This blog has driven me utterly stir-crazy over the last few weeks, and I’m sure anyone trying to leave a comment on it has been seriously irritated too!
I felt as though I was going around and around in circles trying to solve the problem. At first, I contacted Justhost, the server, who kept telling me it was a developer issue.
I asked daughter what that meant [being a total technophobe and all…] and she explained that it must be the theme I was using which happened to be brightpage, so she changed it to this new one. Apparently brightpage is old and no longer supported, which is a shame as I rather liked it.
So.. problem solved I thought. Imagine my annoyance when comments were still timed out!!! Arghhhhh….I was getting to the point were I was considering stopping blogging altogether.
Back to the drawing board. I contacted Justhost again, and they ignored me, so I contacted them a few more times, and STILL they ignored me. Then, last night I replied to comments left on a previous post and, surprise, surprise….I was no longer being timed out!!! I even left a comment running for an hour and still it posted! I have no idea why the problem has suddenly resolved itself, but I hope it stays resolved……says she touching wood!
Bower blown down in the wind
On top of that problem, Flighty was kind enough to let me know that for some weird reason my avatar had suddenly decided to attach itself to an old blog that I deleted years ago…..I’m still working on resolving that issue. I shall have to wait for daughter to sort me out at the weekend!!
There was another hideous computer problem but I’ll won’t drone on about that!!!
Bower now acting as climbers outside the kitchen door
As it’s Halloween tomorrow I thought I’d share a couple of ghost stories with you. Now, I’m one of those people who has a strange kind of energy, I always think I’m overly electric. I’ve never been able to wear a watch, as they just run faster and faster on me and I have a terrible effect on electrical items, blowing them on a regular basis. I can also knock out street lamps by walking beneath them, and seem to kill all battery operated items just by holding them.
Over the years, I have often caught glimpses of things from the corner of my eye, and many a time heard things going bump in the night, but once, I really did see a ghost.
It was many, many moons ago.
I was working in a care home and it was about ten at night. All the residents were in bed and I was sitting in the lounge reading a book. I decided to make myself a cup of tea and walked out into the hall where I saw a little girl, aged about eight, kneeling down and riffling through the LP’s next to the record player. I was looking at her back. She had long, dark, shiny hair and was wearing a red jumper and blue jeans.
My instant thought was that she had come in from the orphanage next door that cared for about thirty children, so I immediately spoke to her. “Everyone is going to be worried sick wondering where you are“, I said, and, as I spoke she completely vanished! Poof… just like that!
The records she had been looking at kept moving after she disappeared though!
There were no stories of children ever having died in the building, and at no time did she look anything other than completely real! I didn’t even feel nervous afterwards either.
And finally….the American rocker story.
A few years ago I bought this delightful American rocker in an auction. The first night I had it, I was alone in the kitchen typing away on the computer, quite late at night. Suddenly I was aware of movement and looked around.
The rocker had moved four foot on it’s own and was gently rocking behind me, I didn’t hear a single sound as it moved!!! It still does that every so often, but less so these days, maybe because Annie has claimed the chair and loves to sit on it.
So….there you go…now….
anyone got a good ghost story for me?
Maybe your computer is haunted. Sorry about all the troubles.
Ghost story:
My mother told us that one time when my brothers and I were all wee things sitting around the table eating lunch she saw all three children and the family dog look toward the door leading down to the basement at exactly the same time — as though we heard something. She didn’t. And then all three preschoolers (and the dog) seemed to track something as it walked through the kitchen.
Lol….I hadn’t thought about my computer being haunted, maybe that’s what’s attracting the chair!!!
Oh wow….what an astonishing story, that gave me goosebumps, If only you could remember what it was that you were tracking!!! Tell you what, if I had been your mother I would keep that basement locked, not that that would stop any ghost! Thanks Debra.xxx
Great stories! The house next door to me in New York (upstate near the Canadian border) was very haunted. I was taking care of the house after the latest residents had moved out and saw the ghost watching me. I wasn’t very scared but my dog was terrified so I left. It was a tall dark thin thing without any facial features. Very creepy. So glad you didn’t stop blogging! 🙂
Ooooohhhhh, a ghost watching you? Wow……how amazing that you weren’t scared, I think I would have been, the description you give sounds absolutely ‘orrible!!! I would have been running for the hills!!! Thanks Casa.xxx
Wow, spooky wooky stories or what!
