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    Winter Thoughts


    2010 - 05.04

    But while this winter wasn’t a bad one, it was definitely different. And one of the things I noticed this year was the spirit activity. Because we live in a haunted house, we always have some type of spirit activity. Whether it’s human, animal, or entity. Most of the spirits here are family and friends. But because both Joe and I are mediums, we also attract spirits that are just passing through. It’s like they see us almost as a lighthouse with a beacon that shines a bit brighter than some. That beacon of light tells them we can see and hear them. So they stop in to say hi, say hello to our live in spirits and either decide to visit awhile or just keep going.

    At Christmas time, we seem to get a lot more spirits-they enjoy the festivities of the season. They seem to be attracted to the lights. But one of the interesting things is they also seem to be attracted to those of us that get depressed this time of year. Are they here to cheer us up? Or were they depressed in life? I would have to say a little of both. I’ve had some spirits passing through here that thought they were on Comedy Central. And then, of course, you have the smart alec ones. They are the ones with the one liners. To those of us that can hear them, it’s really funny. We had one spirit here that we used to call drop dead Fred. His energy seemed to speak of a man in life who was probably depressed most of the time, but kept the depression at bay by always being funny. He hadn’t changed much in death. But he hated to be called Drop Dead Fred. I had given him that name and he finally yelled at me one day about it. Kept telling me, my name is Fred damnit!!!! Just plain Fred. So when I said ok, Just Plain Fred, well, you can guess. :)

    The other interesting thing about this past winter was the 3-4 day blizzard we had. Now, it wasn’t a constant blizzard. But it would snow like crazy, we’d snowblow the driveways, go back inside, get warmed up, relax. And then would look out the window a few hours later, yep, you guessed it, more snow. I think we cleaned out about 3-5 times from Friday-Monday. Finally that Tuesday, we looked out and saw sunshine.

    But the spirit activity during that time of the blizzard was the most intriguing. Do spirits feel cold or do they just have a memory of it? I found during those 4 days of on again off again snow that our spirit activity really picked up inside the house. We had a lot more just stop in and stay awhile. They would look outside and say things about it looking cold out there-but they would never say they actually felt the cold. When I would ask, they’d look at me like I was crazy and say have you been outside lately. Um, yes, thank you I have, I just finished the driveway. So I never did get a straight answer. But my thought is that what they feel is the memory of it. When they were alive, if it snowed, it was cold. Now, whether they can feel it or not, they still have the memory of it feeling cold.

    But like I said at the beginning, it’s spring here. We’ve cut the grass several times, the leaves are out on the trees, the forsythia bush has flowered, the apple tree has flowered, we’re waiting on the spirea bush. And our lilacs are beautiful. Even the 2 small bushes we planted last year are flowering.

    So, everyone have a good spring. Enjoy the nice weather. And say hello to the spirits as they pass through.

    Till next time.,

    After the Holiday Ramblings


    2008 - 01.20

    Ahhhh, the holidays are over. No more hustle bustle, no more worrying about the tie you got Uncle Fred. You’ve done all the parties, opened all the presents and are now paying the bills.

    It seems like the years go faster and faster every year. We just get the decorations from this holiday put away and then here’s the next holiday!

    And a lot of the time, it seems we forget the meanings and memories of past holidays. We are much too busy and into what has to get done to take a few moments to remember the joys we received from past times.

    My folks and I live on the “old homestead”. There are 3 houses-their house, a rental house they own, and then my house. I can literally walk out of my house and walk a few hundred feet and be at their doorstep.

    The house I currently live in used to belong to my grandparents. Nannie and Gramps-you’ve heard me talk about them before! Gramps was a rather gruff individual except with me. I adored him and he adored me. Nannie just loved everybody! Gramps was 6’2? and Nannie was about 5’1? maybe.

    Every Christmas, Nannie would call my folks to make sure I was up-this was usually at 6am-now who was the excited one? Nannie and Gramps would walk up with all the presents in tow. And would proceed to watch me open my gifts. I was an only child (can we say spoiled?) When we were all done, Nannie would take Gramps back down to their house where she would commence cooking. My Nannie could cook!!!!!!!!! Just around noon time, Mom and Dad and I would walk down, Uncle Paul and Aunt Edie, along with their son Dick! Aunt Clara May and Uncle Earl, my Uncle Pete would all show up.

    We would sit and eat till we were ready to explode! Uncle Paul would, every year, push himself away from the table, pat his ample belly, and say, “that’s the way a man should feel all the time”

    We would continue to open presents down at Nannie’s and would finally have dessert. Then the cleaning up would commence. Now, Nannie would bring out her best china every year. And every year, Aunt Edie would offer to do the dishes. Now, Aunt Edie was a little spitfire! And she would run through those dishes like a cyclone. And, of course, every year, she would drop or crack one or two of the china. So, every year, Nannie would look at Aunt Edie and say, no, no, you’ve done a lot, I can do these later. Aunt Edie would have none of that and would proceed to do her thing! And in later years, when I was first married, I would help do the dishes( no, I didn’t usually break any). But Nannie had a little secret and it took me a couple of years to figure it out. She started to put all the dirty pots and pans in the oven. Where no one would look, and she would do those later. One year, I finally got smart and looked in the oven. That year and for several years after, ALL the dishes would get done at one time!!! Then, one year after the feast, I looked in the oven-nothing there! Hmmmmm, where could she have hid them this year???? Nannie was laughing at me and telling me you’ll never guess. Until she looked out in the garage-yup, Nannie, the little rascal, had put them in her car! I told her after that stunt, she be hard pressed to find another hiding place for them.

    As the years went by, Gramps started to have health problems. So I started doing the holidays at my house. After Gramps had passed away, she took over the holidays again. When I finally had moved into “her” house, she said I could take the holidays back!! Nannie had moved over to the rental house. And it was still a short walk. So, one year, when Nannie had helped to do the dishes-yep-you guessed it, I put the pots and pans in my car!!!! She laughed till she was almost crying.

    So, I have wonderful memories of all those holidays, all the family, and the joy. But, with every passing year, things change. My folks are still here, and my cousin, Dick is still with us. All the other relatives that used to grace this house have passed and now celebrate with us on the spirit side of things.

    Our celebrations are much smaller now, kids and parents. I am proud to say I have a granddog, but no grandkids yet. No hurry guys-get married first and then make me a Grandma!!!!

    But even with all the hustle bustle that goes with the holidays, I always take time to remember all the other celebrations this house has seen. And each year, they bring a smile to my face and an occasional tear to my eye. The memories are all good.

    So, even though the holidays have past, take a few minutes in you’re busy world and remember the past-your loved ones, the good memories and then take one more step and share them with someone.

    Till next time.
    Cindy Lee