The Secret of the Old Clock, or even better, The Hidden Staircase were two Nancy Drew favorites. I devoured all the books about that young "sleuth" when I was a kid, followed by nurse Cherry Ames' books. And then I read Jane Eyre. And from there on to Victoria Holt. Suspense on the English moors ... my cup of tea back then. There are those who describe me as the Queen of Drama with an intense imagination, probably linked to reading all those suspense novels when I was young. I love a good mystery, and we've been having them right here at at our house recently.1. There is a the sound of a groaning woman (sometimes a man) in our bathroom long after the commode has been flushed. I could almost swear she's in the attic overhead (think Jane Eyre.)
2. Sitting quietly all alone in my house and suddenly the sound of running water in the guest bathroom. As if another commode has been flushed, but it hasn't. I am alone in the house... aren't I?
3. Then up to the attic for the first time in awhile. I notice via our newly installed light (can you imagine for years we had only a flashlight up there) that a whole strip of insulation has been removed and placed on the other side of the attic. And where it was, is now a gaping hole revealing a small room of sorts (think The Hidden Staircase). Though the men in the family have tried to come up with reasons for this happening, they haven't convinced me of a good scenario. And as an aside, why wasn't that spare space included in the bedroom to make it larger?
4. And finally, something did go bump last night at our house. A huge crash startled me awake from upstairs where our house guest was sleeping. For awhile I lay there envisioning a fallen bed, a turned over bookcase, a flying home invader ... but since our guest had just traveled from the other side of the world I was hoping he just got out of bed and was disoriented and maybe walked into a door. I'm sure he'd come get ... us ... if .... as I drifted back to sleep.
Oh, the things we can think. I hope your guest wasn't hurt too bad. One night I heard things falling to the floor in my bedroom. A tree frog had found his way there, and jumping on the windowsill, knocked off osme knick-knacks that I had there.
ReplyDeleteWhen I finall got up and turned on the light in the bathroom, I saw a blob on the wall. After putting on my glasses, I found a huge tree frog on the wall.
While not afraid of things that go jump in the night, I did escort him outside so that I could go back to sleep without having him jump on me.
This totally fits in with a scary show I watched on cable t.v. tonight. Man. The time is perfect!!!
ReplyDeleteUm, is there a Part II? Have you checked on your guest? Love this post because I, too, devoured Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames (and you're the first person I've run into in my adult life who ever heard of her!), read every Victoria Holt I could get my hands on and moved on to Jane Eyre. You didn't mention Jan Karon but you have one of her quotes in your sidebar. I plan to blog about my visit to "Mitford" soon.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie
I also read all the Nancy Drew and Cherry Ames books. And I can't tell you how many times I've read Jane Eyre! And all the Victoria Holt books. How about Mary Stewart? I hope you figure out what's making all the strange noises!!
ReplyDeleteI think I read all the Victoria Holt books as well. In fact, I'd just keep reading until finished in one sitting and then want more. I'm not a nurse but loved Cherry Ames. I was in Blowing Rock while Jan Karon still lived there--and she was there. Several years later, after she moved to Charlottesville, VA I ran into her at Panera. Although she seemed very open, I didn't approach her but really wanted to. Enjoy your visit. I wonder if the Speckled Trout restaurant is still there.
ReplyDeleteBest,
Bonnie