Month: September 2012

book review

Ghost Hunter Dr. Hans Holzer

Arlene

I started reading Hans Holzer back in the 60s when he first began writing books but had been investigating haunted places and the paranormal in a serious, scholarly way for some time. When I opened the book shop in the 90s I came across a few of the many books he had written since. By then he had published many books on finding ghosts and his attempts in releasing them to go forward to peace in the afterlife.

Recently when I saw that his daughter wrote a memoir about him, I became intrigued. Of course I ordered it immediately. The book came in the mail shortly. I could barely wait to read about what I expected to be an interesting, fascinating life. Think about it. Here was a man who traveled from one country to another, seeking ghosts, proving spirits roamed around us and had compelling evidence of life after physical death. He had 115 different books in print on those subjects.

Disappointment set in quickly. Surely there must be someone out there who can do a proper job of publishing the life of Dr. Hans Holzer.

opinion

Fun At The YMCA

Arlene

This is primarily for the ladies but you guys are welcome to read my words, too. We all have corners in our lives that turn us into a new direction. Yes, mine was heart valve replacement surgery but three months after that I went to the YMCA in Henderson NC for rehab therapy.

I admit my tongue was in my cheek. I was only there because my cardiologist encouraged it and friends kept urging me to go. So I did. And found much more than strength (after only 3 weeks I dug and planted a 3’ X 30’ herb/flower garden I’ve been wanting for six years but didn’t have the strength to do) and building new exercise habits.

I talked to just about everybody (approximately 40 guys & 5 gals) because everyone made me feel so at ease from the first moment I walked into the gym with wariness, all bug-eyed with –what-do-I-do-next-look in my eyes. I wondered how they knew I was a first-timer. Duh. There is a wide range of age from maybe 30 years and up and up and…..

Every Monday, Wednesday and Friday that I went, beaming smiles and hearty ‘good mornings’ greeted me. On leaving for the day, ‘see ya Wednesday’, or ‘enjoy the weekend’ and sincere comments were called out. From the staff, too. I think they probably set the pace for the rest of us to follow.  There was a genuine bond between the team that took prodigious good care of us all.

The chance to make others chuckle came as quickly as I found who I could tease. It was easy to know who liked to do what by just reading the tee shirts worn. Some were obviously fishermen, some walkers for charity, some were into music. You get the picture. Walking laps in a gym gave me the opportunity to read tee shirts and talk. What’s so hard about that?

Many of us wore red shirts on Fridays to honor those who gave the ultimate on past battlefields. One gentleman started the trend and talked to me about it on one of the laps around the gym. I thought perhaps he came from a military family. But no, he began reading WWII novels by W.E.B. Griffin while spending a lot of time in the waiting room of a hospital. That was an author I’d never read but have since he recommended him.

I often notice colors. Must have to do with the artist in me. It just so happened that one Monday I came in and saw nearly half the group were wearing yellow shirts and the other half were in various shades of blue. How does that happen? It was all by chance. Another day I remarked at the number of green shirts worn. Wow.

It tickled me to listen in on the camaraderie when I wasn’t a part of it. Here were people from different socio-economic backgrounds, raised in various places so obviously coming from adverse upbringings that were joyful in coming together to exercise and walk together. How delightful is that.

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Cats

Cat Tricks

Arlene

I’ve had to change some normal daily routines around here since Lady Jane developed diabetes. It ain’t easy. She is eating special dry food for diabetic cats. That is okay. She likes it. Well, let’s face it, there is very little in the food department that Lady Jane does not like except for tuna or salmon or sardines. Go figure.

