I'm going a little out of order with this post...as it happened on Wednesday night while in California.
But, I think it deserves posting today.
So, as you know, my sister Vera works in a mortuary.
She owns it.
She IS the mortician.
That means at various times during our visit there are deceased bodies in the freezer awaiting embalming or cremation.
There is an embalming/prep room under the office.
There are various caskets in the display room.
There is a viewing room.
There is a sitting room for families.
There is even a chapel.
This,to some, would seem odd and scary.
To us, it's just life with Vera.
In fact, Alma and I find it totally fascinating and are pretty proud of dear Vera.
The kids have no idea what's going on, but know Vera has a huge chapel under her house that would be perfect for a pinata party.
I've never been "scared" or "freaked out" by staying there.
But then again, I'm not really superstitious and being from the medical field I find the whole thing, well...normal I guess. I saw a lot of death working at AirMed. I see life and death on Labor and Delivery.
It's always sad...but...
part of life.
I help bring them in the world at my work....Vera sends them off respectably at her work.
This was all fine and dandy except for about an hour late Wednesday night while we were there.
After a long day eating Jelly Beans, we settled into bed.
Vera in her room. The kids in there room.
Alma on the air mattress in the dining room and me asleep on the twin bed in my room.
I had just drifted off to sleep when the strangest thing started to happen.
By bed started shaking ever so slightly.
It felt as if somebody were at the bottom of it, kicking it...so I would shake a little. Maybe kicking it 4-6 times.
I sat straight up and stared at the darkness at the foot of my bed, fully expecting Alma to be standing there and laughing.
Except..
there was nobody there.
Nobody.
Nothing.
Just me, the darkness, and a moving bed.
Let's just say I immediately reverted back to a 7 year old child, afraid of ghosts as I slept above a mortuary.
All rationality went out the window.
I called out into the darkness "Alma....alma come here".
"Alma...come here NOW!".
Alma groggily trudged in.
"What?" he asked.
"My bed just moved. A lot. I'm scared"
(I'm sure he rolled his eyes at this point...but it was dark...and good for him it was because I wasn't thinking funny).
I made him check under the bed and in the closet.
I made him check that the kids were in there beds and it wasn't one of them.
Then, I made him climb into that twin bed with me because I was scared.
About an hour later, rationality set in...that...and sleeping right next to Alma is like sleeping in a fire pit. The man exudes extreme heat.
So...I kicked him out.
I kept telling myself I must have dreamt it.
I went to sleep....but with the covers over my head like I was 5 and a pillow against my back in case the "boogie man" came in and tried to grab me or something (ok...so I was still a little irrational).
I wondered if I should start whispering into the dark "go towards the light....".
Sleep finally set in a 1 am and I was out.
The next morning as I watched to news, however, my fears were eased and I became rational once again.
The headlines was as follows:
Sierra Earthquake Shakes Northern California USGS Reports 4.7 Magnitude Earthquake
The earthquake felt as far away as Sacramento area...where I was.
So, then I knew I wasn't totally crazy.
My bed was shaking.
I was the only one in the house who felt it.
But, at least I wouldn't have to be irrational anymore....and I could sleep without smothering myself with blankets over my head again.
Thank you California.
Always an adventure.
But, I think it deserves posting today.
So, as you know, my sister Vera works in a mortuary.
She owns it.
She IS the mortician.
That means at various times during our visit there are deceased bodies in the freezer awaiting embalming or cremation.
There is an embalming/prep room under the office.
There are various caskets in the display room.
There is a viewing room.
There is a sitting room for families.
There is even a chapel.
This,to some, would seem odd and scary.
To us, it's just life with Vera.
In fact, Alma and I find it totally fascinating and are pretty proud of dear Vera.
The kids have no idea what's going on, but know Vera has a huge chapel under her house that would be perfect for a pinata party.
I've never been "scared" or "freaked out" by staying there.
But then again, I'm not really superstitious and being from the medical field I find the whole thing, well...normal I guess. I saw a lot of death working at AirMed. I see life and death on Labor and Delivery.
It's always sad...but...
part of life.
I help bring them in the world at my work....Vera sends them off respectably at her work.
This was all fine and dandy except for about an hour late Wednesday night while we were there.
After a long day eating Jelly Beans, we settled into bed.
Vera in her room. The kids in there room.
Alma on the air mattress in the dining room and me asleep on the twin bed in my room.
I had just drifted off to sleep when the strangest thing started to happen.
By bed started shaking ever so slightly.
It felt as if somebody were at the bottom of it, kicking it...so I would shake a little. Maybe kicking it 4-6 times.
I sat straight up and stared at the darkness at the foot of my bed, fully expecting Alma to be standing there and laughing.
Except..
there was nobody there.
Nobody.
Nothing.
Just me, the darkness, and a moving bed.
Let's just say I immediately reverted back to a 7 year old child, afraid of ghosts as I slept above a mortuary.
All rationality went out the window.
I called out into the darkness "Alma....alma come here".
"Alma...come here NOW!".
Alma groggily trudged in.
"What?" he asked.
"My bed just moved. A lot. I'm scared"
(I'm sure he rolled his eyes at this point...but it was dark...and good for him it was because I wasn't thinking funny).
I made him check under the bed and in the closet.
I made him check that the kids were in there beds and it wasn't one of them.
Then, I made him climb into that twin bed with me because I was scared.
About an hour later, rationality set in...that...and sleeping right next to Alma is like sleeping in a fire pit. The man exudes extreme heat.
So...I kicked him out.
I kept telling myself I must have dreamt it.
I went to sleep....but with the covers over my head like I was 5 and a pillow against my back in case the "boogie man" came in and tried to grab me or something (ok...so I was still a little irrational).
I wondered if I should start whispering into the dark "go towards the light....".
Sleep finally set in a 1 am and I was out.
The next morning as I watched to news, however, my fears were eased and I became rational once again.
The headlines was as follows:
Sierra Earthquake Shakes Northern California USGS Reports 4.7 Magnitude Earthquake
The earthquake felt as far away as Sacramento area...where I was.
So, then I knew I wasn't totally crazy.
My bed was shaking.
I was the only one in the house who felt it.
But, at least I wouldn't have to be irrational anymore....and I could sleep without smothering myself with blankets over my head again.
Thank you California.
Always an adventure.
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