Part 2: A Residual Haunt I Encountered at Fort Mc Clary, Maine

 In this second blog about Fort Mc Clary in Maine, you'll learn about the residual haunting I encountered, and only in one place throughout the entire fort. You'll also learn what residual energy is and how the location kept the energy strong.

WHAT IS FORT MC CLARY? Fort McClary is a former defensive fortification of the United States military located along the southern coast at Kittery Point, Maine at the mouth of the Piscataqua River. It was manned during five significant wars including; the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I and II. Fort McClary was manned during World War II as a civil defense lookout, but no battles took place there. The fort was also used as an observation post during World War I.   

MY VIDEO SHORT: https://youtube.com/shorts/_4gp7JXuNb0?si=wVxuuKyPLcsG0Vvm

WHAT IS A RESIDUAL HAUNT? A residual haunt is not an earthbound ghost that can respond to questions and communicate. It's energy generated from emotions that people were feeling in a structure, that gets impressed upon or soaked into the walls, ceiling, and floor of a structure. It's like a thumbprint of energy on a pane of glass. When the sun shines through the glass, it lights up the thumbprint. Similarly, when living people come into a structure they add their own emotional energy to it, enabling the energy to be felt by sensitive people. Other times, it may generate a ghostly image of the person who created it. 

(Photo: This is a photo of a sketch of the fort and all of its buildings. Credit: R.G.)

WHERE WAS THE ENERGY? -  After a walk around the grounds of the fort, I thought I would find residual emotional energy in the buildings that housed the riflemen, but there was none. Instead, all the residual emotional energy was in Fort McClary's Blockhouse. The Blockhouse is a uniquely designed military structure that sits atop the highest point in the fort. It's 3 stories high, including a basement. Beginning in 1844, the Blockhouse took 2 years to build and was constructed in three different layers from materials in the surrounding area. Its foundation (basement) is built of mortared fieldstone, the first-story walls are of cut granite, and the second story is built of squared logs. The Blockhouse at Fort McClary was the last one of its kind constructed in Maine.

WHAT WAS THE ENERGY - The residual haunt was the energy left behind by living soldiers from World War II, who were working on the top floor of the Blockhouse. There was anxiety, as there is during any war. 

WHAT FUELED THE ENERGY AND KEPT IT THERE? The fort, which sits atop a hill facing the Piscataqua River, was enshrouded in fog. The water energy from the river plus the water energy in the fog provided the extra energy that helped make the residual emotional energy of anxiety stand out!

WIDER VERSION OF THE VIDEO SHORT VIDEO: https://youtu.be/EQJHA5I1Utw?si=XRerWC8FjWX4oUP0

Part 1: Walk Through the Fort McClary State Historic Site With Us

Recently, we visited the Fort McClary State historic site in Kittery Point, Maine. When we visited in early July, the fort, that sits atop a hill facing the Piscataqua River, was enshrouded in fog. Today's blog will tell you about the fort, its 8 structures (3 of which don't exist anymore), 6 wars, and history through the centuries.   

(Photo: Rob and Tom at the fog-enshrouded Fort McClary State Historic Site). 

WHAT IS FORT MC CLARY? Fort McClary is a former defensive fortification of the United States military located along the southern coast at Kittery Point, Maine at the mouth of the Piscataqua River. Pepperrell Rd, Kittery Point, ME 03905 

FORT MANNED DURING 6 WARS - It was manned during five significant wars including; the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War, World War I and World War II.

6 TYPES OF STRUCTURES MADE UP THE FORT:  There were 6 types structures (and 8 total) that made up the fort and several no longer exist. There remains the Blockhouse, the Magazine building, 2 Caponiers, and the Powder Magazine. There was also one building that housed Barracks, and 2 buildings called "Rifleman's House."

(Photo: The white 3-story building is the Blockhouse, with the magazine to the right. Credit: R.G.) 

1) THE BLOCKHOUSE - Fort McClary's Blockhouse is a uniquely designed military structure. It's 3 stories. Beginning in 1844, the Blockhouse took 2 years to build and was constructed in three different layers from materials in the surrounding area. Its foundation (basement) is built of mortared fieldstone, the first-story walls are of cut granite, and the second story is built of squared logs. The Blockhouse at Fort McClary was the last one of its kind constructed in Maine.

(Photo: One of 2 cannons on top of the Caponier. Credit: R.G.)

