYONE who enters our home. Not even family. That there is a time and a place. And not everyone is accepting of what we believe and know, or experience.

When my youngest came up to me the other night, on her way to bed, she said that she'd seen a "little boy staring at me from the bathroom", which had its door ajar. She claimed that the boy was "peeking around the corner" of the door at her.

Her eyes were wide as silver dollars. I immediately told her that it's okay and that he won't hurt her. And I let her know I too have seen him before and that "he just wanted to see what you (as in her) were doing". Which of course was getting in to bed.

One of the primary things to remember if your child suddenly states that they "see someone" that you cannot see yourself is to NEVER "blow them off" or discount what they are telling you. The more you are willing to open yourself up to the *possibility* that indeed your child can see things that maybe you cannot, the better you can support and even help them understand what THEY are going through.

But you must also teach them proper timing with "blurting out" about having an experience. Like telling them to not tell LITTLE children, to pick the friends you WANT TO have know about their gift wisely (I'd lost many a friend thanks to telling those that just didn't understand or believe me...and instead believed I was a nutcase), and to do their best to self-discern what very well is a Paranormal experience and what may be the house settling.

There is good to come for your child who may possess this ability. I believe it builds self-confidence, builds their self-esteem, helps them to be more in tune with their bodies and minds, and it hones their intuitive skills.

But it will NOT happen unless you as their parent/guardian help them along the way in a positive direction. And when parents who are "afraid" of what their kids can do start telling the child it's just their imagination and get on them for "telling tales" is doing the child a great disservice to them as an individual and to the Psychic/Sensitive/Medium Community.

Many of us "Sensitives" get a bad wrap as it is, thanks to the TRUE FRAUDS (who shall remain nameless of who I think are shams). To basically call a child "too imaginative" or tell them to "stop imagining up such things" who can HONESTLY see/hear/feel things that are beyond the realm of flesh, blood and bone, it makes them less likely to want to use their gift for GOOD and to even want to maintain it.

My Old Hometown Haunts

...And not just as in where I used to roam when I lived in the area. These are some of the most popular areas of Fremont, California that are supposedly haunted.

The following sites that I am doing to list are from the website Strange USA

One area being Niles Canyon. Whenever I would ride through the area with my parents as a child, I never felt "easy" as we went down the road. I never could explain my feelings of dread...

When you go down The Canyon road you will find an off ramp that will lead you down to a creek... That is if you can drive all the way down the road... As you go down the road you begin to hear knocking and at about half way down the road you will start to hear a small boy laughing... Story tells that a young boy was killed in the basement of a cottage at the end of the road...he was found by his parents hanging from the rafters, when his parents called the cops they told them that there was no body in the house but mass amounts of blood washing up at the creek banks... Legend tells that if you make it down the canyon you can still see blood washing up on the creek banks and hear a young boy laughing...No Trespassing

Where I used to live was a part of the Mission area. In fact, I attended Mission San Jose High School back in the day....

Built in the late 1700`s, Mission San Jose has had a lot of curious history. A fire destroyed the original Mission, and the 1906 earthquake leveled the old church. Both have been rebuilt, the church about 12 years ago and the mission in the 1800`s. There are cold spots and mists in the mission itself, uncanny feelings and mists in the courtyard by the fountain. An old cemetery adjacent to the church is the site of many disturbances, including unexplained whispers and crying (several Fremont pioneers are buried here, as well as countless Natives). Also in the church itself, where there are graves in the floor in the Sanctuary and in front of the altar. Severe cold spits are felt near the graves. Across the street from the mission sits an historic tavern, where witnesses say they have seen several Native looking people in old clothing cross the street and disappear as soon as they enter the courtyard of the mission.

Now, as for my old home, it had changed a bit apparently. But not too much over the years.

Yes, that IS my former home. The one I'd primarily grew up in. And the one that gave me some memorable "moments" that I would much rather forget. There were one too many creeks, bangs, footsteps that were not "living"-made, voices and "gas"-like apparitions for my taste. Especially after seeing my (then two weeks post death) deceased mother walk past me as I glanced up in the hallway's bathroom mirror as I was brushing my teeth. Oh, and did I mention that I was home alone at the time, being that my father was at work already?

Two Times In Two Weeks..

