New Home New Haunts

As the title suggests this is about moving into a new home and I'm pretty sure it comes with ghosties.

Most of this narrative was written before the move. There's a bit at the end which was added today, 30th March.

Since I moved back to Australia I've wanted to live in my childhood hometown again, sentimental soul that I am. But this area is now posh and expensive, plus I'm renting. Nevertheless I've been determined to make it work.

It's been a long process. Didn't renew the lease on my current home. My plan was to secure a place and move around April or May. But the landlord decided to sell my current home. So my plan was brought forward. There's a rental crisis in Australia right now, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't concerned. Against the odds, and after much exhaustive hard work, stress and sacrifices I did it. I actually did it. Still can't believe it. Think I need to sleep now for about a year. Erugh moving mountains sucks! But I believe it's well worth it.

Okay background and grumble over.

Signed the lease on the new place on Tuesday and picked up the keys the next day. I'm paid up on my current home until April so I can move at my own pace, thank goodness. On Thursday I went to the new place to sort out where everything was going to go and also tend to the garden. We had a heat spell here over a long weekend, last weekend. The garden in the new place is sublime want to protect it from random heat waves.

On that Thursday I was inside checking out where power points are and working out where best to put everything. There was this banging sound which I thought was a neighbour and completely ignored. I don't remember which room I was in when it started but it kept up. Nothing more to say about that except that when I was in the garden I didn't hear banging. Not sure if I would hear it from outside though. I haven't officially moved in yet and I'm not familiar with the way sound travels in this place. I was so focused on power points, furniture placement and such that I didn't click the banging was very obviously inside, not outside.

Today, Saturday, went to the new place. This time to start the condition report and take measurements and photos for the piano movers. For those who don't rent a condition report is a snapshot of the state of a property upon a new lease.

More banging. This time I noticed it. I was going around room to room looking for things to photograph for my end of the condition report. Found a couple scuffs on walls and "Andy" scratched on the bathroom wall, a stain on the tiles in the bathroom, nothing major. But there was this banging inside. Today I was in one of the bedrooms when it started. Bang, bang, bang. When I'm focused on a task it really takes a lot to pull my attention away from it. So I was aware, but not paying much attention. When the banging started I went to check I'd locked the front wire door. The place was stuffy when I arrived, wanted to let some air in. Front wire door locked as I'd left it. Went back to inspecting. More banging, more ignoring from me. When I got to the kitchen I was looking in the cupboards and this was the source of the noise. I slammed a cupboard door. Yep, that's the sound. How cliche can a ghost get? Kitchen cupboard doors, come on.

Just as I was leaving I thought I heard a voice. This was in the lounge room. Like it was in the room. I wondered if it was my voice as if maybe I'd let out a sigh without it registering. It was just odd whatever it was. It wasn't any word just a voice or a drone, like a sigh or yawn.

When I first found the listing for this place one of the listing photos was the lounge room showing a bar. Like a liquor bar. I don't drink, but who cares its dope. Got lights, shelves hanging from ceiling, mirror, stools bolted to the floor, its swanky. Someone obviously really put some love and care into this bar. Anyway when I first saw the listing I jokingly thought 'wonder if that bar's haunted' then I thought 'I've been spending too much time on YGS'. Can't say the voice or whatever it was came from the bar but it was the same room.

The history of this place built between the 1920's to 40's, weatherboard, tin roof. It would've been one of the original homes in the area. It was likely painted up in the early 2000's with a retro theme keeping with the era of the home. The rooms are all different colours in a vintage theme; dark red, terracotta, green, dark blue, pink bathroom. The exterior is a cream with dark red and green accents. I remember this house from being a kid but I couldn't tell you if the exterior paint job was exactly the same. Only that it's a white/cream weatherboard. The last people to live there were the landlady and her family. They were there since the early 2000's. At the lease signing the estate agent talked about the landlady and her family and the history of the garden. She talked about their pride for the house and how the lady has some health problems. Possibly an overshare on the agent's part or maybe the landlady wants this known. Don't think it's my place to divulge the finer details on the internet. But to summarize the landlady really loves the home and garden.

On my first visit after getting the keys I didn't notice "Andy" next to the toilet paper holder. Now hoping someone in that family is named Andy because if ghosts can scribble on walls I don't want to get the blame!

Before I left today I did a pretty darn good cleanse of the place lest this ghost/s be a problem.

Just quickly before I sign off here I had a similarly 'no build up, straight to the point' style happening when I moved into my current home. On the first night I was in the bathroom getting ready for bed. Standing at the sink with the bathroom door open, behind me is a hallway. A feeling came over me like I was being watched from the hallway behind by something really not nice. I also had a strong feeling the power was about to go out, even though the weather was still and calm. Well the power went out right then and there. I turned around to face whatever I felt was in the hallway behind me and said telepathically 'F - off' in a calm but defiant manner. The mood subsided and the power came back on. All in the space of about 10 seconds. Never had any issues after that. Massive relief.

But this ghostie or ghosties in the new house don't feel like that one I just mentioned. I don't mind living with ghosties as long as we respect each other.

Oh also today I was in the driveway leaving, watching some butterflies in the garden. I don't know how many but there were quite a lot dancing around a huge pine tree in the front. They're those orange and black butterflies that are found in various corners of the globe. I don't know what they're called. Anyway I was having a nice moment enjoying the shade of the canopy and just like that Deja vu. I dreamt of that moment about a year ago. That angle, this front yard, that moment. Except in the dream the weather was overcast and there were no butterflies. Today the sun was filtering through all dappled and golden.

-

This is after moving in. I've been here since Monday 25th.

There's been a few bangs here and there but nothing as major as before. I've noticed the cupboards in the bathroom make a similar sound to the kitchen. So it's anyone's guess where the banging was coming from.

Monday night, first night, was in the kitchen about to go to bed. Power went off. Just like the previous move. Odd coincidence perhaps. No ugly feeling involved this time. Power came back after about twenty seconds.

On Tuesday had an electrician over to do some safety checks, routine stuff organized by the estate agent. I told the electrician about the power outage. After some questions he said it was more likely the entire area, not the home. This makes sense because when the power returned I turned the lights off again to see if there was much street light coming in. There was quite a lot of street light coming in, which wasn't there moments before. So must have been the area, really weird coincidence huh.

Also on Tuesday morning as I was getting up I could hear a voice in the room. I think male, but can't be sure. Just a soft voice, I was still half asleep and wanted to get ready for the electrician. Couldn't say what the voice said, but it was talking quite a bit as I was waking up stumbling around the room looking for socks.

Then a letter came for the landlady. It's got 'To the trustee of Landlady's surname family' on the envelope.

Anyway I think that covers everything so far. LOL just noticed a new title on YGS about a rental home with a free ghost! This I must read.

Thanks for reading.