2) THE MAGAZINE BUILDING - This building was used to store the soldier's gunpowder. It was constructed around 1808 and is said to be the oldest structure on the site. 

(Photo: This is where the Barracks stood. Credit: R.G.) 

3) THE BARRACKS - This was a wooden building that no longer exists. But a Barracks used to stand on the Fort grounds beside the Magazine. The Barracks were the sleeping quarters for soldiers stationed there. It was built in 1808 and remained into the 1900s until it collapsed. Today, you can see stones in the grass that outline the walls of the structure.

(Photo left: The long hallway to the end of the Caponier where guns would be stationed. Photo right: Entrance to one of the Caponiers.   Credit: R.G.) 

4) TWO CAPONIERS - A caponier is a type of defensive structure in a fortification, like a ditch. Originally the term referred to a covered passageway that traversed the ditch between the walls of a fortress and a ravelin outside the wall. There are 2 of them and they are stone tunnels that end with windows where rifles could be fired at enemies. 

It is a passageway where firepower could sweep the ditch between the ravelin and the curtain wall and inflict devastating damage on any attempt to storm the wall. Thus the passageway was equipped with musket ports and cannon ports that fired along the ditch.

The word originates from the French caponnière, meaning "chicken coop." Two caponiers are unfinished and are located in front of and behind the Blockhouse. We noticed that outside, the roof of the caponier was curved. The reason is that because the roof is vulnerable to fire, being curved (and thick) helps deflect falling bombs/shells. 

5) - THE GRANITE POWDER MAGAZINE - During the years of 1864-1868 the Granite Powder Magazinew was built. It was designed to hold the powder for use in the cannons.

(Photo Right: The Powder Magazine. Credit: R.G.) 

6) THE RIFLEMAN'S HOUSE(S) - Likely built around the same time as the blockhouse, these 2 small square buildings, located on opposite corners of the fort ground, where where riflemen were positioned to shoot at attackers. These brick buildings had small windows to keep riflemen safe. None of these remain standing today.

FORT MODIFICATION DURING THE CIVIL WAR - From 1864 to 1868, the granite walls surrounding the Fort were assembled to make enclose the fort. It included an enclosed structure that house two tiers of cannons.

REMAINS UNFINISHED - When you walk around the grounds of the fort you'll see huge granite blocks scattered about. Those were intended to finish the fort, but it was never completed. Near the Civil War's end, advancements in weapon technology made it obsolete.

WHO WAS THE FORT NAMED AFTER? The fort was named after New Hampshire native Major Andrew McClary, who died at the Revolutionary War's Battle of Bunker Hill.

(Photo: A fog enshrouded photo of the Piscataqua River. Credit: R.G.) 

PHOTOS BELOW - Below are   pictures of the signs from the grounds of the fort.

NEXT: The Residual Haunt of Fort McClary!

 

Buzz's Birthday (Today) and How He Changed my Life

 Buzz's Birthday (Today) and How He Changed my Life

This is my puppy BUZZ. Today would have been his 20th birthday.

Buzz passed tragically at 7 months old on Feb 22, 2005 when he was struck by a speeding car after his leash opened.

Buzz taught me how pets communicate from the afterlife and sent me on an

amazing journey to teach the world what signs to look for. It was because of Buzz, that I published my first book and the entire 4 books in the "Pets and the Afterlife" series.

Buzz has enabled me to bring healing to people around the world since 2005, through my books, my interviews, my lectures and classes and readings.

*If you lost a precious pet, please read Buzz's story and learn how to spot the messages from your own pets in the afterlife. My books are available on Amazon- **Please honor Buzz's birthday today, too** - He's always around me as your pets are around you in spirit.

Books: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Rob-Gutro/author/B003UNTASW

Idiot of the Week: Man dies after placing lit firework on his head

 This week's idiot lost his life for putting a powerful lit firework on his head on July 4th. Here's the story.

Man dies after placing lit firework on his head during Fourth of July party

  by: Zandrea Mays, : Jul 5, 2024

DORCHESTER COUNTY, S.C. (WCBD) – A South Carolina man was killed after trying to “show off” with fireworks at a Fourth of July party Thursday night.

When deputies with the Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office arrived at a neighborhood block party in Summerville at 10:23 p.m., they found a man lying in the roadway suffering from major head injuries.

Witnesses told deputies the injuries were from a fireworks accident.