Computers hey, we love ’em and need ’em but boy can they be frustrating!
Suzy x
Lol, thanks Suzy. Oh computers and the internet are fantastic which is why it’s so frustrating when things go wrong and you have no idea how to fix them.xxx
How very frustrating about the computer glitches and blog bugs and so on…. Mercury was retrograde from 4th up till 25th October… and whilst it is retrograde there are lots of extra problems with any sort of communication things… whether computer or telephone or talking with other people….. So the minute I read your blog post just now I went and checked for it… and sure enough it has been retrograde…. I am not an astrology person but I am aware of that particular phenomenon…..!
Glad you are sorted out now albeit with different blog design… what a pest eh?
I have also experience of ghosty things…. I did find your story about the moving rocking chair rather creepy! 88| I wouldn’t have liked being followed like that AT ALL!!! xxxxx
Ahha! I have NEVER heard about the Mercury thing before, and since you wrote about it here I have read about it accidentally three times….how co-incidental! Well it sure affected me….communication became impossible!!! I shall look out for that now…..the things you find out eh…
Lol….it is a rather lovely chair so I have to put up with it’s little ploys, it doesn’t do it as often now…….
I bet you have some wonderful stories, I would love to hear them! Thanks Arose.xxx
Me again, I was just trying to work out how people include their blog link from their name… think I have done it now.
I have not written in my blog for ages, I should get back to it. 🙂
Glad you got that sorted, yes you must start posting again, I would love to see how your new garden is coming along.xxx
Spooky but I did enjoy the story.
Glad you enjoyed it Steph.xxx
Not sure which is scarier, your problems with the web host or the ghost stories! Sounds like I need to change themes, I’ve been on the same one for almost three years.
Oh…..I think web host problems are by FAR the scarier….just make sure the theme you are using is still supported, I had no idea that some weren’t! Thanks Jason.xxx
Love the stories and your blog, no matter the design! I’ve had lots of experiences others might call “other worldly,” but they aren’t, for me. Nothing like yours, though, Dina, although I fully believe them. Your energy sounds fascinating. I knew a woman whose Italian grandmother had second sight and I recall hearing her stories as a child…so neat, and kind of similar to your story about the little girl. She’d see people passing through rooms in “old-fashioned” clothes, feel hands touching her shoulder…just neat stories. I love how differently we all perceive the world and think that, if we’re open to our gifts and unafraid, lovely stories happen to us, like yours. Thanks for the reminder, and Happy Halloween!
I can imagine the experiences you have had….and would love to know and hear more!
It’s funny re my energy, my brother and sister are exactly the same, they can’t wear watches either and blow electrical items, our mother was just the same….it used to drive my dad crackers!
How interesting about the Italian grandmother!
I agree about us all being different and openness is the only way to be, I don’t think we know much at all really, even though the scientists would have us believe differently.Thanks Kitty, I hope you had a good Halloween at Full moon cottage.xxx
Oh-er. Spooky! I often wondered about my effect on electrical things too. They do seem to go wrong for me more often. I’ve had three electric toothbrushes in a row that have failed within weeks.. I’ve even read the instruction book (a first) to see what I might be doing wrong. Nothing as far as I can tell.
It’s really odd how some people wreak havoc with electrical items isn’t it, sounds like you have a similar problem to me. I seem to build up electrically, then blow everything, then become normal again. Thanks Jess.xxx
Now those are spooky stories. Would freak me out if my chair moved!
