JW's family bought this house in 1976. They knew the original owner and her family. In 1990, when JW's dad passed away, his mom found it hard to live here on her own and decided it was time to sell it. Because we lived in a mobile home with 3 small children and we longed for a house to raise them in, we offered to buy it from her and keep it in the family. So in September of 1993, we moved in. It felt like such a huge place after being in such close quarters in our first sweet little home.
Right away, Staley began talking about her friend Adam who lived here. I assumed, that like her sister, she had an imaginary friend. I questioned her about him and she could tell me exactly what he looked like. One day she told me he had died here. Now, in the history of the house, we know of no children who have passed away here, but who am I to say whether or not Adam was or is real? We never felt threatened or scared.
A few years later, a yard stick which had hung beside of the refrigerator for as long as JW could remember started to swing around in a circle on the nail where it hangs. We were in the living room which is right next to the kitchen. We watched it swing for several minutes and then stop.
One night, Madison was in the living room watching tv and came running into the kitchen where I was and told about a white 'something' that floated across the hallway. Was it one of our friends here to check on things?
Our dogs, and even Madison's cat would see things in the room with us that we could not see. They never seemed alarmed or scared. We just assumed our people, as they had become known as, were there with us.
I have smelled a sweet cologne and even the stale scent of a cigar that will pass by you. I call one 'The Lady' and the other 'Cul', which was the man who built our house. Someone who knew nothing of the smells said that he knew Cul from long ago and he always had a cigar. Whatever the case, they seem to be happy here.
Other smells have filled one particular room in our house. It was Madison's bedroom and is now my sewing room. When my grandmother passed in 2010, my heart broke, but I knew she was where she worked an entire lifetime to get to. In 2011, Madison and Adam became engaged and Madison wanted me to make her wedding gown for her. I planned and drew and made a trial bodice piece to get the sizing right. During this time, I would smell the sweet smell of my grandmother. I felt a comfort and figured it was just me remembering our time spent together while she would sew. One Saturday, I asked Madi to come by for a fitting of the bodice piece. When she went into that room, she asked what I had in there that smelled like Mawmaw. I could not believe it. She smelled her too. We both were happy to think she was there to oversee this grand project. Fast forward to a few months later when I am sitting and hand stitching the hem in the dress. It is spring and I glace over at the window beside of me to see the most amazing thing. On the outside of the window, spelled out in what we call 'pollen worms' from our trees were the letters, LOV. I had kept my camera there by my side as I was making the dress and immediately took a picture. I know for sure she must have been there.
Just the other day, as I was getting ready to leave for work, I heard a baby cry from another part of the house. Today it was a knocking in the dining room.
Through the years we have experienced many, many other unusual happenings from pictures flying from the wall to strange mists and notes being played on the piano. Whatever it is or whomever they are, they are our People. We feel them, and in some odd way, they bring us comfort in knowing we are never alone. Happy All Hallows Eve.
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