Strange. For being (for the most part) a skeptic, he certainly is having a time of explaining away the last couple weeks of instances.

My husband is kind of like an Agnostic. He can't prove that God exists, nor can he prove that God doesn't exist. And he won't completely deny His existence. But is on the fence about the existence of God.

Same thing concerning my husband in regards to ghosts/spirits and paranormal activity. Yes, he DOES believe that there are other life forms (aliens) outside our universe and that it's a real possibility that they have visited our orbit. But the notion that there are some people that still "hang around" after this life is over is a bit of a hard pill to swallow for him.

Whereas for me, the subject of ghostly paranormal things is a no brainer. Ghosts/spirits DO exist, and yes, I believe that there is something beyond THIS life in our shells.

For many years, the subject of ghosts was a bit of a battle ground between the two of us. But after experiencing a few times what had happened for those first three weeks that I ever left him and the kids on their own to tend to family matters across the country, that battle ground seemingly got a bit smaller. And over the years, smaller than that.

So, in the last couple of weeks, including last night, it got even tinier. Though, with him, there will always be doubt I think, until something drastic happens (apparitions). Last week, I had told of his hearing what sounded like a pencil being rolled playfully by someone in the attic. To read about it, CLICK HERE.

That time, even though myself, the kids, and my husband were all either in the living room or the dining room (seeing as it was dinner time), it was only my husband that had heard the sounds coming from the attic, which spans the entire length of our home.

Last night, the kids were all asleep. And one cat was sleeping with the girls, while the other was not even in our room at the time of the occurrence. We heard no one (kid or cat) come down the stairs.

Out of the blue, my husband gets really still and he is obviously startled. Then, he asked me if I hear any wind outside our bedroom window. Nope. Still as can be. He claimed he saw the light that comes from the security light in the backyard brighten and dim as if someone or something was walking back and forth. But no apparent shape (human or animal).

Then, he bolted his upper body (waist and up) from the bed a bit, but not in a fully sitting position to look towards the foot of the bed. This is when he asked me if I felt "that". I asked him what THAT was. He claimed he felt someone was sitting on the bed, and even poking at his foot area. Seemingly by his description, in a playful manner.

Oddly, nothing that HE experienced did I notice, feel or see. It was as if whomever or whatever it was, only wanted my husband to notice them for whatever reason. And normally (then again who said that myself, this family or this house was normal??) it is me that gets all the crazy, weird things happening, without any others in the house seeing/hearing/feeling it at the time.

With what is happening upstairs, the experience from last night, and by other things that I have seen myself as of late, it is looking to be very much a child-like haunting behavior. He or she isn't trying to scare us. But they ARE trying to be playful, get noticed and are very observant of the happenings within the house. Especially with my basement stairs...

Two Experiences/Encounters and an Award.

First of all, I shall thank the Academy for this prestigious...Oh wait, wrong award. My bad! Seriously though, I have been bestowed my FIRST EVER award for my ParanorMel blog. It's nice to have it recognized, even though my follower base is under twenty. But who's counting?

I have been given the Paranormal Community Leadership Award by Jessica Penot over at GHOST STORIES & HAUNTED PLACES where Jessica blogs about different places, buildings and homes that are (supposedly) haunted. I highly suggest you give her blog a look-see for yourself. You will NOT be disappointed. I guarantee it.

Thank you SO much, Jessica!  But other than you, I have no other bloggers to pass this along to that have not already received it, seeing as I cannot find many good blogs of Paranormal interest. If you know of any, shoot them my way, would ya?

Now, on to the next...As Jason and Grant from Ghost Hunters (which I missed last night, due to crashing from exhaustion last night) like to say at the end of every episode.

On November ninth (I wrote about this the next day on ParanorMel's "Like page over on FaceBook) my husband made all of us go eerily quiet. He heard something coming from the attic. After seeing that all three cats were downstairs or outside, and all of us humans were accounted for, he KNEW it was not a sound that was man or animal made. Especially seeing as the windows were worked on last year to no longer be opened or to let drafts in.

After he mentally figured out what was going on, then my husband finally admitted to me that it was NOT the first time that he had happened upon the sound. Mainly made during the three to five o'clock hours of the very early morning, before he leaves for his differing shifts at work.

