And the water came pouring out …

I’m feeling a bit like a frog tonight. I’m told that if you sit a frog in a pot of cold water and light the flame beneath him, he’ll sit there contentedly until the water boils and kills him. Because the frog is cold blooded, his body temperature rises with his surroundings – but he simply doesn’t notice the danger.

I have the uneasy sense that I am as oblivious as the frog to what happens around me.

Weird unexplained things have happened in this house since we moved here – but like the frog we don’t really seem to notice and certainly don’t get too alarmed. Sure, we joke about the ghost, and then let it go because as rational, intelligent people we know that there must be rational explanations for everything.

Tonight, water suddenly started running out of the refrigerator. We opened the door and pulled out the vegetable tray to discover water everywhere. Now before you think I’m talking about a little moisture, let me explain that it took a LARGE bath towel to absorb the water. I’m guessing there must have been two quarts of water in the bottom of the fridge.

We examined the rest of the refrigerator for the cause of this “leak” – but there was none. All the other shelves are perfectly dry, there are no drains to the bottom of the fridge, no empty bottles that may have spilled, no overturned jars – nothing.

There is no explanation for the source of the water.

Lamps, cell phones and phantom sounds

Lamps don't turn on by themselves, do they?

Okay, so I’m starting to get a little spooked. Things have been a little unusual here lately. My daughter’s cell phone has been a bit crazy. A few days ago she reported that the alarm went off early waking her up in the morning – but that the “sound” wasn’t the alarm it was set to, and upon checking the alarm was indeed set for another time. Okay, so I blew that off.

Yesterday, she experienced it again. This time, she decided to explore the “sound” options on her phone and discovered that the sound that has been waking her up is not on her phone. Yet, when it happened, she was able to turn the noise off from the phone. This left us a bit puzzled and wondering what could be happening – but I still wasn’t too concerned and figured it was some weird quirk of the phone.

This morning I arose before dawn, crawled out of bed as usual and got my cup of coffee. I then walked into my office – located just outside the bedroom – and went to work. Sometime later, the dog decided it was time to go out and came into my office to notify me.

When I passed the bedroom door, I noticed that my lamp was on – which wouldn’t be that unusual except I know I didn’t turn it on. I never turn it on in the morning, as there is enough light from an outside streetlight to see clearly in the room without the lamp.

Ordinarily, I’d simply assume I turned the light on for some explained reason – but after yesterday’s mysterious “Pssst!” and the odd cell phone behavior – it has me wondering again.

Who Ghost There?

Things have been quiet lately, but somehow I knew it couldn’t be permanent. When the skeptic started playing with a robotic dog last night, I knew the ghost wouldn’t be far behind. You see, in the past another electronic “toy” had to be put away because it would suddenly activate for no reason.

This morning while sitting at my desk writing, I suddenly heard a loud “Pssst!” from behind me. I looked around and there was nothing to be seen. I was home alone and both the cat and dog were sleeping. As usual, I rationalized and thought perhaps the dog made the sound in his sleep and went back to work.

A little while later, I heard it again – but this time the cat sat up and looked around for the source of the sound. Convinced it was nothing to be alarmed about, she has gone back to sleep – I, on the other hand, am left wondering who or what is so insistent on getting my attention this morning.

Maine Bigfoot

Maine Ridge Monster

I’m not sure why, but it never occurred to me that there may be Bigfoot sightings in Maine. I guess I thought if there were, I would have heard the stories myself growing up. While doing some research today for an article on Examiner, I ran across some interesting reports. I won’t repeat them here – but if you are interested you can read about it in Maine Bigfoot.

The Maine Ridge Monster interested me most, mainly because it supposedly haunts areas fairly close to my home. Quite honestly the name fits, as there are many locations in the area referred to as “the ridge”, but I’ve never heard the tales.

I have heard tales from “in behind the mountain” – an area where many woodsmen settled and raised families in the early 1900′s. Several people experienced some unknown “animal” following them down the road. As the story goes, the individual would hear the sounds of “something” following them in the woods just off the road, but when he stopped to listen the sounds would stop too. When he began to walk the sounds of brush cracking and popping would continue to follow him down the road.

Perhaps the Maine Ridge Monster has been tracking us all along.

Ghost Cats and Phantom Squeals

Just when I had begun to believe that any odd occurrences in my home were either a figment of my imagination or some weird illusion – it happened again. This time it was a sound.

My husband – the skeptic – and my daughter were watching TV in the living room while I was at work in my office. A large open archway connects the two rooms, so I am able to look into the living room to the couch area.

Suddenly, I heard this loud squeal that I naturally thought was part of the show they were watching and didn’t think much of it – until they both uttered “What was that sound?” From my vantage point, I could see both the dog – who was lying quietly, and the cat – who was asleep on the bed.

Their explanation was that it sounded like it came from the side of the couch and that they both thought my cat had been injured – sending them into a bit of panic.

