Confession Tuesday - The Ghost Stories Edition

Dear Reader,

It's been a week of achieved goals and new comfy cozy pants for my retreat.  A new lampshade and a broken stove... what is on my mind today?

To the Confessional--

I confess after my crazy Spring Cleaning, after getting rid of so many things I was surprised to see I actually purchased a few new things last week.

This actually surprised me because I was SO sick of all the stuff to find myself actually buying new stuff seemed to go against what I was working for.  It was as if my two selves were struggling over the checkbook--one was saying "Stop, less is more" and the other was saying, "But I need new cozy pants for my retreat!"

The *more is more* voice one out.

And I now have two new pairs of cozy wonderful yoga pants to bring to my writing residency next week.  I also have a new purse (this was SO not on my list to buy!)

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I confess purses are my weakness.

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I confess whenever I do a big cleaning, organizing, or redecorating, something in my house breaks or falls from the wall.

Since moving her 14 years ago, I was always aware that my house has an--oh how do I say this without sounding insane--um, an extra spirit (aka ghost).  My friend, Nancy, told me her name was Tilda and she's a friendly ghost (like Casper).  And she is.  However, Tilda isn't too keen on change.

Whenever we do something to the house-- add hardwood floors, remodel/paint the guest room, move furniture around, something ultimately breaks, falls, or happens.

I could give you a list such as:  Add hardwood floors downstairs = Chihuly exhibition poster in my room falls off the wall at 3 am for no reason, Repaint the guest room = 2 glass shades from my lamp fall off and shatter on the floor, Big spring cleaning = stove element blows up & needs to be replaced.

You can call it coincidence and suggest that I do not have a ghost, just an old house with old things, but honestly, I can pretty much guarantee if we do something major to the house, something will break or fall for no reason.

Also, you may be saying, "This doesn't sound like a nice ghost" - but she is.  Really, I think she's lonely and wants to be noticed.  Nancy said she just wants to be asked her opinion.

We've enjoyed her antics for the last 14 years.  Plus it's kind of hopeful to have a ghost-housemate, a good reminder that things keep going long after we've put our bodies to rest.

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I confess I like ghost stories... a lot.

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I confess this post seems as if it should be coming out closer to Halloween.

P.S.  The writing residency I'm attending is at a location where many of the buildings and houses have been deemed "haunted."  I may have some stories for you when I return...

Amen.