Hi! I’m Jan Olandese, and my page is about ghosts and the paranormal, as well as funny, very irreverent haiku, stories and verse. (“Well, I Thought They Were Funny” :). I have written two collections of short stories, both about ghosts/horror:
*Death Be Not Loud: Ghosts Haunts & Tall Tales for Restless Nights
*Rest In Fleece Ghosts Tall Tales & Horror Stories
*A nonfiction, illustrated book on the subject of ghosts called, aptly: About Ghosts: A Useful Handbook
*Two collections of funny haiku: It’s Your Funeral: Dead Funny Haiku, and Pasta La Vista, Baby: Mob Haiku to Die For.
*Infectious Ghosts: Contagious Magic in F. G. Cottam’s Dark Echo and The House of Lost Souls
* Love in Bosch’s Garden: Profane and Sacred Love in the Medieval Imagination
These are available at amazon: Jan’s Amazon Page
I occasionally teach classes (online seminars at oates.org) about the spirituality of ghost stories, and the paranormal and spirituality. My blog here is devoted to discussion around these topics and the questions they pose: about justice, life after death, the unknown and our attitudes to it, what ghosts mean, and more.
I’m a retired Episcopal priest and Board Certified Chaplain. (MDiv from Church Divinity School of the Pacific at UC Berkeley, CA and Ripon College-Cuddesdon at the University of Oxford, UK; MA in History from the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, BA in History from California State University at Northridge.
As a former columnist, I addressed the paranormal: I interviewed people who had had inexplicable experiences and found that many readers responded with stories of their own. It seemed the paranormal was more “normal” than “para.” 🙂
Ghosts have intrigued me since childhood, but I got more curious about such manifestations after my own brushes with the supernatural. I wanted to better understand what I’d seen or heard.
Ghosts have been with us always. Every culture, every era, every place: they’re in there! And almost everyone has a story to tell (or a story from their family or friends).
I welcome hearing from you about your own stories of the unknown.
And if that’s too serious, you’ll get a laugh out of my stories and haiku. Thanks so much for visiting!
I actually worked in the kitchen, of of three jobs, at Church Divinity School of the Pacific at UC Berkeley, CA. I was a student many years ago now at PLTS on the hill and have certificate in theological studies (long story as to why I did not obtain my MDIV. Anyway, love your site thus far. Thank you for visiting my site as well.
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Thank you so much for the good feedback! What a small world, eh! 🙂 Your work is so cool – artist AND writer! !!
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Thank you. Yes, it is a small world. I just started the second site so have lots to do yet with it. 🙂
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Hi! Thanks a lot for joining Thoughts of SheryL!
Great blog! 🙂
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Thank you!
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You’re welcome!^^
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Hi Jan, I have looked around your blog. It is interesting although ghosts are not really my thing 😉 Thanks for following me 🙂
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Thanks! 🙂
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Thanks for stopping by my blog. I LOVE the name of yours. So clever!
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Thank you! 🙂 I like your blog, thoughtful and original!
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Thanks, Jan!
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I have had several encounters in my life. Not all can be explained. The world is so interesting, and not everything is rational…..
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I agree! Intriguing, isn’t it!
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I often think about it trying to find a rational explanation.
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Yes! In fact, there are rational explanations for much that appears paranormal – it’s the stuff that can’t be explained that intrigues!
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me too, Forestwoodfolk – love this, janowrite 🙂
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🙂 So glad to hear!
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😊
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I’ll join in here 🙂
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🙂
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so nice to see you, Dina 🙂
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👍🏻😊
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Hi Jan. What a great idea for a blog – not to mention your books. Ghost stories are so popular and, as you say, seem to have been around since the word ‘Go’. I’ll look forward to following you and I’m certainly adding your books to my reading list.
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Thanks so much! I appreciate your enthusiasm and hope you enjoy! Your blog is amazing! (BTW: We have both written stories about a lawn ornament!). I see you’re from Southport, same as one of my favourite contemporary authors, F. G. Cottam. It’s a setting in some of his books!
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Your garden ornament sounds intriguing, Jan, and I’m guessing it’s presence in the garden has a very spooky feel. I do love a good ghost story! How interesting, too, that you’ve read the books of an author who writes about Southport, my lovely home town. I’ll have to look him up as well. 🙂
I’m looking forward to reading your books, and will probably start with the non-fiction one. I’ll be downloading a copy from Amazon as soon as I have a spare moment. I’ve just got home from a few days in Wales and need to get myself organised.
