Grandma's Swinging Chair
Witness: Susan Oorbeck
Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan
Date of Encounter: June 17, 2006
I was staying at my sister's house the weekend of the June 17th while she and her husband were out of town. With me were here two boys (ages 13 and 14), and her friend's 12 year old son and 3 year old daughter. I have spent a lot of time in this house, which has many active spirits, some good, and some not so good. The spirits appear to be both male and female, and range in age from children (I've heard them laughing at night when I'm alone in the house) to an elderly woman who seems to want to protect and comfort those present.
On this particular Saturday I was in the kitchen, and all of the kids were in the living room watching TV. My 13 year old nephew came into the kitchen and asked me if I saw anything on the porch. This is a small enclosed porch off of the kitchen with a window and door on the kitchen wall, a window to the living room, and screens on the other two outside walls. It sets up about 6 feet from ground level.
I looked through the window and all I noticed was that my sister's hanging rattan chair was swaying very slowly side to side. I didn't think anything of that right away. I asked him what I was supposed to be looking for, and he said that the 3-year-old looked over through the window and pointed to it, saying "There's Grandma!" That's when I noticed that there was no breeze at all outside (the weather was hot and muggy with no breeze… typical for this part Michigan).
She kept pointing to "Grandma" off and on the rest of the afternoon. The chair kept doing it's little dance, going so far as to actually turning full 90-degree turns.
"Grandma" has been around for as long as they have lived there. She's been known to caress the hair of sleeping visitors and rub the back of sick children. According to my nephew, who has seen her apparition, she is about 5'5", thin, and has long gray hair.
I don't know why she chose that particular day to be with us, but as always, her presence was welcomed.
