Ghostly goings-on

As you will have read on Jon’s blog, Arabella has reached that certain age and has started laying eggs. Yesterday, we tried them for the first time and made some scrambled egg on toast. I could not believe the golden colour and the richness! Delicious. All we need now is a cow so that we can make our own cheese – another commodity at the CFZHQ that seems to sprout legs and disappear in a trice as soon as it is put in the fridge.

Since last posting, it has been very busy here in North Devon. On a personal front, I have been busy juggling the proof-reading of Exotic Pets magazine, Mark Fraser’s 2008 Big Cats in Britain Yearbook and Mike Hallowell’s Mystery Animals of Northumberland & Tyneside. I have now got to the stage when I even dream about them! Oh dear …

Graham has been busy putting up shelves in various parts of the house – those in the kitchen are a boon as there is now more space to put items of necessity within easy reach and I don’t have to don my miner’s hat and lamp to delve into the far reaches of the cupboards. It is always a journey into the unknown - who knows what lurks in those dark, dusty places?

Graham has also nearly finished the aviary – literally around a quarter of an hour’s worth of work to go, but that is, as usual, dependent upon the weather.

I witnessed my third Myrtle Cottage apparition last week. Graham, Jon and I were sitting in the office when I heard the back door slam, followed by footsteps on the gravel rushing down past the office door. I was actually sitting facing the door and saw a shape run past. I said to Graham something along the lines of, “Goodness, where is Oll off to at such a speed?” I had assumed that he was maybe checking something out with the chickens. Jon didn’t hear or see anything, but Graham heard it too. However, it was not Oll as he was in his room. Hmmm.

I am not sure that I actually recorded the first and second instances. The first was the year before last, before I had moved down here permanently. I was visiting for the weekend and, one night, saw a glowing orb at the foot of the bed for about half a minute. I was really chuffed, as I had heard so much from Jon and the others about strange noises and visions, and was feeling left out at never having witnessed anything myself. I was beginning to think these ‘residents’ didn’t like me lol.

The second was last year, when Shosh was staying with us for a fortnight on one of her veterinary stints at the local practice. It was around the time that she used to get back – 5.30 ish. Again, I was in the office sitting at the computer in the corner, when I heard the gate open and saw Shosh walk past the office door towards the kitchen. The hair colouring was hers down to a ‘T’ and the shape was so vivid that I got up, and went into the kitchen to make the ‘welcome home’ cup of tea, only to find that there was absolutely no-one in the kitchen. Upon asking, no-one had seen her. Well, they wouldn’t have done, as she didn’t arrive back until about half an hour later!

I had always imagined that it would be a bit scary to witness such things, but it wasn’t at all. Mind you, the last two were in daylight – if it had happened when I was up all night by myself last week I am not so sure! However, as insomnia seems to be plaguing me at the moment, you never know what I will be privileged to witness in the wee small hours.