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Thanks, Millie! Please feel free to email me at the ‘contact’ button. Fortunately, my ghostly lawn jockey is part of the fiction collection! If you like ghost stories you’ll enjoy Cottam. His book Dark Echo is partly based in Southport (and the Southport of the past!).
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Hello again, Jan! I’ve just downloaded a copy of ‘About Ghosts’ from Amazon.co.uk. Unfortunately, I have a long TBR list, which I’m working my way through, so it may be a while till I get to your book. I try to review most books I read and I’ll let you know as soon as I do!
I’ve just looked up Cottam and see that he’s written a lot of books! Perhaps I’ll manage to read some of them…eventually. 😀
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Yay! Thank you so much! Enjoy! 🙂
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I’m sure I will and I’m looking forward to it! I’ll email you when I have done because I review on Amazon under my real name. Millie Thom is a pen name (my mum and dad’s names: Millicent and Thomas).
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I got your flash fiction book today, and will do the same – I look forward to a fun read!
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That’s wonderful to hear, Jan. Thank you so much! 😀
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Love your sense of irony, satire, whimsy and wit! Haunt On!
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Thank you! Enjoy! 🙂
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Your blog sounds amazing, and I can’t wait to read more posts. Thanks for following Oh, the Places We See. We’re just hoping we don’t see any of the paranormal sightings you’ve had or read about! Best wishes for continued success! Rusha Sams
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Thank you so much! Enjoying Oh The Places, too!
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I love the humor in the titles of your books. Your blog is delightful. I am a retired Presbyterian Pastor. I went to McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago. I discovered my love and gift of writing poetry only recently. Thanks for visiting my blog and following.
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Thank you so much! BTW, I’m enjoying your haiku! Keep up the great work!
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Fascinating stuff you got here, the paranormal/ghosts have been a long time interest of mine, too. Thanks for stopping by my blog as well, and the follow. I appreciate it.
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Thank you so much! Your artwork is great and I enjoyed the film review, too. Keep up the great work!
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Thank you for the follow! I’m so glad I found your blog. You have a wonderful sense of humor! I look forward to seeing more of your work!
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Thank you, Penny! I appreciate it! I enjoyed your blog! Keep up the great work!
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Pleased to meet you.
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Thank you, your blog is fascinating!
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I appreciate you saying so.
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I am intrigued. I grew up Episcopalian. I also grew up seeing ghosts in one form or another (but of course, mainly kept quiet about it). I’m looking forward to reading your posts and getting an education, and perhaps a further look into the paranormal. Thanks for finding me at Roughwighting!
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Thank you! Glad to “meet” you! I’d love to hear about your ghosts, feel free to email me at the ‘contact’ button. Your blog is wonderful, BTW!
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I too was raised an Episcopalian. Misled about my father, I only learned about him in my 70s. Until then, my mother’s family was also a mystery. It has been a joy to solve a few of these family mysteries. Whether it is immigration, family ghosts, or DNA through the generations, I feel the presence of these past lives. They have brought me to the magnificent Northwest!! Thank you for the follow.
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Love the Northwest – I’m originally from Seattle (Magnolia Bluff). How unusual your path, to learn about your family so late in life – and how fascinating! You said it so well! Thanks for visiting!
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Thanks for following, Jan.
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And thank you in return! I enjoyed and thought about your essay about going to Germany, and the responses you received. Thought-provoking! Keep up the great work!
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A spirited blog Jan, I look forward to haunting it from now on 😉
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Thank you!
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Hi Jan, Thanks for following my blog. Am looking forward to checking out yours. Looks pretty interesting.
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Thank you! I’m enjoying your blog – as close as I’ll ever get to Tasmania personally 🙂
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Fascinating blogsite! I wonder if you saw the movie A Ghost Story (2017)?
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No, but I’ve read about it here on WordPress! Thanks for stopping by!
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Given your interest in ghostly matters, you might care to read my review at https://cinemusefilms.com/2017/07/31/a-ghost-story-2017/
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If the film is as good as your review, I’ll like it! Thank you for sharing and for visiting my blog!
