Paranormal Q&A: Will Spirits Find Me if I Move?

Today's blog is about whether spirits can find us if we relocate or go to a place they don't know. To understand that you need to know there's a difference between a ghost and and spirit. I explain that in depth in my books "Ghosts and Spirits" and "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead." Here's the answer to the question, after a brief refresher:

Spirits can find you anywhere

Ghosts are Earthbound. They are the energy and consciousness of people or animals that decided to stay on earth at a location of their choosing. They cannot move from there unless they accompany a living person out of that environment. (there's much more in the books). 

Spirits are those energies of the formerly living that crossed over and joined the energy running through the cosmos. You can think of it as Heaven, Paradise, Valhalla, etc. They can go anywhere at any time. (More info in my books). 

Q: Mom died six weeks ago, and we had her cremated. We have her urn in the living room. We haven't sensed her presence yet, but I'm trying to keep an open mind about it. If she is inclined to visit, but Dad and I move to another house, would she be able to find us if we put the urn in the new house? Or would she only be able to look for us in the house she'd lived in? 

A: Your Mom is a spirit. Her energy is connected to you by the love you share, like an invisible tether. Since spirits (who have crossed over) can go anywhere she will always be able to find you wherever you move.  Spirits can find you anywhere in the world you travel. In 2009, the spirit of my puppy Buzz made himself known to me when I was on vacation in Puerto Rico (see my "Pets and the Afterlife" books).

Spirits have the ability to go anywhere in the world at any time and can even appear in more than one place at the same time (defying physics!)
 
You can read more about it in my books "Ghosts and Spirits" and "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" available in paperback and E-book on Amazon.com  

Haunted hotels in Hampshire, United Kingdom: Angel and Blue Pig Hotel

 In my book "Ghosts of England on a Medium's Vacation" I stayed in a bed and breakfast in a former Tudor Era castle, that turned out to be haunted,  In fact, there was a ghost named Rupert in my room and I wound up figuring out exactly who he was and learned why he was there. You can read about him in my book. In today's blog, Thanks to an article in the UK Hampshire Chronicle, you'll read about the Angel and Blue Pig Hotel in Lymington, England.

The Angel & Blue Pig, Lymington

Google street view

this 13th century in is one of Lymington’s oldest and has more recently been reincarnated as a gastro pub complete with boutique bedrooms.

According to the book haunted Inns of England by Jack Hallam there have been sightings of a ghost in this hotel.

They believe the shadowy figure to be a coach driver and he is reportedly a tall grey-haired naval figure who haunts the bar area.

Ghosts of England: On a Medium's Vacation

What happens when a medium goes on vacation? Can a medium simply switch off their ability at will? Well…not exactly. Rob Gutro is a medium/author/paranormal investigator and a scientist who has written 4 books about his encounters with human and animal ghosts and spirits. In this book, you will read about his experiences on two separate trips to the United Kingdom. England’s rich history and many epic battles have caused an over-abundance of residual emotional energy. Everywhere he traveled, he had a paranormal experience. He explored royal palaces and spent the night in haunted castles. He encountered the ghosts of historical figures including a queen, a prince, and a nobleman; and several ghosts even shared their pain of death experience with him. 

TO PURCHASE ON AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-England-Vacation-Rob-Gutro/dp/1985276577/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=rob+gutro&qid=1591021774&sr=8-8

Celebrate the Last Week of Pride Month - Read "Kindred Spirits" by Medium Rob Gutro

June is National Pride month, and we celebrate the diversity of the LGBT community. One of my books, "Kindred Spirits," is about how the spirit of a gay man has come through to me for the last 14 years and I've actually befriended him. The book examines the amazing signs he's given to prove he's around, sent a look-alike to save us from being lost in England, and helped solve the mystery around his own death... plus more!

ON AMAZON:  CLICK HERE to buy on Amazon

  (Just $6.99 paperback and $3.49 ebook) 

   ABOUT THE BOOK:  It's uncommon for a medium really get know a spirit so well that the living person considers the spirit a best friend. But that's exactly what happened to medium and paranormal investigator Rob Gutro. When Rob met his partner Tom in 2005, Ed's spirit came along for the ride. Rob never knew Ed in life, but Tom did. Now, Ed often communicates to Rob and has revealed his sense of humor, his heart, and helped solved the mystery of his passing. Ed's "Spirit Treasure Hunt" showed his family he's with them, too. Ed even sent a look-alike to rescue Rob during a vacation in England. As you read about this special spirit named Ed and his sometimes funny communications, you'll learn signs your loved ones send. This book will teach you how to be more aware of messages from your loved ones in spirit. "Being a friend with Ed in spirit is like having a friend who lives in another state" - Author Rob Gutro describing his relationship with Ed's spirit.

