Before I go into hospital I thought I would do one post. It is about the Christian Churches and their views on psychic gifts and mediumship. I am a Roman Catholic by birth and have followed that faith throughout my life. It is due to this that I have struggled desperately with these other "gifts" that I appear to have.
All of my life I have been ridiculed for my belief in God by those who believe in only the here and now. The very fact I am a Catholic makes that worse in their eyes. There are people in life who always look for what is bad and they will pick out only those things they hear about which they can abuse you with. e.g. priests who have run off with a woman, allegedly molested children, priests who have run off with men - all manner of things. Well, we can see all of these things in all walks of life, but sadly, there is a small minority of people who wish to look for the badness and love to bring down what is inherently good. This says more to me about those people than the ones they talk about.
Yes, these things happen. They happen in all other religions and non religions as well. Basically ALL religions are based on goodness and love. Sadly, many people who follow these religions do not do what they are meant to. Also, the ones who are meant to lead do not always do what they are meant to. Fact of life. The reason being - we are all human and have a human's frailties. What has all of that got to do with psychic gifts and mediumship I hear you ask. Well, it is another thing that goes against what the church believes in. Maybe not on the same level as child abuse, but the same level as a priest breaking his vows of chastity I would have thought.
You see to me, there are God's laws and there are man's laws. God's cannot be broken, but man's can be. I have hunted all over the Bible for chapter and verse on mediumship and psychic gifts. I have read books galore from all manner of faiths and religions on this subject. I have wrestled with my conscience and asked for Divine guidance. I have come to the conclusion, be it right or wrong, that there are some things in life that are a true mystery and that should not be delved into too deeply. There are some things we are not meant to know about whilst of this world.
To each is given a gift or gifts. How we use these gifts is what I think is important. Many can be the type which have produced composers such as Mozart, Chopin,Beethoven etc. It can be people who have designed magnificent buildings or made a mark in many other ways. It can also be gifts more ordinary but equally as important such as a person who can help others just by being there. A listening ear when needed, a kind word when no one else wants to know. There are all manner of gifts given and it is up to us whether we use them at all and whether we use them well or abuse them.
It is the same with supernatural gifts in my eyes. If they are totally natural and not forced then I believe they are of God and to be used to help others. This is why I don't like the idea of "Fortune Telling" which is what most people want. What I do believe in is the gift of healing, the gift of mediumship and the various psychic gifts which, if used properly, can help people.
Jesus healed and "knew" things about people. He did all manner of things and while I don't for one minute put myself, or others who practice these gifts, in the same bracket, I do believe we are given these gifts to help people. The ones who have them naturally always seem to be genuine, caring people who do it for the right reasons. The ones who force it and try to "learn" it are invariably the ones who charge a lot of money and can cause a lot of upset. This is not true of all, but of many. One good way to tell if someone is genuine or not is by who benefits the most. Do you who seeks their help, or do they who overcharge you and tell you nothing to bring any comfort? If you leave feeling empty and disillusioned, then that peron has not being doing it for you but for their own glorification.
There are also others who do these things and have no belief in God, but they are truly good people who do this for the good of others and out of a desire to help. These too are good people. There are many who do these things the wrong way and use people for their own ends. You will have to judge for yourself who you think to be genuine and who isn't. Just be careful and do not part with too great a sum of money. That should give you a clue immediately.
Jesus said that what He did, we would also be able to do. So why do the churches (of ALL faiths) tell us we shouldn't? I think it may well be because of the fact there were so may frauds and charlatans out there and they had to control it somehow or other. There were probably many doing things in God's name when they weren't actually doing His work at all. Maybe that is why they had to try and control it. I don't know, but it would make sense don't you think? Maybe the only way to curtail it was to ban it altogether. I do know that one Pope recently had a healer go to him to try and help. If it was wrong in the eyes of the church then that wouldn't have happened would it? Also, if there is no such thing as mediumship, why does the church have exorcists?
Too many people dabble in what they perceive to be the different or glamorous world of psychic phenomena. They want to be seen to be "different". These are the people to be wary of. These are the people who dabble where they shouldn't. These are the ones who can cause all manner of upset and wreak havoc. What about the genuine ones? - no, I think if God didn't want us to do it, we wouldn't have been given the gifts to start with. If all it achieves is goodness then it must be of God. If, however, it causes any upset or harm to others, then it is not of God. God can only do good, so if anything at all, or anyone, does things that do not have this outcome, then you know it is not God's work. That does not mean that there has to be a success rate every time. That would be unrealistic. But, it should always leave you feeling warm and contented and at peace. If it doesn't then you know it is wrong.
I may be wrong with my thinking, but it is a conclusion I have come to after many years of studying books on all manner of religious beliefs and doctrines. This is why I choose not to advertise what I do and do not charge much at all. I never charge for healing and only charge a minimal rate for "readings". If God wishes me to help someone, then that person will come into my life somehow or other. It has worked up to now and that is how I shall continue to practice. If it is meant to be then it shall happen. There are phases when I am sought out quite frequently and then other times it goes very quiet. I KNOW I could get a lot of work and make a lot of money if I advertised, but that is not what it is about in my eyes. People have always arrived when they needed to find me. I have no doubt they will continue to arrive as and when He sees fit.