Strangely though, this apparent reoccurrence was never even heard by myself or the kids when it happened as we sat at the dinner table. Only my husband had heard the sound. Then he went in to explaining about it and he grabbed a pencil. He started to move it back and forth in a playful manner. The wood could be heard rolling as it went between his fingers.

This is when I admitted about sometimes hearing the footsteps outside the bathroom, in the main upper hallway as I shower, with no other people in the house. And I also admitted to seeing once again, the little boy of about my son's age, and my oldest daughter's height standing the basement foyer's landing.

Now, for the most recent thing to happen to me.. And it was just this past Tuesday.

For the first time ever, since being in the area of  Central Virginia, I had gone to Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest. You can take pictures of the outside grounds and in the discovery rooms. But there are no pictures allowed to be taken within the retreat home. If you wish to take a gander at the inside of the mansion and learn more about Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest retreat, CLICK HERE.

All was well and good with me. That is, until our first stop for within the home was the basement. The wine cellar was also located down there. You can no longer go down in to it, seeing as the stairs had long rotted away and had to be removed. But the original brick is still on its floor, though it is pulling up and the bricks also have now started to rot.

Looking at the old Wine Cellar, I got struck with a "feeling". A feeling of being watched. I knew then, that on this Fifth Grade trip, we were not alone with the Tour Guide that was appointed to us. Even looking across the way, to the other side of the basement, it felt uneasy. I didn't SEE anyone or anything. But I could certainly tell that the energy was static-like. We were being watched. By whom, I cannot say.

Was it by Thomas Jefferson himself? Or could it have been Or could it have been Hannah? She was one of Jefferson's most devout slaves of their time. It could have possibly been even James, who was the "overseer" to the fellow slaves, who was entrusted as the headmaster above the other slaves of the Plantation.

While I cannot say for sure, all I know is that I felt that "someone" was keeping a close eye upon me, the children that were in our class and watching that the homestead was not being abused in any way that would tarnish the look and feel of Poplar Forest.

Haunted History Tour... Lizzie Borden Home

"Lizzie Borden took an axe and gave her mother forty whacks.
When she realized what she done, she gave her father forty-one."

Remember that little saying? I certainly do! I used to repeat that diddy all of the time as a child. I never knew the truth and history behind the poem. But now that I am an adult and have watched documentaries, as well as have read the history behind the condemnation, I have "seen the light" as to why and how the rhyme came about.

Lizzie Andrew Borden was born in New England on July 19, 1860. A "spinster" of sorts, who later on in her adult years would be pegged as the prime suspect in the double homicide of her mother and her father. They were killed on August 4, 1892. This would have placed Lizzie to be age forty-two at the time. Plenty old enough to "know better", if you get my drift.

When all was said and done, Lizzie Borden was acquitted of the heinous murders. And no other people were ever brought forth for the crimes. To this day, the murders are unsolved.

What led to the murders of Andrew Borden and his wife, Abby? Could have been very well over the fact that arguments often ensued over property and possessions that were to be divided amongst her and Lizzie's sister, Emma, BEFORE their father's demise? Or could it be that they were mad that Mr. Borden planned on having the the homestead sold to their stepmother's (Abby) relatives, and were afraid that they would literally be left out in the cold?

Whatever the true intention was for the killings, the stage had apparently long been set. Between anger, jealousy and the "not knowing" of what will happen after their Daddy keeled over, it made a perfect recipe for murder.

On August 4, 1892, Andrew left the house and went in to town, in to Fall River, Massachusetts to the bank. And then the old boy went to the post office. Which all were of his normal activities. Mr. Borden returned home at approximately 10:45 that morning, only to have Lizzie "find" her father dead upon the couch.

During the court trial for Lizzie, it was told, by the family's maid, Bridget Sullivan that she was laying in bed, within the confines of her room at around eleven, she heard Lizzie call up to her and stated that someone had killed her father.

Not long after the doctor and some neighbors had come to the home to help Lizzie, the gruesome discovery of her stepmother, Abby was made by the unsuspecting maid. Abby had died in the geust bedroom upstairs.

Abby and Andrew both had suffered a very brutal end to their lives. Both of them had skull-crushing blows to the head with a hatchet. Mr. Borden's left eyeball was literally split in two.