Lol….thanks Susanne, not everyone is a fan of self-moving chairs!xxx
First of all like you I hate it when I have technical glitches…..I have found the best thing to do is to simply walk away from whatever it is with the hope that it will right itself…….please never stop blogging:)
I am a little overcharged electrically myself….and love your stories. I definitely believe in the ‘unseen’ and also believe that some people attract the unseen more than others….like you and possible me:)
Hope you are having a wonderful trick or treat night.xxxx
Ahhh, thanks Janet, I do enjoy blogging and would miss it if I stopped. I always walk away too….this time everything righted itself, how odd!
Maybe too much electricity is connected to creativity…..oh yes, there’s an unseen for sure! We certainly have a lot in common you and I. xxx
Ahhhhh…..Have to watch out for you…with all the ‘mysterious energy’; perhaps that can account for the ‘blog gremlins’…..Hope you have a ‘ghost free Halloween’…..Hugs! xx
Lol…..thanks Bushka, maybe my energy does have something to do with all the techie problems. Halloween was wonderfully quiet.xxx
I love those Fly agaric mushrooms. I believe they have hallucinogenic properties!
Technical problems drive me insane, I wish I knew how to make my blog look more interesting but it is quite beyond me. I can only do the very basic stuff. I’ m always amazed I can even do that.
I love your rocking chair. I wouldn’t care if it rocked a bit by itself or moved around the floor if I had a nice chair like that.
No ghost stories I’ m afraid, nothing so exciting ever happens to me.
I love the toadstools too….many moons ago I worked with young offenders, when the toadstools were growing the lads were always as high as kites!!! The evenings they returned from home leave were nightmarish….I don’t know what they did with the toadstools but the effects were creepy, they looked at me with huge vacant black eyes and acted downright weird!
I’m useless on the computer….I really must try and improve….btw your blog is just fine the way it is!
I have to agree about my chair, I do like it so have no problem putting up with it’s antics.Thanks Chloris.xxx
It’s funny how some people are more ‘open’ to such experiences. Have you ever read Hilary Mantel’s memoir, ‘Giving up the ghost’? She too has had such experiences and I have no doubt that such things exist.
What a bore about your blog – glad it sorted itself, anyway! Always love your pictures. Interesting thought about your ‘electricity’ possibly affecting your laptop … ??
I haven’t read that so I shall look it up, it sounds most interesting….strange things always seem to happen to me, I always look for a logical explanation though….
Oh I do hope things stay fixed, it was driving me doolally!!!
Maybe my electricity was causing trouble….sighs….thanks Gilly.xxx
Avatar is a good All Hallows story in itself. So, we have three not two stories. That’s good value! A very wee misty thought….little girl could have been a previous resident or someone related to one. Another possibility is, a link to where the residential home/house stood. There are endless possible permutations.
I seriously hope I don’t get timed out because I may have been considered by the spectres to be a bit irreverent!
So, here goes with the posting………
I like your banner, it is colourful and delightful. xxxxx
Lol, yes, gravatar certainly is another strange story, and now everything has fixed itself…..how I wonder! Mine is not to reason why I suppose….
Ah yes, maybe the little girl was connected to the house, she was so vivid and looked so real, I often wish I had seen her face.
Oh….I’m SO pleased you didn’t get timed out, I hope you didn’t anyway, it’s so frustrating when that happens….here’s to things staying fixed. Thanks Menhir.xxx
I liked your old layout, too, and maybe you can go back to it now that the email time-out problem is gone? Or is it too old to work? And why should it be “old”??? Technological silliness. In any case, I’m entranced by those darling red mushrooms. Are they for real? Great re-use of that bower.
I didn’t know about your electrifying (or, rather, unelectrifying) abilities! Have a friend studying physical therapies and some of it has to do with currents in our bodies. Fascinating stuff.
As for ghost stories, I don’t think I have any. I do recall scary bear stories my camp counselor told. We were all about 10 years old or so, at summer camp in the mountains where we slept in large teepees that accommodated 7 or 8 of us, plus the camp counselor. She loved telling stories about previous campers who were stalked by bears when they went out after dark.
I shudder at the very thought of going back to the old layout despite really liking it…..timed out…what annoying words. I totally agree with you, why shouldn’t the old theme work, and if it’s not supported why isn’t it removed….so many questions but technological silliness is the perfect phase for it all!
