Enter into the world of the Paranormal with me, if you dare. ;)

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

I Survived the Haunted Castle!!

Manresa Castle, located in picturesque Port Townsend, Washington is a treasure to behold. Upon entering the castle for my Olympia RWA chapter’s writer’s retreat, I found myself in another time. Everything in the castle (besides the contemporary necessities) is from the era of the castle’s original splendor.

I loved the castle’s antique atmosphere, but what I really wanted to experience were the ghosts that the castle is famous for! There are tales of the young woman who cast herself from a castle window, to her death, when she heard that her fiancĂ© had been drowned at sea. Then there’s the tale of the Jesuit priest who hanged himself in a castle turret after he became disillusioned with his calling. And there’s the little girl who wanders the hall. Perhaps she is looking for a playmate?

On our first night there, we took a tour of each other’s rooms to see what they looked like because each of the bedrooms in Manresa is different. (Well, I guess that’s why the rest of us toured the rooms. Me? I was looking for a ghost!) In one two bed bedroom, two beautiful antique chairs sat facing the beds’ feet. I mentioned the ghosts who could be sitting there to watch the bed’s occupant during the night and I was told by Chassily, the room’s sole occupant due to circumstances beyond her control, that she did not want to talk to me any more! LOL! We even toured the tower where the priest is said to have hung himself!

That first night in our bedroom I was awakened by what I assumed was a ghost and I mentioned it to my boyfriend. He didn’t say anything and went back to sleep. The nerve! But I wasn’t frightened and lay there listening. First the ghost made clacking sounds outside the bedroom window. I got up to look out the window, but of course there was no one there. Then the ghost went out into the hall outside our bedroom and began to play out there! I assumed it was the little girl playing with things that made clacking sounds. And then I went back to sleep. When I shared my fun story with the rest of our chapter the next day, my boyfriend had the gall to tell everyone that the ghosts got quieter each time he turned the heater down! He NEVER turned the heater down! (To my knowledge.)

There was one friendly spirit who insinuated her presence there in front of us all. A small piece of paper with her name on it fell to the floor from one of our chapter president's paperwork to remind us of her. She was Elizabeth Kistler, a past chapter member who died of cancer last year. On that sign, we named our annual retreat after her.

The weekend went much quieter after my first night there and I learned a lot and got a lot of writing done. I received some excellent critique from Nicole on a contest entry that I was fighting a deadline on and I met the deadline with it!

They were there! I know it! But I didn’t see any ghosts.




Romance through the mists of time and Love through the dimensions of reality

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm glad you lived to tell the tale, Janette.


Still smiling at this...

'my boyfriend had the gall to tell everyone that the ghosts got quieter each time he turned the heater down!'

Janette Harjo said...

Yeah. What is it with men?

Anonymous said...

Oooohh.. Sounds like a ghostly good time.

Janette Harjo said...

I'm taking it that "anonymous" is you, Cathy! thanks for stopping by!!

Anonymous said...

Well, it amused me anyway. And how do you know anonymous ain't a ghost?

Janette Harjo said...

I don't know "anonymous" "aint" a ghost, Valance. But seeing as how I had just spoken with Cathy . . . ;)

Anonymous said...

Could be you're right. Or it could be that was just coincidence. Or it could be there's a ghost following Cathy around and she don't know it yet. Yup, could be there's a ghost right under your nose, just waiting to be discovered.

Janette Harjo said...

LOL, Valance! How Fun! I don't believe in"coincidence." I believe that if it happens, it was meant to happen.

I'm not sure if your conjecture that a ghost is following Cathy around is correct, either. You thought that *I* was a ghost the time commented anonymously!! LOL!

I know there's a ghost right under my nose, but I've already discovered him! Remember Clay?!

Anonymous said...

You know... wouldn't it be something if I were to reveal to you right now, that I was the ghost of man who died a century ago? Hell, I'm getting a chill down my spine just thinking about it. I guess ghosts don't have spines, huh?

Janette Harjo said...

So *YOU'RE* the one who is "right under my nose"! LOL! How clever of you to attempt to reveal yourself to me in that fashion! Now I want to know all about your past life (if you remember any of it)!!

I know of two past lives that I have lived. In the Twelfth century I was a "woman of God," and in the 16th century I was an Irish Lord who rode a white horse and was good to his people.

And no, I don't think that ghosts have spines. LOL!

Anonymous said...

Really, you've lived two past lives? Hmm, well I'll be damned. Can't say as I recall anything like that, but if you were a "woman of God" in the Twelfth century then I sure wish I'd been the almighty.

And an Irish lord? Hell, that must have been something. Maybe it's better that I recall nothing. I'd hate to find out I was once Helen of Troy.

Janette Harjo said...

LOL! Maybe you WERE Helen of Troy, or maybe even Cleopatra? ;)

Relax. I don't remember any of my past lives, but I have been told by two completely different paychics at two completely different times about the same two past lives, so I figure . . . As I have said before, I don't believe in coincidence, so it was no coincidence that the two told me the same thing!


Maybe I was a female Irish Lord? Hmm?

And wait just a second here, if you don't recall any such thing; ho can you know that you're the ghost of a man who died a century ago?!

And thank you for the compliment about your wish to be The Almighty, I think. But I'm sure I wasn't THAT kind of woman of God. LOL!

Anonymous said...

‘LOL! Maybe you WERE Helen of Troy, or maybe even Cleopatra? ;)’


Maybe, but I sincerely hope not.


‘Relax. I don't remember any of my past lives, but I have been told by two completely different paychics at two completely different times about the same two past lives, so I figure . . . As I have said before, I don't believe in coincidence, so it was no coincidence that the two told me the same thing!’

Hmm


‘Maybe I was a female Irish Lord? Hmm?’

Well, if you were, you’d have said “good to HER people.”

‘And wait just a second here, if you don't recall any such thing; ho can you know that you're the ghost of a man who died a century ago?!’

I was just speculating. Entering into the spirit of things, you could say.

‘And thank you for the compliment about your wish to be The Almighty, I think. But I'm sure I wasn't THAT kind of woman of God. LOL!’

Darn, now you got me wondering just what kind of woman of God you were.

Janette Harjo said...

I was a "good" woman of God. Just like I was "good" to my people as an Irish Lord. and just as I am good today. :))

What's the problem with having been of a different sex in a past life, if there was one?!

Anonymous said...

OK, I get it. You're a regular goodie two shoes.

'What's the problem with having been of a different sex in a past life, if there was one?!'

Nothing, I suppose. Just gives me the shivers to imagine being a woman in any life, never mind a past one. I'd see things from a different angle, that's for sure.

Here's a question for you - if you could have been anyone of your choosing, male or female, who would you have been, and why?

Janette Harjo said...

WOW! That's a deep question,"Who would I have been and why?" I'll have to think on that one. How about you? Who would you have been and why?

No Goodie Two shoes here, either. ;)

Anonymous said...

Darn, I might have guessed you'd throw that one back at me. OK... lemme see... Roger Vadim, I think. Why? Because I'd get to hit the sack with Jane Fonda at her most beautiful. Mmm-mmm. Shallow I know, but hell, it's got more appeal than being a King or Statesman or something.

OK, now it's your turn. I expect your answer to be much deeper.