Sunday 19 July 2009
Sunday 5 July 2009
HAUNTED HOTEL Part three
This part of the story is not about ghosts or haunting. This is to tell you how my psychic gifts came to life just by being there. This place must have the most incredible energies because everything came so easily and naturally without even thinking about it. Practically everything I said turned out to be pertinent. I have already told you about Tom, the chap with the cloth cap who sat on a bar stool. Well, this evening was to follow on from that.
After the frightening events of the night before, it had occurred to me to ask about changing rooms. As the "ghost" and I had appeared to come to an agreement though, I thought maybe I could stay there and at least try one more night in the same room. Also, I was told that this time, the hotel was fully booked and that the two rooms below me would be occupied that night. Reassured that all would be well (easy in daylight) I set out for the day and enjoyed a good trip to Longleat Safari Park. I love it there and so had a truly good day. I returned late afternoon and went upstairs to change and have a rest before dinner.
At approximately 7.30pm I went down to the bar and had a glass of wine before dinner. Although the hotel was full, I still chose to eat my evening meal in the lounge bar's eating area as I liked the atmosphere in there. The food was absolutely super and I stuck to the one glass of wine without ordering a bottle. It was a large glass and I'm not a great drinker so decided that would probably be enough for the evening. I noticed throughout my meal, that the chap behind the bar kept glancing over at me. Now I'm not deluded enough to think he was interested in me, but was intrigued as to his fascination. I soon found out.
I had no sooner put down my knife and fork than he was upon me asking if I wanted pudding. I declined and ordered coffee. He then checked there was nothing else apart from the coffee I wanted and then said "In that case, can they all come in now?" Totally confused I asked what he meant. He opened the door which led into the main bar area and said "It's alright, you can all come in". I sat stunned as a long line of people trooped into the lounge bar all looking at me as they passed. They found chairs, stools and whatever else they could find and sat down facing towards me and just stared smiling expectantly. I could sense an air of excitement but didn't know why or what it was about.
The owner came in and sat down at my table. She apologised about the mass of people and said she had mentioned to a couple of villagers what I had said about Tom and that Richard, the local who had come in the evening before, had verified what I had said. They were all intrigued and wanted to see if I could "do more". Well, nothing like this had ever happened to me before in my life.
As I looked around at them with a stunned look on my face, one of them asked me a question. She actually asked me "If we had a secret, would you be able to see it?" Without pause I looked at her and said "Yes, you were 13 at the time". She went pale. I don't know who was more stunned out of the two of us. I hadn't a clue where that had come from because I hadn't even thought about "linking in" or anything of the sort at that point. She had run a way from home at that age and I saw it all clearly in my head. The whole evening progressed that way.
I would talk to one person and if another asked a question I answered immediately. Another example of this was when one person I was reading for was being told about a car accident and someone who had died. I was explaining the circumstances, the road it happened on and the surroundings. I was also saying what the injuries were (without being too graphic). As I was doing it another chap interrupted and said that it sounded like his uncle's accident. Again, without thinking I turned to him and said "It's nothing like it at all. This was near a river in the country and your uncle's was on the motorway". Again, stunned silence. I turned straight back to the first chap and carried on with his reading.
Then one of the girls spoke to me. As she did so I started to describe a house, the grounds, the fact that there were three horses and then I hesitated and said "do you know, doing this makes me Tickled Pink". As soon as I had said that, I looked at her and said "What on earth made me say that whilst I was describing the horses? It's not the sort of thing I would say". She looked tearful and told me that Tickled Pink was the name of the third horse which had recently died.
The evening carried on in this vein and not one person was missed out. The telephone kept ringing and people were asking if "that woman" was still there and could they come down. Apparently, some of those who had been there, had gone rushing home and telephoned friends to tell them what was happening. A few even drove in from a nearby town to see me! It was quite amazing. The owner of the Hotel (or Inn) was very sceptical but intrigued. She kept asking people if what I had said was REALLY true or were they just saying it was.
Well, the fact she started talking to me made it her turn. I cannot go into detail as this one was pretty private. She told me to carry on in front of the people there, but it wouldn't be right to relay anything here. What I can say is, I described someone to her perfectly. I said how they had died, how the illness had progressed and what happened because of it. Gave their name to her and how the person was connected to her and various other details. She was in tears but asked me to carry on. Suffice to say, she wasn't a sceptic after I finished.
I sat there until 3 am in the morning doing this. I was exhausted. It was alright for them, but I now had to go back up to my haunted room - alone. Any noises this late at night I couldn't put down to other residents and so I was rather timid about going to bed. I needn't have worried as nothing at all happened. I went to bed and slept brilliantly again.
The next night my sister was coming for a meal. Several people came up asking me to do it all again and I declined. People get paid a fortune for that sort of thing and there was me doing it all for nothing. That said, the owner had taken me that day to another village some way off and treated me to lunch there. They had taken quite a bit at the bar the night before because of what I did and she wanted to thank me.
One chap who approached me the following evening was from a nearby town. He had come back especially because he had made enquiries about a hall in his town and hiring it. He then asked me if I would come and do a show there! Me, a show! Don't be daft. I declined. He was so upset as he thought that he was going to make quite a bit of money out of ticket sales. He kept asking and said that it could be a regular thing with me coming up at regular intervals and doing that town and several others nearby. It could have been very good for me in some ways but not others. That isn't what I believe in.
