Gotta Ghost Story?

That's me, comically acting scared with what I'm told is a "ghost orb" or two hovering beside my left ear taken on a Ghost Tour of Phoenixville, PA - which is I'm told the most haunted borough in the state (next to Gettysburg) due to its proximity to Valley Forge and its history dating back to Revolutionary, Civil War and Underground Railroad times. 

While on the ghost walk, we were told to take pictures in order to catch paranormal activity.  I guess the ghosts aren't as gung ho about scaring people as the actors at a horror attraction. So, I placed my camera on flash mode and there were orbs all over the place!  Look at this haunted library and how the orbs abound:

And then, I remembered something:  I had taken my camera off flash mode because for years it would produce these very same transparent circles ... in my house!  Totally freaking out, I went home and snapped more pictures using the flash and (Boo!) there were the orbs! Orbs in the kitchen!  Orbs in the bedroom!  Help I'm being attacked by invisible circles! 

In a panic, I recalled last winter when the five of us were sitting down to dinner on a dark and windy evening.  The light above the table slowly dimmed off.  We thought we lost electricity ... but all the other lights in the house we're on!  When the light above the table came back on, my husband and I teased my children saying it was a ghost.  I said, "If this is a ghost do it again."  It did!!!!

Knowing that I would be writing about ghost orbs, I did an Internet research of the topic.  In summary, here's what the president of the Paranormal Research Society had to say about the subject:  Ghost Orbs are nothing more than cheap, old digital cameras (I have one of those) picking up specks of dust or debris in the air and reflecting it back onto the image.  He went on to say that he would like people to stop sending him ghost orb pictures and to go out buy a better camera.

What a relief!  But that still doesn't explain the light over the table last winter ... Spooky!

Since it's "Hallo-week" and soon to be "Hallo-weekend", share your ghost stories if you got 'em.
Comment here or on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Audry-Fryer-Author/207222035989970 

Turning Over a New Leaf

A fabulous friend of mine mentioned to me that she was turning over a new leaf (with a wry expression on her face considering the season we're in).  She went on to say something about early Christmas shopping and a few other things.  Honestly, I checked out mentally at the Christmas shopping part (be on the look out for a December post rant about gift giving).  But the new leaf part of our conversation stuck with me. 

So, here's my "new leaf":  I'm going to have confidence with this whole "I'm a writer" thing.  Allow me to explain.  I was at one of those home demonstrations selling jewelry the other weekend and the party hostess cornered me.  She didn't want me to simply be a buyer.  She wanted me to "join the team" and sell it.  Word somehow leaked out of my stay-at-home mom status.  Here was my response:

"I  ... uh ... well, yes, I do stay at home, but ... you know ... I was a teacher ... and then I quit to have the twins ... and I could back to teaching Pre-K ... but, I do sort of write, too ... I mean I wrote this one little novel ... I put it up on Kindle ... it was getting rejected all over the place ... so, one quick click and there it is for people to buy ... so easy, anyone could do it ... oh, and I have a blog ... a couple people read it, I guess ... so, yeah ... that."

Ugh!  If only I could have an edit button for my mouth, I would have sounded like this: (actually I'd never say anything like this, but oh the fun of thinking I could ...well, maybe I could after a few drinks.)

"Listen, Bitch, just because I'm a stay-at-home mom doesn't mean I don't have a life.  I don't have time to be pimping your jewerly all over town when I'm in middle of writing my second novel.  Do you own a Kindle?  I'm on there.  You should check it out.  Plus, I have a blog, too.  I might mention you in next week's post."

What's your new leaf?

Find me, like me or post a comment on Facebook.  Here's the link:
 http://www.facebook.com/pages/Audry-Fryer-Author/207222035989970

Don't Worry About a Ping

There she is:  "Mom's Mini Van Shuttle", a no longer in production Saturn Relay bought in 2006 off the show-room floor when my pregnant-with-twins girth made me look like I was hiding a large pumpkin under my sweater.  Five years later, she's still shuffling back and forth, but now with a new "ping" in her step.  

Three days into October, the month in which I declared I would have a positive attitude about absolutely every little thing, the pinging began.  Apparently the automatic rear passenger door isn't so automatic anymore and the pinging is the alarm sounding that door is still open ... when it's closed!!!  We pinged to Pre-K one day only to have it mysteriously stop.  It was my positive attitude.  I was so sure ... until it started again and would not stop.

On our travels until we arrived at the mechanic, the kids and I tried to drown out the pinging with loud music.  We found a successful remedy when I happened upon Bob Marley's, "Three Little Birds".

Here's our new version of the song:

"Don't worry about  a ping.  'Cause every little ping gonna be alright. Pinging, "Don't worry about a ping, cause every little ping gonna be alright."


ping ... ping ... ping ...

 Find me on Facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Audry-Fryer-Author/207222035989970
Leave a comment or show a little love with a "like".  Thanks!

October!

This weekend, the mere flip of a calendar page produced a reaction in me so exuberant that I can only describe it in one word, "October!"

I want to do it all ...  everything and anything associated with the fine month of October, I want to do it!  And, I know I'm not alone in this sentiment.  Judging by the parking lot at our local orchard, October fever has struck big time!  All it takes is one chilly breeze plus a flutter of leaves sweeping across the road and it's go time!

The minute I tacked up the new calendar page, the excitement was unleashed in a series of must dos.  I want to pick pumpkins and apples ...

bake a pie, drink apple cider, drink pumpkin ale or anything labeled with word "fest", visit a pumpkin patch, ride a hayride, make a scarecrow ...

.... climb a giant hay stack ...

... eat pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, eat a pumpkin pie, eat anything orange in color, eat candy corn, go on a nature walk, wear cozy clothes, collect leaves, rake up piles of leaves and jump into them ....

... oh the leave peeping!  ...  (Did I mention my birthday?  Maybe that's why I'm so biased.  Mark your calendars with a big orange circle around the 15th :-)

And, don't get me started about Halloween.  Candy!  Chocolate candy!  I want to wear orange and black, wear silly Halloween shirts, watch Celebrity Ghost Stories, watch scary movies, visit a haunted house, buy costumes, carve a jack-o-lantern ...

Well, I'd better get started on everything here plus few I may have forgotten to mention before these short 31 days are a mere memory.  Not to mention that my next novel is set partially at an apple orchard in the Fall.  I better take notes and get back to writing. 

Find me on Facebook at  http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Audry-Fryer-Author/207222035989970