Video: A Few Odd Minutes in Howard County: Savage Mill

  Over the last couple of years, I've been fortunate to work with Tony Hoos, Television producer at Howard County Community College, who produces historic and sometimes haunted short video specials about the county here in Maryland. There are several of my video interviews on their website that feature the Ghost cat in the Envy Salon, Pets and the Afterlife, and the haunting of the Patapsco Female Institute.  In this 4 minute video, Tony and his amazing crew take you to the historic and the haunted Savage Mill in Savage Mill, Maryland.

A mischievous little girl named Ellen, a fateful trip down the stairs, ghosts in the attic. These are the stories you'll hear on a visit to Savage Mill, a former cotton mill with a deadly past.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/s25KOSLe9dc

https://youtu.be/s25KOSLe9dc

Haunted Trails #1 - Bloody Lane Trail, Maryland

The Travel channel did a feature about Haunted Trails, and this is the first installment. The Bloody Lane Trail in Maryland.

Bloody Lane Trail, Maryland

This 1.5-mile trail in Antietam National Battlefield was the site of one of the deadliest Civil War battles in 1862. As a result, visitors report seeing ghostly soldiers both day and night. Many soldiers are buried around Burnside’s Bridge, and phenomena include witnessing balls of blue light, hearing drumming, gunfire and battlefield songs and smelling gunpowder.

ABOUT THE BATTLEFIELD (Now a National Park): The Bloodiest Day in American History--Hope for Freedom 23,000 soldiers were killed, wounded or missing after twelve hours of savage combat on September 17, 1862. The Battle of Antietam ended the Confederate Army of Northern Virginia's first invasion into the North and led Abraham Lincoln to issue the preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.  More information: https://www.nps.gov/anti/index.htm

For Rob Gutro's books about the ghosts he encountered, visit: www.robgutro.com

Meet the Alleyway Ghost and More in a new book "Case Files of Inspired Ghost Tracking"

A book called "Case Files of Inspired Ghost Tracking," by best-selling paranormal author Rob Gutro takes readers on paranormal investigations into private and historic homes where ghosts were traumatizing families. 
  You'll read about the Alleyway Ghost in the pages of Case Files. You'll learn why he's there and why he died there, just as we did when the paranormal investigators met him in the alleyway behind a house in the Baltimore area. Rob even sketched him out and got confirmation from the homeowner that that was indeed the ghost they saw walking around in their house! 
  Rob, a medium in the Inspired Ghost Tracking paranormal group, announced the release of his seventh paranormal book that brings readers along on investigations and reveals some bizarre and shocking things the group found and how they helped the ghosts and families.     
TO BUY ON AMAZON: https://tinyurl.com/yba6ofbj

"When earthbound ghosts have traumatized families in their own homes, Inspired Ghost Tracking (IGT) of Maryland has gone in to cross them over," Gutro said. "Every case is different, too. Some have had earthbound ghosts that were friendly, others were not. IGT experienced a lot of bad energies that caused people to become physically sick or mentally traumatized. IGT investigators had to figure who, what, when and why things were happening, to finally bring peace to the living and the dead."  

In this collection of IGT cases, you’ll read about the "Burned Ghost," ghosts of two different time periods in one home, dark things that Ouija boards brought into homes, a very haunted Maryland mansion, many ghosts of Baltimore’s Federal Hill, a ghostly attachment, a Steelworker’s ghost, poltergeist activity, the famous IGT “Double Murder Ghost Investigation” and many more.

You'll find answers to questions like why ghosts choose to stay in a place, the differences and similarities between ghosts and spirits, why energy is the key to the paranormal and much more.

Although Rob has become known as a "Pet Medium" through the success of his best-selling books "Pets and the Afterlife" and "Pets and the Afterlife 2," he also connects with human earthbound ghosts and spirits.

Gutro is the first in the paranormal field to make the distinction between earthbound ghosts and spirits who have crossed over. Rob has three books about his experience with human ghosts and spirits, called "Ghosts and Spirits," "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead," and "Ghosts of England on a Medium's Vacation," and most recently, "Kindred Spirits: How a Medium Befriended a Spirit."   