It came to light later, that not too long before the murders, all in the home became ill. Knowing her husband was a tight-fisted, not too well liked man, she feared that someone was out to seek revenge upon her husband, and take his entire family with him. They suspected poisoned  milk. After the murders, right there in the home, the autopsies were performed. With it, the stomachs of the couple were removed and set on the table to seek out their contents. The contents were then sent for "tox screenings" over at Harvard Medical School.

Lizzie Borden was arrested for the double killing. She was placed in a cell on August twelfth. With her stories determined to be inconsistent through various interviews, she became the town's prime suspect.

On November 7, 1892, a Grand Jury trial was under way. A Bill of Indictment came down on her on December second, almost a month after her arrest. The trial its self didn't start in New Bedford, Massachusetts until June of 1893!

Lizzie's Defending Attorneys were Governor George D. Robinson and Andrew V. Jennings. One "rising star" Prosecutor at the trial happened to be William H. Moody, who would later become a United States Attorney General and Associate Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court.

During the investigation, a hatchet was found within the basement, and assumed to have been the murder weapon. It was clean, but the handle had gone missing. Later in the trial, by word of the Forensics Specialist, there was no time to have cleaned the hatchet after the murders had taken place.

Also on Lizzie's side was the fact that no blood-stained clothing was ever found. Although, there was a blue dress that was torn apart and thrown in to the stove. Lizzie claimed that the dress had fresh paint that was smeared on it, after she accidentally brushed up against a baseboard.

Lizzie was finally acquitted for the crimes on June 20, 1893, after deliberations by the jury that took them a mere hour and a half of their time.

After the dust had settled, Lizzie and her sister Emma had moved and named their new home "Maplecroft".  It is located on French Street , which at that time, was within a posh neighborhood of Fall River. The home included all of the (then) latest amenities a home of it's stature could have. Including indoor plumbing.

Later on though, Emma and Lizzie began to develop a strained relationship. Their lifestyles did not mesh and were apparently like night and day. Complete opposites. So, twelve years after hell had reined upon them, the sisters had parted ways. Emma moved from the home in June of 1905.

On June 1, 1927, Lizzie Andrew Borden had passed away. She required gallbladder removal surgery and she was pretty sick for the last year of her life. She had died basically alone, with only her staff as her 'comfort' in those final hours. Her cause of death was Pneumonia.

The details of her funeral were never brought to light to the public, and only a handful of people attended the services for her. Lizzie is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Fall River.

Nine days later, Emma too passed. She contracted Nephritis.

Today, the home in which the murders had occurred is now a Bed And Breakfast. As far as the hauntings go, there have been reports of a woman's voice softly crying, seeing ghostly shoes appear, and even an older woman in period dress for Lizzie's time show.

Also, it seems that video equipment messes up, lights have been known to flicker on and off, and Andrew and Abby supposedly wander the home.

Links...

Haunted Hamilton 

History of Lizzie Borden

Vlog...Getting to know the REAL me. (an introduction/rundown/test video)

Choking Game.. Ghost Style.

Last night, I went to sleep not long after midnight. I was tired, to say the least. Everything was right in my world. I had my wonderful husband snuggled beside me as we lulled off to dreamland.

Not long after 3 AM I had shot up in bed. I am not the type to do this. In fact, I am a very sound sleeper.

But last night, around 3:20, I woke to feel like I was about to literally faint. And the back of tongue, as well as a part of my throat went completely numb and tingly. It felt as if someone was cutting off my airway. I was being choked!

Never have I had something remotely like this ever happen to me. I never felt hands wrapped around my throat. But INSIDE, I felt like I was suffocating.

As soon as I bolted upright in the bed, the tingling and the numbness started to subside. As was the feeling of wanting to pass out.

Of course, this made my husband also bolt straight up and get worried. He asked what was wrong and if I was alright. I played it off and said I was, and that I must have had a bad dream.

Because he too knows that this is VERY out of character for me, where sleeping is concerned.

Now, is this something that is 'paranormal'? I do not honestly know. Maybe it is something medical.

But maybe, it could even be BOTH?

I cannot say for sure either way at this point in time. But I can say that I was more scared than I have been since the last physical encounter, which was a week after we moved in here. If you wish to know more about that experience, then please READ HERE.