The coroner later said the victim, 41-year-old Allen Ray McGrew, had ignited a large firework on top of his head. Witnesses told investigators he was wearing a large top hat, and put the firework on top of the hat before lighting it. The device exploded, causing “massive head injuries.” McGrew was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to a report from the sheriff’s office, the victim’s wife told deputies she believed he placed the firework on his head to “show off” at the block party. Family members tried to get him to stop, but the firework went off, and McGrew collapsed.

The Dorchester County Sheriff’s Office and Dorchester County Coroner’s Office are investigating the incident.

Hero of the Week: Maryland State Trooper Shane McGregor Rescues Dog in Hot Car

 This week's hero is an observant and fast-thinking Maryland State Trooper who broke a dog out of a hot car during Washington DC's intense heat wave when the heat index was 110 degrees Fahrenheit! Some FOOL left his/her dog in a car on the Washington DC Beltway with windows rolled up. Fortunately, there was a hero who got to the dog. Here's the story

(Photo: Hero Trooper Shane McGregor, assigned to the Aviation Command, helped rescue the dog who was placed in a cooled patrol car and given water. After just a few minutes, the pup perked up and showed signs of improvement, the state police reported. (Photo courtesy of the Maryland State Police)

Maryland State Trooper Shane McGregor Dog Left In Hot Vehicle During Intense Heatwave

A dog left alone in a vehicle that wasn't running and had its windows up parked along I-495 was rescued by MD State Troopers this week.

Kristin Danley-Greiner,Patch Staff, Thu, Jul 18, 2024

PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY, MD — A dog in distress left inside a hot car that wasn't running and with the windows up was rescued by Maryland State Police Tuesday. July 16, 2024.

Troopers spied the dog left unattended in the vehicle that was parked on the shoulder of I-495 near the Baltimore-Washington Parkway. The pooch was exhibiting signs of heat exhaustion and needed immediate care, the Maryland State Police reported.

Trooper Shane McGregor, assigned to the Aviation Command, helped rescue the dog who was placed in a cooled patrol car and given water. After just a few minutes, the pup perked up and showed signs of improvement, the state police reported. The dog then enjoyed meandering about the police cruisers while troopers waited for animal control to arrive.

"Maryland State troopers/flight paramedics are dedicated to providing top-of-the-line care to all Maryland residents, both human and canine," the state patrol noted on its Facebook page.

SCIENCE: Tornado Alley' Has Shifted East From The Plains, A New Study Says

 Over the last several decades, Tornado alley has appeared to shift 500 miles from Oklahoma, southeast to Mississippi, according to a recent study. 

(Updated Map of Tornado Alley, shows a higher concentration near Mississippi. That's a shift from Oklahoma. Credit: Weather Channel) 

Tornado Alley' Has Shifted East From The Plains, A New Study Says 

By Jonathan ErdmanJune 06, 2024, weather.com

At a Glance 

A new study found the most active tornado corridor in the U.S. has changed in recent decades. It's focused in the lower Mississippi Valley, but still is active into the lower Ohio Valley and Southern Plains. There are also more winter tornadoes than past decades. Tornadoes have diminished more in summer than any other season.  

T​he nation's "Tornado Alley" has shifted and tornadoes are increasing in colder times of the year, a recently published study found.

T​he Deep South "Alley"  

Since the mid-1980s, tornadoes have been most numerous in the Deep South, including Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana and Tennessee, according to a recent study by Timothy Coleman, Richard Thompson and former The Weather Channel severe weather expert Greg Forbes.

Published in the April 2024 issue of the Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, the study examined tornadoes rated F/EF1 or stronger over two separate, 35-year periods (1951-1985 and 1986-2020) to look for changes in where these tornadoes formed. F/EF0 tornadoes were excluded to filter out the much greater number of these weakest tornadoes detected in recent years due to improved technology and more extensive National Weather Service damage surveys.

(The Tornado Outbreak of March 31, 2023  Credit: NWS/NOAA) 

What has changed most: 

The largest increase in tornadoes between the two 35-year periods has been from western Kentucky and the lower Ohio Valley to Mississippi and Louisiana.

Fewer tornadoes have occurred in recent decades in the Plains, from parts of Texas to Oklahoma, eastern Kansas and western Missouri.

T​he study says this change is "dispelling any misconceptions caused by the better visibility of tornadoes in the Great Plains vs. the eastern U.S."