The last thing I will tell you is that every person in there that night had a reading. Many of them were told things about future events also. One person in particular I had to take to one side privately away from the others. I had seen pictures in my mind and as I started talking to her got a feeling I should stop and not say more in front of people. She kept badgering me and in the end I had to take her to a private room and tell her what I had seen. I explained I thought it was something I shouldn't know about and others definitely shouldn't. I had picked up on something she was going to do that was top secret. She was astounded I had seen it and what's more described surroundings so clearly.
A couple of years later on visiting for a lunchtime meal, I was told that all I had said had come about. There were those who approached and wanted me to give them readings there and then but I didn't. Once was fine and it had been spontaneous, but not this time like this. I can do all of the things I have just talked of if I choose to but not like that. At least I don't think I could do it like that again. I've never been in the same position a second time so who knows. All I do know is, that was the first time it had happened on such a huge scale and I am convinced it was down to all that goes on there.
I have since found out that many years ago when executions were the norm the grounds of that hotel were used for hangings. Whether that is correct or not I'm not sure. One thing I do know is, if ever you want to try a haunted hotel go there. Ask for the room at the top. If you have the courage I challenge you to stay there alone.
After the frightening events of the night before, it had occurred to me to ask about changing rooms. As the "ghost" and I had appeared to come to an agreement though, I thought maybe I could stay there and at least try one more night in the same room. Also, I was told that this time, the hotel was fully booked and that the two rooms below me would be occupied that night. Reassured that all would be well (easy in daylight) I set out for the day and enjoyed a good trip to Longleat Safari Park. I love it there and so had a truly good day. I returned late afternoon and went upstairs to change and have a rest before dinner.
At approximately 7.30pm I went down to the bar and had a glass of wine before dinner. Although the hotel was full, I still chose to eat my evening meal in the lounge bar's eating area as I liked the atmosphere in there. The food was absolutely super and I stuck to the one glass of wine without ordering a bottle. It was a large glass and I'm not a great drinker so decided that would probably be enough for the evening. I noticed throughout my meal, that the chap behind the bar kept glancing over at me. Now I'm not deluded enough to think he was interested in me, but was intrigued as to his fascination. I soon found out.
I had no sooner put down my knife and fork than he was upon me asking if I wanted pudding. I declined and ordered coffee. He then checked there was nothing else apart from the coffee I wanted and then said "In that case, can they all come in now?" Totally confused I asked what he meant. He opened the door which led into the main bar area and said "It's alright, you can all come in". I sat stunned as a long line of people trooped into the lounge bar all looking at me as they passed. They found chairs, stools and whatever else they could find and sat down facing towards me and just stared smiling expectantly. I could sense an air of excitement but didn't know why or what it was about.
The owner came in and sat down at my table. She apologised about the mass of people and said she had mentioned to a couple of villagers what I had said about Tom and that Richard, the local who had come in the evening before, had verified what I had said. They were all intrigued and wanted to see if I could "do more". Well, nothing like this had ever happened to me before in my life.
As I looked around at them with a stunned look on my face, one of them asked me a question. She actually asked me "If we had a secret, would you be able to see it?" Without pause I looked at her and said "Yes, you were 13 at the time". She went pale. I don't know who was more stunned out of the two of us. I hadn't a clue where that had come from because I hadn't even thought about "linking in" or anything of the sort at that point. She had run a way from home at that age and I saw it all clearly in my head. The whole evening progressed that way.
I would talk to one person and if another asked a question I answered immediately. Another example of this was when one person I was reading for was being told about a car accident and someone who had died. I was explaining the circumstances, the road it happened on and the surroundings. I was also saying what the injuries were (without being too graphic). As I was doing it another chap interrupted and said that it sounded like his uncle's accident. Again, without thinking I turned to him and said "It's nothing like it at all. This was near a river in the country and your uncle's was on the motorway". Again, stunned silence. I turned straight back to the first chap and carried on with his reading.
Then one of the girls spoke to me. As she did so I started to describe a house, the grounds, the fact that there were three horses and then I hesitated and said "do you know, doing this makes me Tickled Pink". As soon as I had said that, I looked at her and said "What on earth made me say that whilst I was describing the horses? It's not the sort of thing I would say". She looked tearful and told me that Tickled Pink was the name of the third horse which had recently died.
The evening carried on in this vein and not one person was missed out. The telephone kept ringing and people were asking if "that woman" was still there and could they come down. Apparently, some of those who had been there, had gone rushing home and telephoned friends to tell them what was happening. A few even drove in from a nearby town to see me! It was quite amazing. The owner of the Hotel (or Inn) was very sceptical but intrigued. She kept asking people if what I had said was REALLY true or were they just saying it was.
Well, the fact she started talking to me made it her turn. I cannot go into detail as this one was pretty private. She told me to carry on in front of the people there, but it wouldn't be right to relay anything here. What I can say is, I described someone to her perfectly. I said how they had died, how the illness had progressed and what happened because of it. Gave their name to her and how the person was connected to her and various other details. She was in tears but asked me to carry on. Suffice to say, she wasn't a sceptic after I finished.
I sat there until 3 am in the morning doing this. I was exhausted. It was alright for them, but I now had to go back up to my haunted room - alone. Any noises this late at night I couldn't put down to other residents and so I was rather timid about going to bed. I needn't have worried as nothing at all happened. I went to bed and slept brilliantly again.
