True Tales from the Tombs

                                                      

When I mention cemeteries, what is your first thought? Did you know that cemeteries are for the living as much as they are for the dead? I’ve been posting about my favorite cemetery, Laurel Hill, over the years and there is a reason that I love this place. This cemetery is a good place for me to communicate with the souls on the other side of the veil. I love learning about their history and the history of Philadelphia. But, there is so much more to like at the cemetery because of their kick-ass events.

My friend and fellow ghost investigator, Rita, and I began volunteering at the cemetery because of the many events offered during the year. One of our favorite is the one offered during Halloween. Last night Rita and I manned the refreshment table along with three other volunteers. The event was True Tales from the Tombs presented by the “Not Ready for Afterlife Players & Friends of Laurel Hill Cemetery.
                                                           

After visitors stopped at our refreshment table for their hot cider, cookies and candy, they were led by guides to visit several grave sites where the actors portraying the spirits of notable people like: Benjamin Hodgson, Maurice Fagan, Martha Drinnan, Margaret and Elisha Kent, Anne W. Penfield, Singleton Mercer, Margaret Fox, Nathan Dunn, and Mahlon H. Heberton talked about their life and unexpected deaths. Isn’t any death unexpected when the Grim Reaper points at us?

Under the skilled supervision of Nick McAllister, Beth Savastana, Emma Stern, Carol Yaster, Suhee You, Casey Cappello, Bill Doran, David Gurmai, and Shawn Jacobsen, the event ran smoothly and all the guests, both living and dead enjoyed a fabulous show in the crisp fall night.
                                                               

Check out the event page for Laurel Hill Cemetery to see the upcoming events and say hello to the spirits for me.

Eating With the Spirits

                                                           

I didn’t actually have a sit down meal with the spirits, but they were there with me and my friends. This week I had the opportunity to do two ghost investigations; one scheduled and one by accident. On Sunday night, Marti Haines and Marcia Moore, the owners of “On Angels’Wings” took a group of professional investigators to a beautiful café in Bordentown, NJ.

Under the Moon Cafe is owned by the mother and son team, Estela and Santiago Orosco and what they offer their customers is a warm and welcoming atmosphere with good home cooked meals which consist of Italian, Spanish/Basque and Tapas bars.
                                                                

While waiting for the rest of the group to arrive at the café, Rita and I ordered dessert and it was absolutely heavenly. As soon as the Café had closed, Santiago and his staff reported what they and their customers had experienced on many occasions. The investigation began soon after.
                                                         

While Marcia and Marti are still reviewing all the results collected that night, I will say this; the café is very active and the spirits friendly. I’m looking forward to returning to Under the Moon Café, but this time before we do the investigation I intend to have the Carne Con Ajos.

Unplanned Investigation

 

On Tuesday, Diane, Jean and I went to visit a fellow investigator at NE Philly hospital. It was late in the afternoon and we were hungry. Diane told us about the very old historical King George II Inn. She said the food was great and that it was haunted. The mention of ghosts convinced us to head on down to the river for what turned out to be a very interesting lunch.
                                                              

The story of the Inn starts in 1681 when Samuel Clift established a ferry service between Bristol, PA and Burlington, NJ. Ferries were the only form of transportation between these two towns until the opening of the Burlington-Bristol Bridge in 1929.

Over the years, the Inn, which is located at 102 Radcliffe Street in Bristol, Pa, passed through many owners and went by many names and the Inn boasts many famous people sleeping there. I often wonder how George Washington ever had enough time to even fight the Revolutionary War because this guy seemed to spend a lot of time sleeping at inns.
                                                             

As soon as we entered the building, all three of us sensed the spirits. Our psychic abilities so strong and the spirits so eager to interact with us that we didn’t need to use our equipment. We were able to get more information about the building from the owners and their amazing staff.
                                                         

After eating an exceptionally delicious lunch, Diane, Jean and I were given a private tour of the entire building; from basement to attic. We will definitely be returning to the Inn for the food, but this time we want to take our equipment and document what we saw and felt.