S​easonal changes, too 

There have also been important changes in when tornadoes occur. Tornadoes have trended away from summer toward the fall and winter.

Summer tornadoes were 37% fewer from 1986 through 2020 than in the previous 35-year period. T​his summer reduction was most pronounced in the Plains, including parts of Oklahoma, Texas and Kansas.

But the largest increases occurred in fall (80%) and winter (102%), primarily in the Southeast, where they're most common that time of year.

T​he study also found the spring tornado maximum areas have spread through parts of the mid-Mississippi and lower Ohio valleys into the Deep South, instead of focused only in the Southern Plains.

What does it all mean? 

First, despite many previous research studies in past decades focused on the Plains, the tornado threat is often significant in many other locations, particularly the Deep South and Ohio Valley.

S​econd, while the nation's tornado count often peaks in spring, there really isn't a "tornado season", per se. They can occur at any time and anywhere conditions are favorable for the severe thunderstorms that spawn them.

This year, Wisconsin had its first February tornado on record, and that was followed by a rash of tornadoes from northern Illinois to New York state around the month's end.

*****************************

Jonathan Erdman is a senior meteorologist at weather.com and has been covering national and international weather since 1996. His lifelong love of meteorology began with a close encounter with a tornado as a child in Wisconsin. He completed a Bachelor's degree in physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, then a Master's degree working with dual-polarization radar and lightning data at Colorado State University. Extreme and bizarre weather are his favorite topics. Reach out to him on X (formerly Twitter), Threads, Facebook and Bluesky.

Enjoyed 1000 pages of DC Comics - SHOWCASE Presents TEEN TITANS Vol 1 & 2 Complete SET TPB 500 pgs Ea

The black and white, 500-page collections of vintage DC Comics  called DC Showcase Presents are truly the best graphic novels on the market. Sadly, they were discontinued around 2010, but if you're lucky enough you can find them in comics shops or used online.  I recently enjoyed the original series of DC Comics  Showcase Presents TEEN TITANS Vol 1 & 2! Highly recommended. 

Teen Titans vol 1 and 2 reprints the vintage series that kicked off the teenage team of superhero sidekicks, that today, grew into the team, Titans. Original members included: Robin, Speedy, Kid Flash, Aqualad, Mal Duncan, Lilith, and Wonder Girl! Many of the same characters appear in Titans, but have grown into adulthood. The series came out in the 1960s, so the language, clothing and actions reflect those times. 

Vol 1 Includes the very first appearance of the Teen Titans and Brave in the Bold # 54 and 60. Also includes reprintsTeen Titans, number 1 through 17!!

Volume two reprints Teen Titans 19 through 36.

 Bonus stories include Brave and the Bold #94 with Batman and the Teen Titans and World's Finest Comics number #205 with Superman and the Teen Titans.  

See The 8 Minute Unaired 1967 Batgirl Introduction TV Episode

I'm a huge Batman, Robin and Batgirl fan, and until recently I had no idea there was an 8 minute pilot standalone for "Batgirl!" Unfortunately, it's not available on DVD, although I would definitely buy it! Watch the video below.

 

In 1967, this "short" 8 minute episode was presented to ABC executives to introduce the Batgirl character into the Batman TV Series (1966-68) and the character proved to be successful so she was added. The series ventured into a third season, which also turned out to be it's final. 

This was also created as a possible "Batgirl" TV series, that never happened. This episode also has Adam West and Burt Ward as Batman and Robin. The villain in this presentation was Tim Herbert as The Killer Moth, although the villain was never used on the Batman 66 series.

Sadly, this was never aired on television.

WATCH THE 8 MINUTE EPISODE: https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2830289350390635

And here's a 10 minute video explaining the background of how the pilot came to be:

My Experience: The Ghost in the Counting House Museum

 In Yesterday's blog, I told you about the historic Counting House, a building used for the financial records of a cotton Mill that once stood nearby in South Berwick, Maine and Rollingsford, New Hampshire. Today's blog is about the ghost I encountered and fun with friends who visited.

(Photo: Second floor of the Counting House where Rob sensed the male ghost. Credit: RG)

 The Ghost in the Counting House Museum

When I explored the exhibits on the first floor of the Counting House and spoke with the 3 volunteer docents, I didn't sense any ghosts who had stayed behind. I took the time to read about the exhibits and thought nothing of ghosts. I was more interested in the history. It wasn't until I took the stairs to the second floor, when that all changed.