The next night my sister was coming for a meal. Several people came up asking me to do it all again and I declined. People get paid a fortune for that sort of thing and there was me doing it all for nothing. That said, the owner had taken me that day to another village some way off and treated me to lunch there. They had taken quite a bit at the bar the night before because of what I did and she wanted to thank me.
One chap who approached me the following evening was from a nearby town. He had come back especially because he had made enquiries about a hall in his town and hiring it. He then asked me if I would come and do a show there! Me, a show! Don't be daft. I declined. He was so upset as he thought that he was going to make quite a bit of money out of ticket sales. He kept asking and said that it could be a regular thing with me coming up at regular intervals and doing that town and several others nearby. It could have been very good for me in some ways but not others. That isn't what I believe in.
The last thing I will tell you is that every person in there that night had a reading. Many of them were told things about future events also. One person in particular I had to take to one side privately away from the others. I had seen pictures in my mind and as I started talking to her got a feeling I should stop and not say more in front of people. She kept badgering me and in the end I had to take her to a private room and tell her what I had seen. I explained I thought it was something I shouldn't know about and others definitely shouldn't. I had picked up on something she was going to do that was top secret. She was astounded I had seen it and what's more described surroundings so clearly.
A couple of years later on visiting for a lunchtime meal, I was told that all I had said had come about. There were those who approached and wanted me to give them readings there and then but I didn't. Once was fine and it had been spontaneous, but not this time like this. I can do all of the things I have just talked of if I choose to but not like that. At least I don't think I could do it like that again. I've never been in the same position a second time so who knows. All I do know is, that was the first time it had happened on such a huge scale and I am convinced it was down to all that goes on there.
I have since found out that many years ago when executions were the norm the grounds of that hotel were used for hangings. Whether that is correct or not I'm not sure. One thing I do know is, if ever you want to try a haunted hotel go there. Ask for the room at the top. If you have the courage I challenge you to stay there alone.
Thursday 2 July 2009
OOOHHH MATRON
Did you know that I used to be Matron in a boys boarding school? Funny isn't it. Can you believe me doing that. I was twenty eight years old and it was a way to get half fees for my son at preparatory school. What a laugh. At the interview I was asked what I thought of children. Without thinking I told her I couldn't stand the blighter's. Would you believe that got me the job.
Children are fine if they are kept quiet, well mannered and away from me. Can't stand all that noise they make. Don't get me wrong, I would never hurt one and if I had to look after it I would, but I'm not one of these women that looks in prams and gets silly about it. I'd quite frankly rather have a litter of puppies.
Anyway, I got the job and was chief Matron and had to live in. What a laugh. I'll never forget my first drama. There was me sitting in my sitting room after lunch enjoying a coffee when a pounding sounded on the door. "Matron, matron, Johnson's broken his leg". Yes of course he has says me thinking it's a wind up. In those days I was slim with an enviable figure (didn't know it then though did I) and used to never wear trousers. Well, a lady doesn't does she? I soon learnt.
I traipsed out in my pink silk dress and high heels only to find myself facing a real drama on the furthest rugby pitch. Oh God it was for real. I haven't got a clue about first aid and here was I in charge with hundreds of boys' looking to me to do something. Head held high I did my best impression of Margot from the Good Life as I tiptoed knee deep in filthy wet mud across the rugby pitches high heels being sucked off at every step. I eventually got there and knelt down in this filth and on seeing his leg almost passed out myself. I was very controlled and did all the right things and escorted him in the ambulance to the hospital. I looked a real site in my ruined pink silk dress which was by now the colour of mud.
Then there was the time that a sick bug swept through the school. Every chap went down with it. One night in particular was pretty bad. Quite a few had me up all night having puked over their beds and clothes which meant mattresses had to be scrubbed and dragged down three flights and propped against the Aga to dry overnight. Even worse, the floors in the dormitories were floorboards and it all went in the cracks. Don't even go there on that one. At about 6am yet another knock on my bedroom door. Little Boeckmann C. (all boys called by surnames) aged 7 was sick. He was the only one that night who used a bowl. I nearly cried with relief. You good boy I cried as I clung to his full bowl and trumped down the stairs towards the bathroom. Halfway down I slipped. Yes, you guessed it, all over me. I fell in a heap at the bottom of the stairs with sick all over my head and dressing gown. I sat legs akimbo on the floor outside purple dorm laughing hysterically. The boys dashed out most concerned to see me laughing when I was in such a state. They had heard me fall down the stairs and were staring with bulging eyes not quite sure whether I had gone barking mad or not.
I was expected to support them in sport as it was a very sporty school. I adore rugby and thought nothing of charging up and down the touchline like a fishwife. When it came to cricket, however, I'm afraid it was another matter. I know, not very British of me, but it is so slow. I like it hard and fast - so to speak. I was expected to sit and watch the whole bally match whilst sewing and darning their blasted clothes. I DO NOT SEW. I will wallpaper, paint, cook, clean, anything but I do not sew.
The headmasters wife was never very sure what to make of me. To her I was staff-which I was, but I also had a life she didn't quite like me having. One day she came into my room-without knocking-and asked whose clothes were in the cellar drying. When I told her they were mine she was most put out. She was actually rather rude and informed me she had checked the labels!!!! How incredibly rude and strange. She asked how I could afford the clothes I had as there were some very expensive labels there. Well, quite frankly, I had never come across rude people like that in my life and was at a loss as to how to answer. So I didn't which annoyed her even more.