But it is very expensive. If that is what it takes to get her stable, that is okay, too. But here is the deal.  Mz Lizzie is not diabetic so she is eating her usual Science Diet for Indoor Adult-over-seven-years-of-age dry food. Expensive enough on its own. Again, if that’s what it takes to keep

her healthy, fine.  So I have separated their foods. Jane’s in the usual kitchen spot; Lizzie’s in the bedroom where I can put the bowl out of Jane’s sight when not in use. Lizzie eats like a bird. Not in selection but in volume. She could care less about eating but eats to live. Jane lives to eat. She could be at the opposite end of the house and she will hear the tiny little rustle sound of dry food being eaten from a bowl. She’ll come sauntering in, trying to make me think she is being casual, leap up onto the worktable and push Lizzie out of the way to inhale her food. I scoop the bowl into my desk drawer to keep Jane from eating what is no longer good for her health. She looks at me with these pitiable eyes, asking me why I am being so cruel. Do I like Lizzie better than her? It is tough.

Lizzie likes to eat most of her food after midnight and again at 3 a.m. This poses a real problem for me. I like to sleep after 11 p.m. I cannot leave the bowl out in the open because Jane will gobble it down. So we’ve fallen into a new routine. When Lizzie is hungry she nudges me and nudges me and if I don’t wake up and get her food out of the desk drawer, she nudges me until I do. I’m desperate for a good night’s sleep. I haven’t had these problems since I had newborn babies and they have children of their own nowadays!

paranormal

Flower Fairies

Arlene

Again the roadsides in Warren County are abounding with flowers. This time there are two sets of yellow flowers, a tiny, beautiful and cheerful yellow close to the ground, long stretches of them. Also big bunches of daisy-like brilliant yellow flowers. So it is time to thank the Flower Fairies who tend them along with the birds which accidentally drop the seeds flying from one place to another.Image

I took my camera out to the garden at dusk to take a photo. The little white orbs that show up in the picture are the fairies. My garden is new and young and I think I should have waited another half hour before taking the pics so I can only see two orbs. Some flowers gather more fairies than others.

For info on Flower Fairies go to:  http://www.flowerfairies.com/

Plant an enchanted Fairy Garden next spring to experience a lovely happiness for yourself and all the delightful creatures which inhabit your garden of magic. For info on the planting got to:  http://www.gardenfairy.com/

paranormal

Ghostly Habits

Arlene

In the last ten years that I’ve been collecting the personal stories of people and their ghostly experiences I have come across a few common denominators. One is that often the psychically developed person generally has a forerunner that had the same gifts. Mostly it was a mother or grandmother noted. Maybe women are still more open speaking of such events as seeing ghosts or talking to spirits.

The other is the restoration and especially the alteration of a house, or building. Ghosts aren’t just found in houses. It seems that the apparitions are bonded to the dwelling for their own personal reasons and to the habits of their lifetime. So if a doorway is closed up or moved a bit further down the wall, it creates havoc in the world between here and there. They must wonder why changes must occur when things were suited to them in their lifetime. Yet spirits are known to walk through walls so I have no idea why it should make a difference to them.

When paranormal activity is new to an occupant that has lived for a long time in a house it is almost as if the ghost was sleeping then woken up by the noise of the contractor. Now that she is awake she is going to create a little noise of her own. The fascination for light switches, hair dryers and things electric in particular are common ‘toys’ for poltergeists. Framed photographs, books and other treasures are targets, too, but not with angry intentions. Just having fun as in Ghostly Spirits in Warren County etc.

It seems our personality and curiosity doesn’t leave when our bodies pass away.

book review

Powerful Peace

Arlene

J. Robert DuBois has written Powerful Peace a book I’m not quite finished with yet, but couldn’t wait to spread the word. He is a Navy Seal who has been fighting in the Middle – East and other places for many years. Apparently the spirits have chosen him, after his gaining the insight to see war from all sides of those involved to come up with a plan to bring about peace. His depth and compassion are remarkable; his ideas for peace plans are inexpensive and doable. Hopefully this military man will be able to reach those in higher authority and get them to listen to him. In the meantime if others who read his book and see the genius printed there, would gather together in following his ideas and pressure the politicians of ALL parties to work together in bringing about peace.