We have no idea where the sound came from – although we all heard it from the same general area – and couldn’t find anything to cause it.

I do know that when we first moved in here three years ago I thought I saw a ghost cat on several occasions – but haven’t seen it in a long while. I kinda chalked it up to an overactive imagination spurred on by getting used to the natural shadows of the house, but now it has me wondering.

Maine Haunted Schools – Edith Lombard

I’ve recently taken a position as the New Age Examiner for none other than “Examiner” and have published my first article there – Haunted Schools: Edith A Lombard Elementary School Springfield, Maine This story is near and dear to my heart and gives a brief description of the Haunting of the Edith Lombard School in my hometown. As a little background information, the woman referred to in the story (who witnessed the ghostly figure) is my late mother. I lived across from the school for many years, attended school there and many years later I taught there for two years. If you have the time and inclination, please stop by. I’ll fill you in on some “personal” stories from the school later.

Friendly Ghosts or Deceptive Spirits?

As Ghost Hunters’s winds down the year with their Bethlehem investigation, I find myself wondering exactly why we are all so fascinated with the thought of ghosts and spirits living among us.

As you know, it has always been difficult for me to reconcile my belief in some unknown beings inhabiting our living space with my Christian beliefs. I find myself at odds – knowing full well there is more than meets the eye in this world, but not knowing – or wanting to believe – it is really the spirit of those who have passed on.

I am always a bit uneasy when Jay and Grant so casually tell clients that they have nothing to fear and that any entities present are harmless. I don’t know how they can say that. I don’t know how they can conclude that the spirits are friendly with a few hours of investigating.

It bothers me because common sense tell me that if a ghost or spirit were dangerous, it just might pretend otherwise. Perhaps it is my Christian upbringing that makes me believe that ghosts and spirits are better left alone – perhaps it is my ignorance that fuels the uneasy feeling that they may not be so benign – perhaps it is my own past experiences that color my perceptions of the paranormal.

It’s not that I don’t believe there are harmless spirits – its just that it seems reasonable to me that those who intend to cause harm probably wouldn’t be upfront and honest about it. It seems likely that they would be deceptive. So, I am left with the nagging feeling that maybe – just maybe – we shouldn’t be so quick to accept that all is fine.

Ghost Hunters — Fact or Faked Random Thoughts

Let's Make a UFO Video!

Maybe I’m a little touchy lately, but I found the Fact or Faked episode a bit offensive last night. I have to wonder what SyFy was thinking when they ran the Fact or Faked episode trying to debunk ghostly images at Waverly Hills Sanitarium immediately after the Ghost Hunters episode investigating Waverly Hills. That in itself seemed a bit tacky.

It seemed a bit like suggesting that Fact or Faked is an authority on the paranormal, while paranormal investigators — like TAPS — who spend their lives in the trenches doing all the work are bumbling idiots who don’t know the difference between two space heaters setting in a hallway and an apparition.

I mean really, who goes ghost hunting, sets two space heaters in the middle of a hallway and then goes “Holy cow I caught a ghost!” when the heat signature shows up on film?

I’m tired of the Fact or Faked crew with all their theatrics and scripted lines. We won’t even mention the stupidity of thinking someone who wanted to “fake” a UFO sighting would think:

“Let me fill a pool with ping pong balls and create some mist with dry ice and film it. That will make everyone believe in UFOs!”

Sure, one might be able to duplicate the images that way, but if you are going to debunk paranormal claims, use some common sense.

I did enjoy Ghost Hunters, but I got the nagging feeling something was off last night when Jay and Grant captured the three voices. I take my cues from Grant’s expressions and reactions to events, and something felt wrong.

Was it my imagination? Probably. As I said, I’ve been a little touchy lately and might be a wee bit critical.

Ghost Hunt Chilling Tales of the Unknown with Jason and Grant

I ran across a fairly new site with video clips and evps from Jason and Grant. Although some are from episodes of Ghost Hunters, some are not. I was particularly interested in the EVP from “Jealous Ghost”.

The info provided states that the names Klaus, John and Emily were heard in the EVP, but if I’m not mistaken, the “spirit” responds that his name is Klaus and then proceeds to say “I’m sorry John and Emily.”

Am I imagining things or do you hear this too?

The Others . . .

I just finished watching “The Others”. I find it such a fascinating movie.

I must admit that on occasion, while wandering around my home, I wonder if someone in the future is watching me and calling me a residual ghost. And then, I wonder, if they were, what would they see me doing?

Would they see me sitting at my desk typing? Sitting in my backyard admiring my garden? Walking down the little country lane with my dog?

If I’m going to be a residual ghost, I hope at least I’m doing something I enjoy — not something terribly mundane and useless like washing dishes or doing laundry.

What do you think? Do ever wonder if actions you perform now might be viewed at some point in the future by some unsuspecting person who chooses to occupy your space? Do you ever wonder if the bumps in the night are really ghosts or if you are the ghost and they are the real inhabitants of your home?