She was further confused another time when a friend of mine was coming to take me out and she saw what he arrived in. I couldn't understand why he hadn't arrived yet. He's always late anyway, but this was getting silly. Suddenly a knock on my door (that was a first) and in she walks. Big false grin on her face telling me my friend had arrived and was in their drawing room having a drink would I like to join them! Turned out she had seen a Rolls Royce parked outside the playground door and decided she needed to know who it belonged to and had dragged him into their room for a drink while she 'fetched me'. She had asked where we were going and what we would be doing. He told her he was taking me to France for a meal. He also told her that he was flying and it was his aeroplane. I could have killed him.
Another time, I had borrowed a different car belonging to the same friend. It was a sports car and rather a flash one. It never occurred to me to think about it as I often used his cars. I drove it into the school and parked in Matron's space. Immediately the car was surrounded by all the young lads. I went up in their eyes immediately, especially after I gave some of my boarders a ride in it. I was only insured for all the cars because he was too lazy to drive me home sometimes and it was easier for him to tell me to take a car.
The boys were from age 7 to 13. Like most young boys a few had reached that 'difficult age'. I was 28 slim and obviously causing a stir with some of them as it turned out. I wasn't allowed a lock on my sitting room or bedroom doors for some reason so never felt really secure. One morning lying in bed, I was awoken with the duvet being yanked off me at force. I awoke with a start to see three boys standing at the foot of my bed. they had obviously planned to try and catch Matron naked. Didn't work. It was winter and like all good British boarding schools there was no heating.
I was wearing pyjamas, bed jacket and bedsocks so they never even caught a glimpse of ankle. Would you believe when I told the headmaster about it I was the one to be told off. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't lock my door. What was I meant to do when I was asleep. That was the last straw. I had been there a year, was working an average of 90 hours a week and was fed up with the headmasters wife with her digs at my social life and acquaintances as though I wasn't entitled to know the people I did. I had enjoyed it for the year but enough was enough. I decided to leave at the end of that term. It was great fun in some ways, but by golly do they work you hard.
So there you are. Another little episode from my very varied life. Hope you enjoyed it. It may not have the intrigue of my Jeffrey Archer/John Major tales but it was still a good time for me in some ways. Speak to you all again soon. Bye for now,
Lorraine. x
Children are fine if they are kept quiet, well mannered and away from me. Can't stand all that noise they make. Don't get me wrong, I would never hurt one and if I had to look after it I would, but I'm not one of these women that looks in prams and gets silly about it. I'd quite frankly rather have a litter of puppies.
Anyway, I got the job and was chief Matron and had to live in. What a laugh. I'll never forget my first drama. There was me sitting in my sitting room after lunch enjoying a coffee when a pounding sounded on the door. "Matron, matron, Johnson's broken his leg". Yes of course he has says me thinking it's a wind up. In those days I was slim with an enviable figure (didn't know it then though did I) and used to never wear trousers. Well, a lady doesn't does she? I soon learnt.
I traipsed out in my pink silk dress and high heels only to find myself facing a real drama on the furthest rugby pitch. Oh God it was for real. I haven't got a clue about first aid and here was I in charge with hundreds of boys' looking to me to do something. Head held high I did my best impression of Margot from the Good Life as I tiptoed knee deep in filthy wet mud across the rugby pitches high heels being sucked off at every step. I eventually got there and knelt down in this filth and on seeing his leg almost passed out myself. I was very controlled and did all the right things and escorted him in the ambulance to the hospital. I looked a real site in my ruined pink silk dress which was by now the colour of mud.
Then there was the time that a sick bug swept through the school. Every chap went down with it. One night in particular was pretty bad. Quite a few had me up all night having puked over their beds and clothes which meant mattresses had to be scrubbed and dragged down three flights and propped against the Aga to dry overnight. Even worse, the floors in the dormitories were floorboards and it all went in the cracks. Don't even go there on that one. At about 6am yet another knock on my bedroom door. Little Boeckmann C. (all boys called by surnames) aged 7 was sick. He was the only one that night who used a bowl. I nearly cried with relief. You good boy I cried as I clung to his full bowl and trumped down the stairs towards the bathroom. Halfway down I slipped. Yes, you guessed it, all over me. I fell in a heap at the bottom of the stairs with sick all over my head and dressing gown. I sat legs akimbo on the floor outside purple dorm laughing hysterically. The boys dashed out most concerned to see me laughing when I was in such a state. They had heard me fall down the stairs and were staring with bulging eyes not quite sure whether I had gone barking mad or not.
I was expected to support them in sport as it was a very sporty school. I adore rugby and thought nothing of charging up and down the touchline like a fishwife. When it came to cricket, however, I'm afraid it was another matter. I know, not very British of me, but it is so slow. I like it hard and fast - so to speak. I was expected to sit and watch the whole bally match whilst sewing and darning their blasted clothes. I DO NOT SEW. I will wallpaper, paint, cook, clean, anything but I do not sew.