If anyone that reads this can shed more light on what I went through, be it medical and/or paranormal, I am all ears (or is that eyes??). I'm flabbergasted.

Skidding on the floor. Nic Cage style.

It will be four years since we moved in to our current home, at the end of August.

At that time, the kids were starting school that week, as we were moving things from one place to the other. Before us, my brother-in-law and his brood lived here. And before them, it was their parent's rented residence.

Needless to say, it's jokingly become a "family tradition" that someone in the immediate family lives in this house.

While my husband's parents were here, I always felt a bit 'uneased' downstairs, in the basement. And it was set up pretty much then, how we have it now. Our bedroom is down there in the addition (kids are upstairs in the two actual bedrooms), our family area, and the kid's play area (which was then the sewing area for my mother-in-law).

From the moment the house became "ours", I felt something was off. But not just in the basement any longer. It extended in to the attic and even the main portion of the house. Primarily my son's room (that was the "junk room" when my in-law's had the place).

For the life of me, I couldn't place my finger on why I had these feelings of dread, only to have my son almost immediately after moving in, tell me that he saw the "Bearded Man" that looked like he was from "a long time ago".

Every so often, either myself or my son would hear what sounded like footsteps in the attic. Both day and night. And even to this day, I feel "watched" if I'm up there, with or without someone being with me.

Less than a week after shipping our boxes to our new home, I was seriously hurt. All the times over the years I had gone up and down those steps that led to the basement, never once did I take a tumble. That is, until THAT day.

My kids were on their way home from their first full week at their new school. At this point, I still had my youngest daughter home with me, being she was too young for Pre-K.

Of course, for security reasons, and to keep the wee one from slipping out the door, I kept the basement door locked tight. But I would go down to unlock it so the kids could come in from the school bus.

With Skyler watching TV (back then upstairs in the living room), I proceeded to start my decent down to the basement.

No more than three steps down, I felt like I had been shoved. I clearly felt what seemed to be like a hand on my back. Down I went the rest of the way on those stairs.

I literally rolled down. Not in a "tumbling" manner, or on my butt. If I had slipped, I would have fell on to my tail and backwards. Not go forwards, face-first and in a rolling motion (like tumbling in gym).

But I didn't stop there.

No sooner that I hit (and I mean HARD) the landing to the steps, I literally flew off. Only to skid across my carpeted basement floor. As if someone kicked me off of the bottom portion of the staircase.

If you have ever seen 'Ghost Rider', with Nicolas Cage (which is one of my favorite movies of his!), you will know what I'm talking about with the "skidding" on the floor. When 'Johnny Blaze' (Nic's character) is thrown from his now-alive motorcycle, on to the pavement of the Police Station's towing area, he skids across the cement a good number of feet before stopping and his hands start catching fire to begin transforming in to 'Ghost Rider' for the first time.

To put it basically, I was 'Johnny Blaze' for a brief moment in time. Only I had shag carpet, on top of cement flooring under my belly.

After being drug by some unforeseeable force of gravitational pull towards the basement door, I stopped short of getting my face slammed in to it. Only to pull myself up, via the doorknob and unlock both locks right as the kids were pulling up on the school bus.

For three or four days after the incident, I was so very sore. I had a few bruises, a scratch, I had muscle aches EVERYWHERE. I felt like I got ran over, then back-up on, only to be hit again. And when I told my husband about it, he (the skeptic he is, but not as bad now, as back then) said that I must have tripped over myself. Or that I slipped on a step.

But, even if I did either of those things, as my husband felt that I must have, I should NEVER have had any of the above happen.

And never again have I endured another experience in this home on those stairs as I had done that day. And it is a day, as well as an experience I will NEVER forget.

Do you have a haunting in YOUR home? See if you have any of the signs.

So, you think you may have a haunted home, huh? And it happens in not only old, decrepit, run-down homes that were abandoned long ago. Nor does it only stay to land that has been occupied over the centuries. A haunting can happen ANYWHERE, in pretty much any kind of setting. A home, a piece of land, a building or even within possessions. Especially antiques from long ago.

