Friday 9 October 2009

Sunday Scribblings "Things that go bump in the night"

G'Day,
From ghosties and ghoulies
And long legged beasties,
May the good lord deliver us.

Yes indeed, if such things do exist.
I reckon that for every myth, superstition or legend there is something imagined or real to be discovered and explained.
How's that for fence sitting.
Hehehehehe.
No really!
I have personally experienced some stuff that is unexplained.
The hairs on the back of your neck stand up, your scalp prickles and you walk away wondering what just happened. Trying to flick off the switch that has just been triggered until you are at a safe distance and you can analyze the situation.
Was that my imagination, or the wind or....or what?
Or was that hysteria caused by the last person you spoke to, who talked about what had happened to them and it has influenced you.
I guess if your mind is open to such things you will find them, or do they find you?
My maternal grandfather was an undertaker and he used to say that nothing dead is going to hurt you and you are safer in a grave yard any night than you are out amongst the living. Well words to that effect anyway. That didn't stop my uncles playing pranks when they were young. One of the old family stories they laugh about was of a young man who was a family friend and prone to getting spooked. One night he came to visit and coming through the back yard my uncles had set up a trap for him. A coat and clothes set up on the clothes line with rubber gloves filled with custard for him to walk into in the dark. He freaked. Well, as you would if you were that way inclined.
My son David, when he was a teenager used to hang out on Saturday nights with a group of boys from school. He set up a prank one night out at the cemetery. The boys had one of those big ugly full face monster masks. The prank involved telling spooky stories to the girls then they would drive out of town, to, then around the cemetery. David closed the gates behind them as they drove in and when they turned around to exit they would discover the gates shut. When they stopped to open the gates, he ran out of the bushes to the car wearing the mask and frightened the girls. The result; screaming and clutching by the girls and much hilarity from the boys. Brats. Country kids. Funny though, if you weren't their victim.
Junee, the town where we were living at the time, is notorious for supposedly having the most haunted house in Australia. Monte Christo. It is an old mansion originally owned by the people who held and developed most of the land surrounding the town. It has been the subject of many T.V. shows and studies. Junee being a small town is a place where everybody knows each other. Some of my workmates and friends grew up with and were friends with the people who restored the house. They talk of many sleepovers up there with the owners children and never being scared there, despite the stories that the owners have used to capitalize on and build the homes reputation.
I guess I am still a swinging voter on whether I believe in ghosties or ghoulies, and things that go bump in the night.
But.............sometimes things do happen, that leave you wondering.

***************************

This week I have had off work. It has gone so fast. You wouldn't believe how fast. As the saying goes, time flies....... I have just 2 days left before school starts back for the new term.
Today I did almost nothing. Lovely. I really enjoyed it. All I did was a few house cleaning jobs, cooked dinner early, made a slice, used up the worm juice from my worm farm putting it around the yard. Lovely. Nodded in front of the little heater sitting at the table. I also went for a walk to explore my new area. There are grassy walkway areas between the suburbs here that go for miles. We are 12 km along the walking track from the city and 2km from Woden town center.Yesterday I turned right at the end of the street and walked into Woden town center with Rufus our doggie. I sat down at a cafe and had a pot of tea and came home. On the way home I found some mushrooms growing in the park and grabbed a handful of them which I bought home and cooked for my lunch. There were lots more if I had something to carry them in, but I didn't have anything with me. The spring cold snap we have had during the past week must have tricked the mushies into popping up out of season. Yum! The walk took me half an hour each way, yes I am a slow walker.
This morning we turned left and walked for a half hour in that direction. There are some really nice houses up that way and some really nice gardens to go with them. Flowering abundantly to match the season. We came across a cranky magpie who dive bombed us in a park. He he. He/she wasn't bothered about me being in his territory, just Rufus.
My daughter rang today and she wants to have a 21st birthday party. Fine with me. I am happy to oblige with that. My boys interest was very limited in their 21st birthdays. My little braticus, my youngest baby is turning 21 in a couple of months, I must be getting old.
That's all folks.
Nothing profound or intelligent here.
Good night.
Love Linda.
.

11 comments:

anthonynorth said...

Ah, the unexplained. I've spent a quarter of a century researching it and trying to understand. It never ceases to fascinate me.

Lucy said...

those pranks would have scared me to death!! Love to play them hate to receive them!!

Cricket said...

I always thought being an undertaker would be rather strange. I recently became friends with one and he has the greatest sense of humor. He says his motto is to leave people laughing because you never know when it will be the last time you see them alive.

swapna said...

I'd like to believe what your uncle said, nothing dead would ever hurt you but living...you ought to have a second thought!

Good read, wishing your daughter an advanced 21st happy birthday!

swapna said...

I'd like to believe what your uncle said, nothing dead would ever hurt you but living...you ought to have a second thought!

Good read, wishing your daughter an advanced 21st happy birthday!

Anonymous said...

Hi Linda! I don't know if the dead can hurt us, but I do believe they often linger near.

I laughed at your kid pranks, something I would have done. When I was in college we would drive out to the old cemetary next to the highway late at night, climb up on the gate posts and pose as gargoyles, having a very good effect on any cars passing by! :-)

Happy birthday to your youngest! My daughter is now 34 and my son just turned 30. It makes me feel very old indeed, as I can remember my parents when they were that age!

gautami tripathy said...

I too think that the living hurt us more than the dead ever can.

solidified

George S Batty said...

I'm like you. I have never seen or heard anything weird except my first wife. I do lean to them being there. Loved the store about the cemetery. Pranks by young boys and girls can be fun.

Old Egg said...

What a delight to share some of your memories of ghoulish fun. Sadly most undertakers I have met take themselves too seriously...or perhaps they know something!

Dee Martin said...

Loved the prank stories and Happy Birthday to your daughter :)

gel said...

I enjoyed your post. I like the conversational style.