(Photo: Clock in the corner of the 2nd floor of the Counting House. Credit: RG)      

 (Photos: Two paintings of men who managed the counting house. Credit: TC)                                                                                                                                                  

FIGURING OUT THE GHOST - As a medium, the first thing I can usually sense is if the earthbound ghost is male or female, which was definitely a male. The second floor was used  as a ballroom for events when it wasn't being used as offices.I tried to connect the male ghost with someone who worked at the Counting House, which is a logical conclusion.  

While walking around on the second floor, I clearly heard the name "Abbott." Then I heard the male ghost say "George." So, either the ghost was George Abbott, or he was a Mr. Abbott and he was calling for "George." 

PHOTO TEST -   Tracey and Rob sent me photos of paintings that hung in the Counting House and asked me if the ghost was either of them, but he was not. 

A SURPRISING ANSWER TO PONDER- When I returned home to write this blog, I did a search through the "Old Berwick Historical Society" website for the name George Abbott. What I found surprised me. George W Abbott passed as an infant and was the child of Nicholas and Mary Ann Abbott who lived on South Portland Street in Berwick, Maine. 

IDENTITY QUESTIONS REMAIN - There are 2 solutions to the identity of this ghost. 1) The ghost is that of Nicholas Abbott, the father, who remained earthbound and cries out in pain after losing his son as an infant. OR 2) The ghost is George Abbott, the infant (who appears as an adult - because they can) who followed his father to the Counting House, got lost and distracted and remained behind. 

CONCLUSION:  Because I can't be certain until I go back and ask more questions, I would bet that the ghost is the father of the infant, who stayed behind.

ABOUT THE DATABASE:  This cemetery database is based on Old Berwick Historical Society archives, particularly "The South Berwick (Maine) Record Book," a 1967 survey by John Eldridge Frost, with updates by historical society volunteers.  Records here reflect inscriptions on graves in Old Fields Burying Ground, Portland Street Cemetery, Freewill Baptist Cemetery, Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Woodlawn Cemetery, and many small burial plots scattered throughout South Berwick.  

Local History: What is The Counting House Museum?

Today's blog is about our trip to the Counting House Museum. It's a building where the financial books were kept for the textile mill that used to be down the river from it. When our friends Rob, Tracey and Jordan visited southern Maine, we took them to the adjacent park and waterfalls and then visited the museum. Today's blog will give you a look inside. 

(Photo: Rob and Tom visit the Counting House! Credit; R.G.)

LOCATION -  The Counting House Museum  is Located at 2 Liberty Street, South Berwick, Maine 03908 and borders New Hampshire (on the other side of the river).  The Museum is open June-Oct on Sundays from 1pm-4pm, and by appointment. Admission is free, and donations are gratefully accepted.

ABOUT THE MUSEUM - The Counting House Museum, built circa 1830, is located on the banks of the Salmon Falls River, beside a mill dam that powered the looms of a nineteenth-century cotton textile factory.

There were a lot of displays from the cotton mill, like a giant spinning wheel, thimbles and a loom.  

The Counting House is the last remaining building of the Portsmouth Manufacturing Company. It provided office space for the company's agent and paymaster and their staff. 

Samuel Hale was mill agent until 1869, when he was succeeded by his son Frances. Grandson Samuel Hale ran the corporation through the 1880s until the mill's closure in 1893. 

A MUSEUM IN THE 1960s - The Counting House has been owned and maintained as the Counting House Museum by the Old Berwick Historical Society since 1964.

 (Photo: The Counting House Museum. Credit: R.G.) 

ABOUT THE 2 FLOORS - The first floor was office space for the Company's Agent and Paymaster, now contains changing exhibits as well as about 10,000 historic records and photos of South Berwick and the surrounding area. 

AN ACTUAL BALLROOM UPSTAIRS! -  Upstairs is one of northern New England's last textile mill ballrooms, now used for the permanent exhibit, Village Voices, as well as for meetings and programs. Years ago, the mill entertained dancers each autumn when gas lamps were illuminated for a "Lighting Up Ball." The Counting House is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is part of South Berwick Historic District.