So what are the signs of a possibly haunted home (or other place)? Let's find out.

http://paranormalactivityinvestigationteam.com/signs-of-a-haunting.html

• Unexplained noises - footsteps; knocks, banging, rapping; scratching sounds; sounds of something being dropped. Sometimes these noises can be subtle and other times they can be quite loud. Doors, cabinets and cupboards opening and closing - most often, these phenomena are not seen directly. The person experiencing the event either hears the distinct sounds of the doors opening and closing (homeowners get to know quite well the distinctive sounds their houses make) or the person experiencing the event will return to a room to find a door open or closed when they are certain that it was left in the opposite position. Sometimes furniture, like kitchen chairs; are perceived to have been moved. Very rarely will the person experiencing the event actually witness the phenomenon taking place.

• Lights turning off and on - likewise, these events are seldom seen actually occurring, but the lights are switched on or off when the person experiencing the event knows they were not left that way. This can also happen with TVs, radios and other electrically powered items.

• Items disappearing and reappearing - this phenomena, has been dubbed the “DOP effect” (Disappearing Object Phenomenon). Others have called this "the borrowers" phenomenon, and it's the familiar experience of not being able to find a regularly used item - say, your set of car keys - which you believe you placed in a spot you routinely place them. But they're gone and you look high and low for them with no success. Some time later, the keys are found - in exactly the place you normally put them. It's as if the object was borrowed by someone or something for a short time, then returned. Sometimes they are not returned for days or even weeks, but when they are, it's in an obvious place that could not have been missed by even a casual search.

• Unexplained shadows - the sighting of fleeting shapes and shadows, usually seen out of the corner of the eye. Many times, the shadows have vaguely human forms, while other times they are less distinguishable or smaller.

• Strange animal behavior - a dog, cat or other pet behaves strangely. Dogs may bark at something unseen or at a wall, cower without apparent reason or refuse to enter a room they normally do. Cats may seem to be "watching" something cross a room. Animals have sharper senses than humans, and
many researchers think their psychic abilities might be more finely tuned also.

• Feelings of being watched - this is not an uncommon feeling and can be attributed to many things, but it could have a paranormal source if the feeling consistently occurs in a particular part of the house at a particular time.
Those are some of the most common experiences of those who think their houses are haunted. Yet even stranger things can happen...

Stronger Evidence
The following phenomena are rare, but could be stronger evidence of a haunting:

• Mild psychokinetic phenomena - hearing a door open or close is one thing. Actually seeing it happen is quite another. Similarly, actually seeing a light turn on or off by itself is greater proof that something unexplained is happening. Do you see the TV or radio turn on? Or perhaps you're present when a child's powered toy begins to operate on its own. Doors and windows are locked or unlocked. Some people report that when they are in bed they can feel and/or hear something sitting on the bed.

• Feelings of being touched - the feeling of being watched is one thing, and actually feeling like you are being touched is quite another. Some people feel something brush past them, something touching their hair or "a hand" on the shoulder. Some feel a gentle poke, push or nudge.

• Cries and whispers - on occasion, muffled voices, whispering and crying can be heard. Sometimes it's music from some unknown source. People hear their names being said. This phenomenon, as is true for the one above, gains more credibility if more than one person hears or sees the same thing at the same time.

• Cold or hot spots - cold spots are classic haunting symptoms, but any instance of a noticeable variance in temperature without a discernable cause could be evidence.

• Unexplained smells - the distinct fragrance of a perfume or cologne that you do not have in your house. This phenomenon comes and goes without any apparent cause and may accompany other phenomena, such as shadows, voices or psychokinetic phenomena. Foul odors can happen in the same way.
Rarer still are more extreme phenomena, some of which have been called poltergeist phenomena, and can be quite strong evidence of a true haunting:

• Moving or levitating objects (severe psychokinetic phenomena) - dinner plates sliding across the table; pictures flying off walls; doors slamming shut with great force; furniture sliding across the floor.

• Physical assault - scratches, slaps and hard shoves. This kind of personal assault is extremely rare, but obviously highly disturbing.

• Other physical evidence - unexplained writing on paper or walls; handprints and footprints.

• Apparitions - physical manifestation of a spirit or entity. These phenomena are also very rare and can take many forms: human-shaped mists or forming mists of some indistinguishable shape; transparent human forms that disappear quickly; and most rarely, human forms that look as real and solid as any living person, but that disappear into a room or even while being viewed.