The headmasters wife was never very sure what to make of me. To her I was staff-which I was, but I also had a life she didn't quite like me having. One day she came into my room-without knocking-and asked whose clothes were in the cellar drying. When I told her they were mine she was most put out. She was actually rather rude and informed me she had checked the labels!!!! How incredibly rude and strange. She asked how I could afford the clothes I had as there were some very expensive labels there. Well, quite frankly, I had never come across rude people like that in my life and was at a loss as to how to answer. So I didn't which annoyed her even more.
She was further confused another time when a friend of mine was coming to take me out and she saw what he arrived in. I couldn't understand why he hadn't arrived yet. He's always late anyway, but this was getting silly. Suddenly a knock on my door (that was a first) and in she walks. Big false grin on her face telling me my friend had arrived and was in their drawing room having a drink would I like to join them! Turned out she had seen a Rolls Royce parked outside the playground door and decided she needed to know who it belonged to and had dragged him into their room for a drink while she 'fetched me'. She had asked where we were going and what we would be doing. He told her he was taking me to France for a meal. He also told her that he was flying and it was his aeroplane. I could have killed him.
Another time, I had borrowed a different car belonging to the same friend. It was a sports car and rather a flash one. It never occurred to me to think about it as I often used his cars. I drove it into the school and parked in Matron's space. Immediately the car was surrounded by all the young lads. I went up in their eyes immediately, especially after I gave some of my boarders a ride in it. I was only insured for all the cars because he was too lazy to drive me home sometimes and it was easier for him to tell me to take a car.
The boys were from age 7 to 13. Like most young boys a few had reached that 'difficult age'. I was 28 slim and obviously causing a stir with some of them as it turned out. I wasn't allowed a lock on my sitting room or bedroom doors for some reason so never felt really secure. One morning lying in bed, I was awoken with the duvet being yanked off me at force. I awoke with a start to see three boys standing at the foot of my bed. they had obviously planned to try and catch Matron naked. Didn't work. It was winter and like all good British boarding schools there was no heating.
I was wearing pyjamas, bed jacket and bedsocks so they never even caught a glimpse of ankle. Would you believe when I told the headmaster about it I was the one to be told off. I couldn't believe it. I couldn't lock my door. What was I meant to do when I was asleep. That was the last straw. I had been there a year, was working an average of 90 hours a week and was fed up with the headmasters wife with her digs at my social life and acquaintances as though I wasn't entitled to know the people I did. I had enjoyed it for the year but enough was enough. I decided to leave at the end of that term. It was great fun in some ways, but by golly do they work you hard.
So there you are. Another little episode from my very varied life. Hope you enjoyed it. It may not have the intrigue of my Jeffrey Archer/John Major tales but it was still a good time for me in some ways. Speak to you all again soon. Bye for now,
Lorraine. x
Wednesday 1 July 2009
HAUNTED HOTEL Part two
As I was lying in bed reading my book the handle of my bedroom door suddenly rattled very loudly indeed. Someone was turning it backwards and forwards very hard indeed and trying to get in the room. I nearly jumped out of my skin. I put on my glasses and glanced over at the door with my heart thumping. The brass ring was swinging backwards and forwards. Oh my goodness did my heart thump. I tried to calm myself and put it down to someone trying the door having got the wrong room. In reality that wasn't very likely. I have explained the layout of the hotel and how this room was placed well away from the others.
There were only two other rooms on this side of the hotel and they were at the bottom of the stairs which were used to reach where I was. I knew it couldn't be a mistake really, but I had to try and calm myself. In those days I didn't even have a mobile telephone as I didn't believe in them. Lying there quite cut off from the rest of the hotel, I had to try and calm my nerves. There wasn't much chance of there being an axe murderer or anything in this tiny village so I had to calm my imagination.
I had just settled down with heartbeat back to normal when there was the most enormous bang. It sounded like one of the bedroom doors downstairs had slammed shut. But the force of it made the room shake. Again my heart thumped. Oh my God, what on earth had made me think staying in this place was a good idea? Again I tried to think sensibly. I did deep breathing to calm myself and said that it must be the wind. Although my room had its own bathroom, I knew others didn't due to the age of the place. Maybe someone had got up to go to the loo and the wind from an open window had caught the door.
Before my heart had stopped thumping, the same thing happened again. Oh no. Heart thumping completely wildly now and with hands visibly shaking, I decided to tell myself that they were back from the bathroom and the wind had caught the door again. What else could I think? It was too difficult to settle and so I got up and put on the kettle. Good old British cup of tea sorts everything out doesn't it. As the kettle was boiling, I sat on the chair and picked up my book. I had no sooner picked it up than I hear the stairs creaking outside my room. Someone was coming up the stairs. This was nearly midnight by now. I really didn't like this place. I was getting more and more scared by the minute. I didn't know what to do. There was no telephone in the room, no mobile and I was cut off from everyone else. Oh dear.
Yet again the door handle rattled very strongly and I could see it turning. Eventually it stopped turning and just swayed. Well sod it, I wasn't going to sit there petrified for the rest of the night. I hadn't heard the steps creak and groan again so whoever it was must still be outside my door. I decided to throw open the door and face whoever was trying to scare me.
Very silly I know, but when you're that scared it's amazing what you'll do and I've never been one to give into fear, I would rather face it. I tiptoed to the door so as not to alert them I was approaching, unlocked it and threw it open. No one. Nothing at all. Impossible. There was no way they could have got down the stairs that quickly and disappeared. Well, they must have because no one was there. I assumed it was some silly idiot in one of the two rooms at the base of the stairs who had dived down and rushed into the room quickly. They had probably heard it was a middle aged woman on her own and that it would make for some good fun to scare her out of her wits. Or words to that effect!