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Thanks for following my writing studio. Henry James is a favorite of mine, and you probably know why. I’m about to publish the 2nd edition of Through the Glass Darkly, a collection of my short stories, which are on the dark side of the spectrum. The Typewriter is a novella I recently completed about a haunted typewriter and hapless author. Working on Part II of that. ‘Predicate your visit and the follow.
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And thanks for your visit here! Your stories sound excellent! And the haunted typewriter, gotta love that! Brilliant!
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Like to read it?
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Sure! I read about your stories, the satirical interested me – I’ve written funny/scary ghost stories, too (“well, I thought they were funny” 🙂
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Thot I replied before. My email address is on my about page. I’ll send you PDFs of TTGD and The Typewriter via that.
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Thank you! How kind!
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You had me at “Book ’em Jan O” – thanks for the follow!
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Thank you! 🙂
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Thank you again for the like! Yesterday i went with daughter-in-law who frequently notices something I never have. When she looks at her watch she sees the date of her birth! Granddaughter has noticed this too. Perhaps I am just not observant, although 8-9 is too close together.
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I’ve heard of this kind of numbers synchroniticy: it happens to me sometimes. Not sure what to make of it: I take it as a tug at my sleeve to pay attention.
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For sure, I’ll be watching more closely from now on.
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hi jan – thanks for reading and following my blog. looking through yours, i am fascinated. i’ve always been interested in the paranormal and have had a few experiences myself. i look forward to following and reading your blog. best, beth
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Thank you so much! 🙂
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Thank you for following my blog!
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🙂
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I love this site! Thank you for your interest in my blog and I look forward to checking more of yours out. So far I have only read about the mob and I look forward to also reading about some ghosts. I’m sure there are enough skeletons in the closets in the mob tales, too, however! 😉 Also, I think you would love to hear some of the stories of visitations here!
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Thank you so much! Your site, the transcribing of the grandmother’s journal, ambitious and intriguing! I’m loving the whole idea! My ghost stuff is interspersed in the blog. I hope you enjoy! Thank you for stopping for a look! 🙂
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Thank you!
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Just posted a ghost essay!
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I’m coming over! Haha!
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I think most of us have been touched by the supernatural but so many are afraid to admit it. I have fond memories of my encounters. Thank you for following my blog. I hope you enjoy your visits.
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Thanks for reading! ( I agree…and many people are touched by it but are not paying attention! ) 🙂
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Thank you for following my blog. I look forward to reading yours.
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Thank you!
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Jan, you been visiting my way for a while, but! I been writing & posting & optimizing. Have not been visiting much. No matter, Your delightful picture has lit me up every time you visit. I finally came to visit and find such a delightful personality matching your picture. I enjoyed reading your posts. Your sense of humor is right up my ally. What you think about the posts you like penned by me? 🙂
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Thank you – your posts are original, creative and spiritual in a unique way.
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🙂
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HI Jan. Thanks for stopping by CB’s station. I will pop back here when a get a minute. CB is a big “Scaredy Cat” when it comes to ghosts.
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🙂 Thanks for stopping by despite the risk! Go with the funny haiku, less scary. Maybe. 🙂
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Hi Jan. Thank you for visiting and following HoB. Much appreciated!
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And thank you for stopping by Bookemjano!
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Hi Jan, Thanks for visiting my pages and your comments. I’ve added about the Klagenfurt Lindworm! with practice, effort and experience I hope to be able to write more interestingly and sound less mechanical!
Best wishes,
Tony
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Thanks for stopping by 🙂
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Greetings, Jan! Thank you for stopping by at A Sawyer’s Daughter. Appreciated!
So, this isn’t so much a ghost story per se as just a very weird, freaky occurrence. It happened at the baby shower for my son who was born in 1976. When I received the next gift to open I read the card first and saw it was from my good friend Sue who was sitting beside me. I don’t know why I said this but the first thing that popped out of my mouth, in a jokey manner, was ‘What’s this? A pet walrus?’ I opened the gift and saw that she’d given me a onesie with a purple and orange walrus embroidered on the front. Mind you, Sue and I (or anyone else for that matter) had not ever discussed walruses, never had any private jokes about walruses, NOTHING EVER about walruses. Again, no idea why I even said what I did but there it was. The room got quiet and everyone agreed that was pretty strange. A doo-doo-doo-doo (cue Twilight Zone theme) moment for sure, one I’ve not ever forgotten!