I myself have had several of the above things happen to me and around me throughout the years. I have experienced hearing crying, hearing my name being called or shouted at. I have been touched and have had 'someone' sit on the edge of my bed. I have even been kissed on the forehead, and have felt eyes staring at me from the corner of the room. I have also been "tossed" down a flight of stairs (here in this home I currently reside in), have seen apparitions, had smelled odd fragrances (including coffee and cooking on the stove when neither were even on). And that is only the tip of the iceberg for me and what I have seen, heard, and felt.

Please feel free to tell YOUR tale of living in a haunted home or working, playing or just visiting a haunted location. I WANT THIS ONE TO BE INTERACTIVE!

Fast Feet

"Things happen for a reason"...What a cliche. It's certainly been around for many, upon many years. I grew up hearing it, as did my parents, their parents before them, and now my children hear it.

But there are some things that do happen, that have no reason behind it. There are no explanations. No way of figuring out why it happened.

Take for instance, the time that I was twelve years old. My mother had recently passed away, just about a month before. Of course, it was just myself and my father at the time. He was in a very deep state of depression and grief. I was also grieving, in my own way, being my father was so bad. But I didn't 'show' mine. And I did what I could to go on with life as normally as I could for my situation.

Late one night, say about 2:30, or 3:00 in the morning, I was unusually thirsty. This is not a normal thing for me. Not then, not now these days (unless I'm sick, I don't get up in the middle of the night for anything). But on this particular very late night (or very early morning if you wish to say) I had this huge urge to get a drink.

The way the kitchen was set up, and it's route of entry varied. You could go from the main hall that leads to the bedrooms and the hall bath, to the living room. Or take a shorter cut by going in to the side hall that goes in to the sink and refrigerator side of the kitchen and where the door was to go out to the back yard and back porch.

Needless to say, I decided to take the back hall that lead to outside in the back of the house. It was an eat-in, full kitchen. As I entered through the side hall, I had to pass the fridge on my right, the sink on the left that was directly parallel to the fridge. Then, pass the stove that was on the fridge's side, but was separated by a small counter and pantry (where the spices were kept). Finally, on the left, at the main counter area, just before getting to the dining table area, was where the glasses and plastic cups were. All the fine china and dining glasses were in the main pantry for safe keeping.

After getting my glass, I went back to the refrigerator and decided to get some milk.  As I did, for some unearthly reason, I felt like I was being watched, and not very alone in the kitchen. Even though, I know for a fact that my Dad was in bed, sleeping. As was the cat. The light to the living room's fish tank was on. And no one else but myself and my father were in that house.

As best as I could, I tried to ignore what I felt and sensed. I poured my milk in to my glass. Then like a good girl, I placed the milk (with the top on, thank you!) back in to its spot of the refrigerator. Then, I started walking towards the table in the dining area. Mind you that also, the stove range light was on as well.

No sooner that I had reached the table, I really and strongly felt like someone was there with me, and was watching me. So, I placed my glass upon the table, and the slowly, I turned around. What I had seen next, literally froze me still with fear.

From the point of where I was at the refrigerator, I had seen glowing feet. From ankle, down to toes. They were an ashen gray in color. And what struck me most I think was the fact that they were "lit up".  And they remained that way the entire time that I had watched them.

These feet came darting at me. Walking in a very quick pace. They never stopped. Never came at me as if to attack me. In fact, they rounded the corner of the stove, turning to the right. They walked swiftly past me. As soon as the feet struck the partition between the living room and the kitchen, before my very eyes, they disappeared.

When they vanished in to thin air, they didn't leave in a mist-like fashion. They didn't make like they were walking up steps. They just went. Poof! Gone, no more. Just as quick as they came before my eyes, they left with the same lightening speed.

But even after all of these years, I can still describe what they looked like. They as I stated earlier, were an ashen gray color. The feet were "heavy set", as if the person was overweight. There was a visible curvature, like a "down grade"-look on a highway sign. The toes were "meaty" or fat. Also, there was a crooked toe to one of the feet.

And I have that very same crooked toe. Same toe, too. Just the opposite foot.