The second I locked the door, literally the second, the handle rattled and shook again. I jumped out of my skin and scooted to the far side of the room. I stood there staring at the door and shaking like a leaf. Now I KNEW no one was out there and that if they were, it was a physical impossibility to have done that so quickly. What on earth was going on.
All went calm for about quarter of an hour. Again I started to relax. I went back to making the tea and this time managed to get it done. I sat in the chair drinking my tea and watching the door for what seemed like hours. It was probably only half an hour, but at that time of night in a village miles from nowhere, with no telephone and the night completely silent and black as only the depth of the country can be, half an hour can feel like an eternity.
I eventually got the courage to crawl back into bed. This time, I had put on the bathroom light and pulled the door so that a small glow of light would shine into the bedroom. No way in the world was I sleeping in a room with no lights on after what had been going on. If I should be able to sleep, then I wanted to be able to see what was going on should I be woken up by anything.
As you know I am a medium and by now, I was starting to wonder if this was a ghost. I kept telling myself not to be silly that there weren't such things. The dead can't hurt you - can they? Well I have watched my fair share of horror films with ghosts and ghoulies and it does make your imagination run riot at a time like this. At that point, I wasn't sure what would be worse. A human being trying to frighten me, a human being out to hurt me, or a ghost which I knew nothing about or what to expect from it.
I decided that a ghost would be better. If I was a medium then why wasn't I picking anyone up? I had never come across this before and so it was very strange and scary. A feeling I never get when practising mediumship. Lying there with the bedside light still on, I tried to "tune in". Nothing. Come on, I thought. If there's anyone there then let me know. Anything is better than this not knowing. I had a whole night to get through. Still nothing. I got up and went to the loo. My thinking was, if I DID manage to get to sleep, I didn't want to be woken up wanting to go to the loo. I would just end up petrified again.
I crawled back into bed and taking courage in both hands switched off the bedside light. Everything was pitch black. I shut my eyes tightly and then re-opened them. This time, I was able to see an outline in the dark due to the faint glow coming from the bathroom. Everything was quiet and, although not calm, I had at least managed to console myself that all was now well. I was lying on the right hand side of the double bed nearest the door in case a quick exit was needed and was just about to turn onto my side to prepare for sleep when - someone got into bed next to me! I went cold. I know now what "a chill went up my spine" means.
I actually felt the mattress sink down as someone got onto it. How had they got into the room. Eyes staring wide so that they were almost popping out of my head I turned to look. Nothing and no one. The air next to me was icy cold. I pulled all my mediumistic ability to the fore and tried to tune in. Nothing. I couldn't believe it. How could someone be there and me not know it.
At least now I knew what the problems had been. the hotel was obviously haunted. I had always wanted to stay in a haunted hotel but not alone and like this. I was petrified. I knew by the cold air what it was. When I read for people and link in, there is a coldness that comes around me, usually on my left side. By that, I always know I have linked in so to speak. This air is exactly what that felt like only much colder. I decided to speak to whoever it was.
I told them (in my mind) that they were very welcome to be here as they were here before me. I told them that they had really scared me and asked them not to do it again. I then asked if they would let me share the room with them that week and that I was very tired and needed a good night's sleep. Next thing I know it was morning. I don't even remember falling asleep or finishing the conversation. Obviously, whoever it was had decided they would let me stay there and share the room with them. The fact that I had acknowledged them seemed to settle them down. The rest of the week, I was allowed to be aware of a presence in the room but was never disturbed again by being frightened by whoever it was.
The next morning at breakfast I was asked how I slept. I relayed the night's events and it was only then that they told me I was the only guest in the night before. Each other night the hotel was fully booked, but that one night I was the only one. I said about the bedroom door downstairs and she then told me that they were both locked and no one had been near them. Everything was down to my ghost. She later told me that those three rooms were known to be haunted and that's why they put me there. They had wanted to know if I would pick anything up. Oh I did that all right. Thanks very much! It was also on this second day, that I was to have another very extraordinary evening that would involve most of the village residents but I'll tell you about that tomorrow.
There were only two other rooms on this side of the hotel and they were at the bottom of the stairs which were used to reach where I was. I knew it couldn't be a mistake really, but I had to try and calm myself. In those days I didn't even have a mobile telephone as I didn't believe in them. Lying there quite cut off from the rest of the hotel, I had to try and calm my nerves. There wasn't much chance of there being an axe murderer or anything in this tiny village so I had to calm my imagination.
I had just settled down with heartbeat back to normal when there was the most enormous bang. It sounded like one of the bedroom doors downstairs had slammed shut. But the force of it made the room shake. Again my heart thumped. Oh my God, what on earth had made me think staying in this place was a good idea? Again I tried to think sensibly. I did deep breathing to calm myself and said that it must be the wind. Although my room had its own bathroom, I knew others didn't due to the age of the place. Maybe someone had got up to go to the loo and the wind from an open window had caught the door.