NEXT: The Ghost in the Counting House Museum

Karma On Idiot of the Week: IRS Sues Ohio Doctor Who Said COVID-19 Vaccines Made People Magnetic

I love it when idiots of the week are subject to Karma. During the COVID-19 epidemic, one "doctor" said that COVID vaccines made people "magnetic." Yes, MAGNETIC. What The? Not only was that DUMB, but it was easily disproven. Finally, Karma has caught up with this fool, because she did something else foolish: She didn't pay 3 years of taxes. Here's the enjoyable story of Karma and the Magnetic doctor. 

IRS Sues Ohio Doctor Who Said COVID-19 Vaccines Made People Magnetic 

Jun 3, 2024, Associated Press

CLEVELAND (AP) — An Ohio doctor who drew national attention when she claimed COVID-19 vaccines made people magnetic is being sued by the federal government over claims she hasn’t paid nearly $650,000 in federal taxes and late fees.

The lawsuit, filed last month in federal court in Cleveland, claims Sherri Tenpenny didn’t pay taxes in 2001, 2012 and 2013.

Tenpenny, an osteopathic doctor, has been licensed in Ohio since 1984. Sherri J. Tenpenny is an American anti-vaccination activist and conspiracy theorist who promulgates disproven hypotheses that vaccines cause autism. She told Cleveland.com that she’s tried to settle the dispute with the several times.

“This shows what the IRS can do to a person that they target,” Tenpenny told the newspaper. “This is a total harassment case. They’ve been doing this to me for 23 years.”

The lawsuit alleges that Tenpenny owes $646,929 overall, most of it late fees and penalties. It says she set up payment plans but didn’t finish paying her taxes for the three years cited.

Tenpenny, who lives in Middleburg Heights, drew national attention when she urged Ohio legislators to block vaccine requirements and mask mandates during the coronavirus pandemic, claiming that the shots made their recipients “interface” with cell towers and interfered with women’s menstrual cycles.

Roughly 350 complaints were soon filed about Tenpenny with the medical board, which can discipline physicians for making false or deceptive medical statements. Tenpenny refused to meet with investigators, answer written questions or comply with a subpoena ordering her to sit for a deposition.

Tenpenny’s license was suspended in August 2023 on procedural grounds for failing to cooperate with the investigation. Her attorney had told the board she wouldn’t participate in an “illegal fishing expedition.”

The Ohio State Medical Board voted 7-2 in April to restore her license, with proponents saying she had met the requirements for reinstatement and had paid a $3,000 fine.

Hero of the Week: Woman saves man from drowning on Cape Cod beach

This week's hero is a woman who was on a beach in Cape Cod with her family and newborn baby. She jumped into action when she saw a man drowning. Here's the story from the Barnstable Police Department.

(Photo: 33 year old Frances Lonergan of Longmeadow, Massachusetts. Credit: Barnstable Police Department)

Heroic Woman saves man from drowning on Cape Cod beach

  Barnstable Police Departmen Facebook Page July 7, 2024

On Friday, July 5th, 2024, the Barnstable Police received a 911 call from Dowses Beach in Osterville reporting a person drowning in the water. When officers arrived on the scene, they observed that the 46-year-old swimmer in distress had been pulled from the water and was being medically treated by two good Samaritans. 

The victim, unfamiliar with the abrupt drop-off and strong current in the channel, had begun yelling for help as he struggled to reach the surface.

33 year old Frances Lonergan of Longmeadow, Massachusetts, on vacation with her family and newborn baby, heard the victim's call for help. Without hesitation, she jumped into the channel and began pulling the victim to safety.

Another bystander, on vacation from New York, witnessed Mrs. Lonergan’s selfless act of courage and also jumped in to assist. The rescued swimmer, who was conscious and alert, was transported to Cape Cod Hospital by COMM Fire for further medical evaluation.

Witnesses explained that Mrs. Lonergan’s heroic actions undoubtedly saved the swimmer's life. We are extremely grateful for the bystanders who put their own safety at risk to save the life of a complete stranger. Your actions exemplify true bravery and compassion. 

Job Well Done!

Wow! Check your Name on Missingmoney.com ! (It includes a U.S. State Database)

Yesterday I received an email from a morning radio show I listen to, and it had a link to a website called "Missing Money.com."  The website is the clearing house for all U.S. states (and Canadian Provinces where accounts have been sitting dormant for some time. I actually found an account of mine from when I lived in Atlanta, GA in 1999 (with a small amount of money, sadly)- and have filed for it.  I also found one for my Mom, who passed away in 2013! So check your name, and if the account shows your name in a place where YOU lived (there are many others with our names), then look into it. You can file for it on line, and they require your SS# but it's protected. It also takes you to individual state websites for unclaimed money. Today's blog provides the link and info.

