With Grandpa Now

This blog post is a particularly personal one. For those of you who've read many of my personal true ghost stories, you've read about my grandparents whose St Augustine home was built in 1876 and is extremely haunted. I'm heartbroken to write that today (Jan 20, 2021), my 94 year old Nanny passed away in the wee hours of the morning. I feel completely gutted. I've lost several important people in my life, including my grandpa who passed in 2012, but losing my Nanny feels like the end of an era. They were such a big part of my life and represent so many cherished childhood memories, some of which are relayed in my ghost stories.

I know in my heart of hearts that she is with my Grandpa now, whether that be in their home or in some other place in the afterlife. Shortly after he passed, she repeatedly told me that she sometimes heard him calling her in the house or the yard. I strongly believe that he stuck around to wait patiently for his true love. They were married almost 70 years when he passed, a truly impressive marriage, indeed!

It was my Nanny who sparked the love of all things paranormal in me. Her stories of the family that lived in her home before her and how she came to write her fictional book about their lives in her home were endlessly fascinating to me. Her book is titled The House, by June Moore Ferrell but good luck finding it. She self published in January of 1979 and very few copies still remain.

My absolute favorite story she told me is that while she was writing the book, which she based off of information gleaned from their personal journals, diaries, and photos left in the house, she woke up at 3am every single night from the time she started writing the book until the moment she finished it. She always told me that as soon as the book was complete, she did not wake at 3am with an urge to write any longer. That book about the previous family's lives was the only book my grandmother ever wrote. She felt an intense pull to write it, almost as if she had no choice. The book was so popular in our home town that is sold out quickly. Even the copies she donated to the public library were checked out and never returned. I don't know of any copies for sale today, and I do periodically search for it online. You'd be hard-pressed to find one.

I've been told by several people (who have had the rare opportunity to read it) that her book sounds similar to the book, Flowers in the Attic. I researched it and found that my Nanny's book was published almost a year before that book. I can assure you that her book was in no way influenced by Flowers in the Attic.

When it became apparent that Nanny was not going to survive her latest health issue, my then 20 yr old son and I drove all night, 15 hours, from Ohio to Florida to see her. We were very fortunate that she appeared to recognize and understand us despite not being able to speak or even open her eyes. We were able to tell her how much we love her, which is not a privilege everyone gets with their loved ones. For that, I am truly grateful.

I loved my Nanny deeply. She was an interesting, caring, loving woman the likes of which cannot be matched. I will miss her for the rest of my days. She's with Grandpa now.