Conclusion

I see dead people, and so do my friends. Most of the time, we’re not purposely looking for spirits, but it doesn’t matter. The spirits know that we can see them and they want to tell us their stories. We like to listen.
                                                               

Almost all homes have a spirit. It doesn’t matter what the age of the building is because even if the house is not haunted, the land itself usually is. It seems that when the three of us girls are together, our vibrations are much higher and the contact with the spirit world is easier. What made these two investigations even more enjoyable were the fine food, great service and historic ambiance. Sometimes a haunting can be downright fun.

The Journey So Far on "The Walking Dead"

                                                         

There aren’t many shows that earn my undying loyalty. I love aliens so the X-Files filled that niche for me, but it was always the possibility of a zombie apocalypse that kept me awake nights. When Robert Kirkman’s graphic novel became a television series, I was hooked and so were all my friends and family. The talk at the office water cooler went from Fox and Scully to Rick Grimes and “Walkers.”

                                                              

I’ve been writing the weekly reviews of “The Walking Dead” for several seasons on Biff Bam Pop, and it is my favorite show. With the highly anticipated, but nerve wracking Season 7 premiere of “The Walking Dead” set for October 23^rd on AMC, it was time to touch base in a personal way with Andrew Lincoln’s Rick Grimes and his merry band of survivors.

The Journey

We know what’s coming on October 23^rd. We’re not stupid and we know that Lucille, Negan’s barbwire baseball bat, will be used to kill one of our favorite characters. I don’t care which character it is, their loss will be felt because “The Walking Dead” isn’t really a tale about zombies. It’s a story about people. Rick and his team have become more like family to us. They come to visit every Sunday night after dinner. We, their extended family, ask them every week, “What’s new?” Like regular family members, the news they deliver isn’t always pleasant, but they know that we can handle the good and the bad. That’s what families do.

                                                            

 

This past Sunday, we were taken down memory lane by the cast starting with the first season when Rick awakes from a coma to learn that the world he knew no longer existed. It was fun to hear from several cast members who have died on the show and, it was fun to get their input into their characters. I discovered that there was so much that I didn’t know about these apocalyptic family members. Their revelations only made me love them more. I was surprised to find that I even harbored fond memories of The Governor (David Morrissey). Thanks to the Governor, I’ll never look at fish tanks the same way again.

                                                        

                                                     

Every family is led by the patriarch and TWD’s father figure is, and always will be, Rick Grimes. The story is really about him. I wrote an article on my observations on Rick Grimes growth through the seasons and you can check it out here. Rick has made some wise choices and he’s made some bad ones, but his heart was always in the right place and his main objective was keeping his people safe.

Conclusion

We’ve stood behind Rick Grimes and his people for six seasons and we’ll most likely stick with him to the bitter end. I don’t know how I’m supposed to prepare for Sunday’s show. It will probably be similar to watching a car crash happening in slow motion. We know someone we love is going to die, but there isn’t a blessed thing we can do to stop it. I can imagine the Tweets and Facebook messages that will take place during and after the show. I did hear there will be an eighth season.

                                                              

 

The Walking Dead has done what no other series has ever accomplished. It has taught us to survive in the face of overwhelming challenges. It has taught us loyalty. It has shown us how an abused and mousey housewife, Carol (Melissa McBride), became a kick-ass superhero and, it has shown how a gentle giant, Tyreese (Chad Coleman) was able to protect three children after everyone else ran for the hills. The most important lesson we’ve learned is that the dead can’t hurt us as much as the living and, when the dog doo hits the fan; we’re on our own.

See you next Sunday and check out my review on Biff Bam Pop.

Letting Go

                                                            

                                                                

When we think of letting go, we normally think that we are losing or giving something away. We may fight that urge to just let happen because we assume that to let go is to lose control of the situation. But, and this is something that I’ve been learning this past year, sometimes to let go is in reality an act of power. When you release your fears, anger, and pain; you become strong.