Before my heart had stopped thumping, the same thing happened again. Oh no. Heart thumping completely wildly now and with hands visibly shaking, I decided to tell myself that they were back from the bathroom and the wind had caught the door again. What else could I think? It was too difficult to settle and so I got up and put on the kettle. Good old British cup of tea sorts everything out doesn't it. As the kettle was boiling, I sat on the chair and picked up my book. I had no sooner picked it up than I hear the stairs creaking outside my room. Someone was coming up the stairs. This was nearly midnight by now. I really didn't like this place. I was getting more and more scared by the minute. I didn't know what to do. There was no telephone in the room, no mobile and I was cut off from everyone else. Oh dear.
Yet again the door handle rattled very strongly and I could see it turning. Eventually it stopped turning and just swayed. Well sod it, I wasn't going to sit there petrified for the rest of the night. I hadn't heard the steps creak and groan again so whoever it was must still be outside my door. I decided to throw open the door and face whoever was trying to scare me.
Very silly I know, but when you're that scared it's amazing what you'll do and I've never been one to give into fear, I would rather face it. I tiptoed to the door so as not to alert them I was approaching, unlocked it and threw it open. No one. Nothing at all. Impossible. There was no way they could have got down the stairs that quickly and disappeared. Well, they must have because no one was there. I assumed it was some silly idiot in one of the two rooms at the base of the stairs who had dived down and rushed into the room quickly. They had probably heard it was a middle aged woman on her own and that it would make for some good fun to scare her out of her wits. Or words to that effect!
The second I locked the door, literally the second, the handle rattled and shook again. I jumped out of my skin and scooted to the far side of the room. I stood there staring at the door and shaking like a leaf. Now I KNEW no one was out there and that if they were, it was a physical impossibility to have done that so quickly. What on earth was going on.
All went calm for about quarter of an hour. Again I started to relax. I went back to making the tea and this time managed to get it done. I sat in the chair drinking my tea and watching the door for what seemed like hours. It was probably only half an hour, but at that time of night in a village miles from nowhere, with no telephone and the night completely silent and black as only the depth of the country can be, half an hour can feel like an eternity.
I eventually got the courage to crawl back into bed. This time, I had put on the bathroom light and pulled the door so that a small glow of light would shine into the bedroom. No way in the world was I sleeping in a room with no lights on after what had been going on. If I should be able to sleep, then I wanted to be able to see what was going on should I be woken up by anything.
As you know I am a medium and by now, I was starting to wonder if this was a ghost. I kept telling myself not to be silly that there weren't such things. The dead can't hurt you - can they? Well I have watched my fair share of horror films with ghosts and ghoulies and it does make your imagination run riot at a time like this. At that point, I wasn't sure what would be worse. A human being trying to frighten me, a human being out to hurt me, or a ghost which I knew nothing about or what to expect from it.
I decided that a ghost would be better. If I was a medium then why wasn't I picking anyone up? I had never come across this before and so it was very strange and scary. A feeling I never get when practising mediumship. Lying there with the bedside light still on, I tried to "tune in". Nothing. Come on, I thought. If there's anyone there then let me know. Anything is better than this not knowing. I had a whole night to get through. Still nothing. I got up and went to the loo. My thinking was, if I DID manage to get to sleep, I didn't want to be woken up wanting to go to the loo. I would just end up petrified again.
I crawled back into bed and taking courage in both hands switched off the bedside light. Everything was pitch black. I shut my eyes tightly and then re-opened them. This time, I was able to see an outline in the dark due to the faint glow coming from the bathroom. Everything was quiet and, although not calm, I had at least managed to console myself that all was now well. I was lying on the right hand side of the double bed nearest the door in case a quick exit was needed and was just about to turn onto my side to prepare for sleep when - someone got into bed next to me! I went cold. I know now what "a chill went up my spine" means.
I actually felt the mattress sink down as someone got onto it. How had they got into the room. Eyes staring wide so that they were almost popping out of my head I turned to look. Nothing and no one. The air next to me was icy cold. I pulled all my mediumistic ability to the fore and tried to tune in. Nothing. I couldn't believe it. How could someone be there and me not know it.
At least now I knew what the problems had been. the hotel was obviously haunted. I had always wanted to stay in a haunted hotel but not alone and like this. I was petrified. I knew by the cold air what it was. When I read for people and link in, there is a coldness that comes around me, usually on my left side. By that, I always know I have linked in so to speak. This air is exactly what that felt like only much colder. I decided to speak to whoever it was.
I told them (in my mind) that they were very welcome to be here as they were here before me. I told them that they had really scared me and asked them not to do it again. I then asked if they would let me share the room with them that week and that I was very tired and needed a good night's sleep. Next thing I know it was morning. I don't even remember falling asleep or finishing the conversation. Obviously, whoever it was had decided they would let me stay there and share the room with them. The fact that I had acknowledged them seemed to settle them down. The rest of the week, I was allowed to be aware of a presence in the room but was never disturbed again by being frightened by whoever it was.
The next morning at breakfast I was asked how I slept. I relayed the night's events and it was only then that they told me I was the only guest in the night before. Each other night the hotel was fully booked, but that one night I was the only one. I said about the bedroom door downstairs and she then told me that they were both locked and no one had been near them. Everything was down to my ghost. She later told me that those three rooms were known to be haunted and that's why they put me there. They had wanted to know if I would pick anything up. Oh I did that all right. Thanks very much! It was also on this second day, that I was to have another very extraordinary evening that would involve most of the village residents but I'll tell you about that tomorrow.
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