I don't relate this experience very often but this seems to be a very open minded bunch. Let me apologize in advance for the length of my post, however, my experience spans many years and involves most of my immediate family.

I grew up in a quiet neighborhood in south Tampa, Florida. I shared a home with my grandmother, mother and brother. The house was owned by my family since the turn of the last century. Originally the habitable portion of the house was on the second floor with the full first floor being a garage. Many homes built in Florida at the time had no living area on the first floor because of the lack early storm warning and poor flood control. In the early 1920's my great grandfather remodeled the first floor into a second living area for his sister. When the house was originally built in the late 1800's there were sparse dwellings in that area of town. I've seen some very faded pictures taken after my great grandfather remodeled the house and the closet neighbor was over a half mile away. My bother and I both found several civil war era relics in the large yard including what is called a chain shot. The area is now very congested with homes a few feet apart. The point is, both the home and my family have a long history which intertwines. Both my great grandfather and great grandmother passed away in the house and as was the custom in those days, their coffins were in the home for viewing after their death.

So enough for the background, as I said before I grew up in this house, my earliest recollections were of living there and I did so until turning 12 when my mother remarried. My grandmother continued to live in the house until her death, at which time the house was sold. During my entire memory of living in the house we were visited by apparitions, or more accurate "an" apparition. We always surmised it was my great grandmother, although we have nothing on which to base this conjecture, only a feeling. My great grandmother past away long before I was born. I need to reinforce the fact that all who lived in the house were visited on numerous occasions by the apparition. It would never fully reveal itself, but appear out of ones peripheral vision as a figure moving out of the corner of your eye. Although the apparition never walked up and introduced itself, there was never a question that there was definitely something there. The front portion of the home was comprised of what was then referred to as a "parlor" and the next room over was what we called the "TV room", the modern day equivalent of a formal living room and family room. My most vivid memory of "grandma" as we called the apparition, was sitting in the TV room watching TV and seeing grandma out of the corner of my eye moving from the kitchen in the rear of the home to my bedroom, which was adjacent to the TV room. At the time I mistakenly thought it was my brother's girlfriend, who was then spending a great deal of time at our house. When I walked into my bedroom, which I shared with my brother, I asked "Where's Nancy?". My brother looks up at me with a puzzled look and says "At home I guess, I don't know". Long story short, my brother was in the room alone, had been in the room without leaving for some time, and my soon to be sister in-law was no where around. I explained what I had seen and we both nodded and said “grandma!”. Visions such as this appeared to everyone in the family on numerous occasions.

Now on to the mischief, it seems "grandma" was a practical joker as well and liked repeating the same joke for some reason. On two occasions when arriving home, my mother found a furry stuffed cat, which usually sat on her bed, at the end of the driveway nearest the house. Once, when no one was around, I broke an ashtray. I took the ashtray, without anyone knowing, carefully glued it back together, and slid it underneath a china cabinet in our kitchen for the glue to dry. The china cabinet was very heavy and would have taken two men to move. The space between the china cabinet and the wall was only big enough for me to slide my small arm behind and under. This was a well built china cabinet, with coverings under the drawers so that the area under the cabinet was only visible by moving the cabinet away from the wall. Honestly I had totally forgotten about the incident for several weeks until my mother walked into the house holding the ashtray. She asked "Why was this in the driveway?"

To describe "grandma" I'd have to say she was very much the traditional portrayal of a ghost, long flowing gown and hair, very white and semi transparent. Very much like a mist. Thinking back it now seems odd that we were never alarmed about her appearing or her hijinks. In fact, very much the opposite, she gave off a very positive vibe. Thinking back about "grandma" makes me smile. Many may read my recollections and dismiss them as fantasy, but I assure you, it is very much the truth and "grandma" was very real. I've never approached the people living in the house now for fear of them thinking me some kind of nutcase, but I'm very curious as to what they might have to say about "grandma".

Nice story . I think its great you were all comfortable with her presence . thanks for sharing and welcome to UM

Nicely written. I usually don't read the long stories, but your's caught my interest because I live outside of Tampa. It's wonderful to have memories of "Grandma", I do and wish I could see her again.

Hi and welcome to UM....Interesting story, sounds like grandma doesn't want to leave her loved ones....