Yes, my toadstools are real and I have about fifty of them at the moment, some actually grow in a fairy ring and always in time for Halloween.
Hahahaha….loved your bear stalking stories, if anyone had told me such tales as a child I would have been out looking for them! Thanks Anne.xxx
I sympathise, and hope that all your computer problems are now resolved. Thanks for the mention. Lovely pictures, and I enjoyed the stories.
I’ve always fancied a proper rocking chair, the one my mum had was usually occupied by one or more of the cats. xx
Thanks Flighty….I have my fingers and toes crossed….all seems well now.
I just love rocking chairs and think my one is so pretty, like your mother’s though, I never get to sit on mine, Annie is always on it.xxx
I actually like your new look blog – shame about all the problems you have been having – it goes like that sometimes doesn’t it – so frustrating – perhaps there were gremlins in the works. Loved your spooky stories though – perhaps you are just more receptive to these things happening – being a sensitive soul and all that.
Thanks Elaine, I’m beginning to get used to the new look now. I still have no idea how the problems resolved themselves….still…..let’s hope they stay resolved.
Glad you liked my spooky stories……I seem to be a magnet for weird stuff!xxx
Totally forgot my spooky story. Martyn my sister, her dog and I were staying in a cottage in Cumbria and experienced lots of strange things. I felt something touch my arm when I was reading, things fell off shelves thing went missing and reappeared where you had looked for them, A loud knock on the bedroom door that woke is up and we all heard, heavy footsteps on the stairs and landing when we were in bed and rattling of coathangers in the wardrobe on the landing and the dog reacting strangely to noises from behind a closed door.
Martyn who is sceptical about such things even thought some he couldn’t explain was going on. Just before we left I was writing in the visitors book and noticed other comments about strange things happening like the radio coming on. We inly read this at the end of our stay, Also the owner was on holiday and one morning the daughter arrived saying that her mother had insisted we check everything was OK. At the time we thought this was just a reference to the facilities but later we wondered. Later I wished we had talked to the owner’s daughter about what had happened but we felt a but silly doing so.
Oh wow, how very fascinating! I would absolutely love to stay there, would you mind letting me know where it was, it sounds dog friendly too….I’ve always wanted to stay in a haunted house, I’d love to see if anything happened to me. My hubs is a total skeptic too so it would be good for him to see a little activity. Thanks Sue.xxx
That’s a worry about JustHost as we use it for our website. If they ignore you again them expose them on Twitter or Facebook and I bet they make contact. I wonder whether you electric field is affecting the computer.
Just read Jo,s comment as I’m looking for a cream climbing rose but a yellow cream rather than a pinkish one.
How about Alister Stella Gray? A lovely climber, creamy- yellow.
Thanks Sue…..I was at the stage where I wanted to throw the computer through the window….so bloomin’ frustrating! Maybe you have a point about my vibe ……hmmmmm….xxx
I’m glad I’m not the only one who has computer issues, this cheered me up no end!
Lol….glad to hear that….so that makes two of us!xxx
Spooky. I don’t think I’d have stayed in the care home if I’d seen that and I’m afraid the chair would have to go. Sorry about all the problems you’ve had with the blog, I hope you’ve got it sorted out now. I’ve just seen your reply on the previous post so I’m going to look up all the roses now I know the names, I’ll enjoy seeing which varieties you chose.
I’ve just popped back to say I love Margaret Merrill, and the scent of that one sounds delicious too, and New Dawn. I’m looking for a climber or rambler so I’ll add New Dawn to my list of maybes.
I love Margaret Merril too and I have high hopes for New Dawn. Chloris has left a comment for Sue recommending Alister Stella Gray, maybe you would like to check that one out, it does look rather lovely.xxx
It’s funny Jo but I wasn’t at all scared when I saw the little girl, maybe because she looked so real……and I have kind of adapted to the antics of the chair.
Fingers and toes crossed….everything seems to be back on track….PHEW!!!xxx