                                                                     

I was having tea with friends recently and the subject of forgiveness came up. It is hard to forgive someone who has caused great harm to you. Forgiveness is something that GOD preaches, but for us mortals, it is a yoke that is hard to bear. Maybe it’s because we didn’t understand what GOD was really saying when he said, “Forgive as I have forgiven you.” Maybe what GOD meant was for us to “Let It Go!”

We don’t have to allow the abuser back into our lives to forgive. We can forgive and send them GOD’s love without ever speaking to the abuser. We are in essence saying, “You were a rotten snake in the grass and you made my life a living hell...but, you are a child of GOD and I am forgiving you from the safety of my home. I am sending GOD’s love to you even though I don’t ever want to see your face again.”

                                                                       

Once we send this message and let go of the bad memories, our life changes because we are no longer carrying the pain within. WE Let Go! We are finally at peace with ourselves because our mind can concentrate on the positive. We don’t need to play the scene over and over in our minds. The yoke has been lifted. By sending out GOD’s love to our enemy instead of bad karma, we are sending out positive vibes and this means that positive vibes will return to us.

GOD doesn’t hold grudges. HE abides our constant transgressions. HE forgives and HE lets go. He accepts our confessions and promises of doing better, knowing that we are human and flawed. I want to be more like GOD. I have been forgiving my enemies and sending them GOD’s love.

                                                               

I’ve even done this with the two candidates that are running for President. I found this to be a bit harder than I expected, but I did it. I sent out a ball of love towards both candidates. I have to be honest and tell you that I was really tempted to send a bolt of lightning to one of the candidates but I behaved myself.

                                                         

 

Let’s try something different for the next few weeks. Why don’t we all let it go and not put any political nasty stuff on social media? We can talk about our kids, the weather, sports, the holidays...anything but the political circus. I’m starting now.

Ready?

Let It Go!!!!!!

Steampunk Granny on God's Way TV with Aldolphina and Thomas 10/14/2016

                                                             

I was invited back to God's Way by the wonderful and gifted hosts, Adolphina Shephard and Thomas Knights Templar. I love going on the show because the topics are so important about what is going on in the physical world and the spiritual world, which we humans are a part of both. Can't have a conversation about one without the other.

I had to rummage through my outfits to pull together a modified Steampunk outfit. This was my third time on the show and I was teasing Adolphina that I need to buy more Steampunk outfits if I keep coming back as a guest. On the show with us was Mary Silvernail who is a Psychic, Astrologer, Shaman and Psychic.

Check out the topic for tonight's show: Nibiru. While Adolphina was a guest on an earlier show with Christine , producer Brian LaPayower showed me what goes on in the control room as the show is filmed. It was very interesting for little ole tech challenged granny. Enjoy both videos. Here is God's Way:




Here is Adolphina and Christine Schiavone on Spiritual Exploration

Andiamo Francesco!

                                                           

                                                  
                                                   

This year I did something that I dreamt of doing my whole life. I took a trip to Italy. Although it was my first time out of the country, I was not alone. I took the two ghosts that hang out in my attic with me. My father and mother never had the chance to return to their home while alive, so I took their spirits with me when I went on the Leisurely Rome and Tuscany tour offered by Globus and Starr Tours.

                                                              

                                                            

This was a big step for me, especially because I deal with a compromised immune system, plus and this is more important than my illness, I have a habit of getting lost no matter where I am. My husband, who is well aware of my bad sense of direction, kept reminding me before the trip to stay close to the tour guide. Dan was worried that I'd wind up in some other part of Europe. I was excited and scared to death at the same time because I was going alone, but I needn’t have worried. New friends were waiting to meet me.

                                                                

                      from the left: Tonya, Me, Mary, Ken and Virginia

The van ride to the Newark airport gave me a chance to chat with the other New Jersey people who would be part of the Leisurely Tour. One of my new friends, Virginia, was interested in writing and most of the ride to the airport was devoted to the opportunities that awaited her. After the long plane ride which included a disgruntled passenger complaining about the food, which I thought was very tasty for air travel, we landed at the Rome airport where we grabbed our luggage and headed over to the first of the hotels our group would be staying at.