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Hi and thanks for stopping by! You have described an excellent example of ESP (extra sensory perception). This ha
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This happens much more than people think – often if we pay attention we get it for very small, insignificant things…your experience though, is stellar! So glad you shared it!
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Thank you for the follow!
Your blog is one of a kind!
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Thank you, it is indeed. 🙂 I enjoy your blog! (worked in health care!).
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Gosh, what have you not done?!
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🙂 Monster Truck Rallies. 🙂
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Thanks for following http://www.schlemielintheory.com! I like what you are doing. I have some interest in Poe and really like Michel Houllebecq who – though not in the horror genre – draws on in in his fiction. Looking forward to reading more of your work!
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Thank you!
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What a lovely blog you have, Jan O.
Your blog name Bookemjano is epic, well done. 🙂
Looking forward to more.
Warm greetings from North Norfolk,
Dina
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Thank you so much, Dina! Love yours, and your photos are marvelous! Thanks for stopping by! Closest I’ve been to North Norfolk is Walsingham – (other than Marmite, I miss England!! 🙂
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Appreciate your visit.
This is an impressive write.
Welcome.
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Thank you!
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Thank you for visiing my blog and the follow…How fascinating is yours?….I have always had an interest in ghosts and second sight …..To many things have happened for me not to be interested and wanting to know more..my other half calls me a witch..lol..I have a broom also which he bought me…All in fun but with that element of something else…I have never investigated further, why I don’t know….I am off now to read some ghost stories 🙂
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Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! Enjoy!
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You are most welcome I look forward to reading some of your writing 🙂
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Thanks for the follow. but – how deep is your interest for nature, travels and photgraphy.
Unless we see you from time to time you risk being deleted by our programme.
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I love travel photography!
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Fantastic! Then you’ll be allright!
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What an intriguing “About” page…I will go have a look around. I confess ghosts aren’t interesting to me particularly, but I suspect your take on them might be. My sister-in-law is also an Episcopal priest; certainly not the typical profession, especially not for a woman. Thanks for the follow!
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Thanks so much for stopping by! “Enjoy!”
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Thank you for the follow. I love your haiku!
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Thanks so much! I enjoy the variety on your blog! Keep up the great work! And thanks again for stopping by!
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Hi, thanks for following my blog, I am very intrigued by yours! Amazing what pops up on WordPress and I believe in ghosts..Amelia
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Thank you for stopping by! 🙂
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Thank you very much for following my blog.
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I really must say how much I just dig the name of your blog! Brings back a lot of happy memories.
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Thanks! So glad you stopped by!
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Thanks for following ZimmerBitch and introducing me to your blog 🙂
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Thanks! Enjoying your blog!! Keep up the great work! 🙂
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Thank you 🙂
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Hello Jan, I am very happy that you follow my Web Magazine sl4lifestyle. Thank you. Looking forward to read your contributions about the world of the mystic. I wish you a nice weekend.
Greetings from Germany.
Sabine
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Thank you! Love your photographs! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
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Will do more soon, dear Jan!
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One of my favorite music artists was/is Janis Ian. Your name and headshot remind me of her just a bit. That’s neither here nor there. But I’ll give it ago re following since we seem to be simpatico in terms of genre.
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🙂 She sings much better than I, but don’t tell anyone 🙂
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19th August 2017
Dear Ms Orlandese,
Thank you very much indeed for looking at Clifford Hall’s painting of Deiniolen.
It was an area used by Sir Kyffin Williams RA who produced many works in his inimitable style.
I do so hope that there is something to look foirward to after I turn my toes up.
Wouldn’t it be a terrible waste if there is not?
My body will go off to medical science for people to try to learn something useful from, but sadly, it will be too late for them to learn how to cure me.
Keep safe and well,
Best wishes,
Dai Oakley.
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Thank you for writing and for stopping by! I enjoyed the lovely paintings on your blog! Best, Jan
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Hi Jan,
Thanks for the follow. I’m intrigued to hear your ghost stories. Ghosts, faeries, and even the old gods appear in my books and sometimes in my life. Blessings, Wendy — bluehavenpress.com
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Thank you, Wendy! And I yours! Best wishes, Jan 🙂
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