MissingMoney.com is the official Unclaimed Property website of the National Association of State Treasurers

U.S. State Governments and several Canadian Provinces, through their partnership with the leading, trusted authority in unclaimed property—the National Association of Unclaimed Property Administrators (NAUPA)—provide this free, safe, and secure site to the public. New properties are added daily, so start your search now and check back often!  GO TO: www.missingmoney.com  to find out if there's something for you. 

A Good Read: Jim Butcher's "White Night" - Dresden Files (Wizard of Chicago)

The Dresden Files is a series of contemporary fantasy/mystery novels written by author Jim Butcher. telling the story of Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, Chicago's first (and only) Wizard P.I. (There's also a great limited 12 episode tv series of it) The series is slated to run 23-24 books, and he's up to 17 already.  I have previously read and enjoyed three in the series and most recently read the 9th book: White Night (note better to read them in order!) . Today's blog is my take on the book, and you'll read the book synopsis.

PLOT SUMMARY: A year after the events in Proven Guilty, Dresden is called by Murphy to the scene of an apparent suicide, and senses the victim is a magical practitioner. After investigating another victim, Dresden realizes a serial killer of magical practitioners is loose in Chicago.

MY THOUGHTS- I enjoyed the book and the mysterious killings were a real mystery. Women who were witches in one "order" were being killed and they were set up to appear as suicides. The person or entities behind these were uncovered by Harry and other characters. There were two parts that dragged- which was about 20 pages of a flashback with Harry and another Wizard colleague named Ramirez (I flipped through it), and the battle scene at the end with ghouls, although the story says it lasted one hour, seemd to go on for about 100-120 pages, and it became tedious to read- so, I wound up flipping through the last 20-30 pages of it to get to the end result! The last 2 chapters wrapping it up were great.

CHARACTERS- I really enjoyed this book and the characters.Murphy, the police sargeant calls on Harry to help solve weird murders, and she's a main character. There's also a ghost named Bob who lives in a skull that Harry keeps in his workshop, and Bob helps out. In this book, Harry has taken on a protege named Molly, a 19 year old with magical abilities. She plays a bit part in the story.

ABOUT THE SERIES: The Dresden Files have become synonymous with action-packed urban fantasy and nonstop fun. In this complete 17-book collection of the #1 New York Times bestselling Dresden Files series, follow Harry Dresden into the darkest depths of magical Chicago. Included books 1. Storm Front2. Fool Moon3. Grave Peril4. Summer Knight5. Death Masks6. Blood Rites7. Dead Beat8. Proven Guilty9. White Night10. Small Favor11. Turn Coat12. Changes13. Ghost Story14. Cold Days15. Skin Game16 .Peace Talks17. Battle Ground

Earliest Deep-Sea Shipwreck Ever Found!

 Shipwrecks are fascinating to me, and I didn't realize how far back the oldest shipwreck discovered went! You'll be surprised, too. Here's the story from 1440 news. 

(Image: Images taken during the survey show the vessels sunk into the sea bed. Credit: Israeli Antiquities Authority) 

Earliest Deep-Sea Shipwreck found in Mediterranean

1440.com News June 21, 2024

The oldest shipwreck ever found in the deep sea has been discovered on the Mediterranean Sea floor, shedding light on trade during the late Bronze Age. The 39- to 46-foot-long ship was found roughly 56 miles off the northern coast of Israel at a depth of nearly 6,000 feet during a seafloor survey by a natural gas exploration company.   The wreck contained hundreds of intact Canaanite amphorae—clay jars used to store goods—suggesting it sank between 1400 BCE and 1300 BCE. The deep-sea discovery challenges assumptions that Bronze Age trade occurred only close to shorelines and suggests mariners may have used celestial navigation. While the exact cause of the sinking remains unknown, the ship settled without capsizing, and experts speculate a storm or pirate attack could have been responsible.   (image: Jacob Sharvit and Karnit Bahartan with the ancient jars . Credit: Israeli Antiquities Authority)  The cargo was spotted by robot submersibles belonging to the oil and gas firm Energean which was looking for potential new energy sources off the Israeli coast. Cameras picked up "what seemed to be a large pile of jugs heaped on the seafloor", according to the company's Karnit Bahartan.