                                                             

The first thing I did as soon as we arrived at the Villa Carpegna was to order a cup of cappuccino. After we were assigned a room, we met with Francesco Nardin, who was to be our tour guide for the entire trip. By this time, Mary and Ken, Virginia, Tonya, Tracy and Sharon and I had become buddies with the other members of our tour group. My fears of being alone were soon gone. I had met the nicest people and the trip had just begun.

                                                             

                                 Francesco, Me, and Wendy doing a photo bomb

Rome and the Vatican were more beautiful than I had expected and I was so excited about seeing the Colosseum. Our tour guide, Francesco, was so learned in the history of this city, but he also had the help of a local tour guide to answer any questions we had about the St. Peter’s Square and the Colosseum historical events.

                                                                

I was trying to connect with the spirits attached to the Colosseum, but I didn’t want to freak out my new friends and I had to keep up with the tour group...maybe next time

                                                       

The next hotel we stayed in was in Montecatini, but first we stopped at the Vicchiomaggio Wine Cellars for a Tuscany lunch. We also got to see the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the Square of Miracles before arriving at the hotel.
                                                            

                                                 

At the Astoria Hotel I was happy to discover that my room had a balcony. It also had a female ghost, quite a lovely woman, who wanted me out of bed the first night I slept there because she needed to make the bed. I convinced her to wait until morning. She told me that she had worked at the hotel a long time ago. She loved the place and so she stayed. There was also a ghost in the dining room.

                                            

She was also a sweetheart who explained to me that she originally lived in a house on the land the hotel was later built on. She was connected to the land, but loved the comings and goings of the guests. Neither ghost bothered any of the guests. They only came to me because I can see them. When I go back to Italy, I intend to stay at the Astoria Hotel again because of its quaint ambiance and lovely hotel staff.
                                               
                                                             

                    From the left: Me, Virginia, Mary and Tonya                                           

One of the best memories I have of this vacation is when a few of my friends and I played hooky from the main tour to ride the train up to the mountain top to visit Montecatini Alto. Tonya, Mary, Virginia and I spent the loveliest afternoon visiting the old churches and the shops. Our lunch was the highlight of a peaceful day.

 

Every day, our wonderful tour guide, Francesco, would take us by bus to visit a new site. When we would lag behind, we would hear him calling out, “Andiamo! Andiamo!” That’s Italian for get your butts moving. Florence was a treat, although we had to watch out for the gypsies. Francesco also made sure that people, like me, who had special dietary needs, were always served the correct food. I have diverticulitis which means that when I eat the wrong foods, I can wind up in the hospital. I was so touched by this young man’s vigilance in keeping his charges healthy. Thank you, Francesco.

                                                             

The trip to Lucca and Vinci and then to Assisi were magical and again we were treated to a special guided tour by one of the local guides who knew everything about Leonardo Da Vinci. The streets of most of the towns we visited were steep and I actually lost weight from all the walking even though I was eating and drinking my way through this vacation.

                                                                   

The last night was spent in Rome at the Pineta Palace. There were no ghosts, except for Fred and Lucy. The Farewell dinner was wonderful as were all the dinners and, we did get to walk through Rome one more time before we left. Tonya and I got to share a special Italian treat; roasted chestnuts. When poor Francesco got too weary from losing me, he gave me the flag to lead the tour. I guess he thought he could keep a better eye on me.

Conclusion

I don’t know why I waited so long to go on this trip, but now that I have traveled overseas, the travel bug has been awakened in me.
                                                                   

My father is now pestering me to visit the town of Maratea. This is where his family is from and where our last name comes from.
                                                                  

I'm saving for the next Italy trip, but if I can’t get my husband to go to Maratea, I’ll just do what I did this time. I’ll take Fred and Lucy. I'm sure they'll introduce me to more ghosts when I'm there.