Rob Gutro has been featured in the Washington Post and nationally syndicated radio programs like "Coast to Coast AM." Rob is a volunteer with Dachshund and Weimaraner rescues and gives fundraising lectures for animal rescues around the U.S., teaching grieving pet parents how pets communicate from the afterlife.   

Website: www.robgutro.com, www.petspirits.com

Facebook pages: www.facebook.com/ghostsandspirits.insightsfromamedium

www.facebook.com/RobGutroAuthorMedium

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RobGutroAuthor

Amazon Author Page: amazon.com/author/robgutro

YouTube:   https://tinyurl.com/wcvhqbt

Royal Ghosts: Windsor Castle - home to numerous sightings

Queen Elizabeth 1 said to haunt Windsor Castle. 

During the 2020 pandemic an article came out speculating that some of the royal family may have more ghost sightings in Windsor Castle. Apparently Windsor Castle is known to harbor several ghosts of royalty. I also had the pleasure of visiting England and you can read about my encounters with the ghosts there in my book "Ghosts of England on a Medium's Vacation," available on Amazon.  Here's the article.

 By GURSIMRAN HANS https://www.express.co.uk/news/weird/1286087/Queen-news-Prince-Philip-Windsor-Castle-ghosts-Princess-Maragret-history-weird PUBLISHED: 05:02, Sat, May 23, 2020

If legends are to be believed, the Royal Family in England were joined by one of 25 ghosts reported as having been seen at the property. The Queen herself once claimed to have seen an apparition of Queen Elizabeth I with her sister Princess Margaret, the Countess of Snowdon.

According to Visit Britain, Elizabeth I is “often seen in the library” and “her footsteps can be heard on the bare floorboards before her striking presence appears”. Elizabeth I ruled from 1558 until 1603 and having died childless was the last monarch of the Tudor era.

King George III has been reported to have been seen too. According to the Sun, he has been spotted “looking longingly out of the room beneath the library, where he was confined during his several periods of madness”. George III would spend the end of his life fighting some form of mental illness, the cause of which remains unknown. Much of his reign was also dominated by military accomplishments - victory in the Seven Years’ and Napoleonic Wars but also defeat in the American War of Independence. His son, the later King George IV ruled for the last decade of his father’s reign as regent.

 King Henry III and Herne, a huntsman for King Richard III have also been said to have been spotted. Henry III became King of England aged just nine and ruled until the age of 65. He was buried in Westminster Abbey, which he had built during a reign in which he had to contend with sometimes hostile barons.

 According to Readers’ Digest, King George VI claimed to have seen the ghost of Queen Elizabeth I eight nights in a row on the onset of the Second World War. 
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To learn about the Ghosts that I experienced, check out my book "GHOSTS OF ENGLAND ON A MEDIUM'S VACATION" - available on Amazon.com in paperback and E-book.

Tonight at 9pm EDT- Tune in on You Tube as Rob joins Angel Rock to discuss pet spirits

 **LIVE BROADCASTINTERVIEW **

June 21 at 9pm EDT - Interview with Lorelei of the program, "The Angel Rock with Lorilei"

WATCH on YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/c/TheAngelRockWithLorileiPotvin

OR   https://theangelrock1508.wixsite.com/theangelrock

https://www.facebook.com/TheAngelRock 

Paranormal Q&A: 2 Questions about Ghostly Attachments

 I've been a member of the Inspired Ghost Tracking group for about a decade now, and love getting questions. Recently, Chris asked 2 very good questions about ghostly attachments. In my book "Case Files of Inspired Ghost Tracking" by Rob Gutro, you'll read about such an attachment in the "Case of the Burned Ghost" (available on Amazon). Here are today's questions and answers!  

1) When the team goes out and encounters a ghost who does not want to move on, how do the team members try to stop the ghost from attaching to them?

A: Typically, if a ghost doesn't want to move on, they want to stay fixed at the location of their choosing, so they won't try to attach themselves to anyone. However, if they just want to leave their location and try to attach to one of the paranormal investigators they likely can't. That's because before we go into a place, we issue a "prayer of protection" - calling on spirits (like loved ones, spirit guides, etc.) to protect us, and then surround ourselves by positive emotional energy - like an energy blanket of sorts. Because the energy is positive, and ghosts are negative emotional energy, they are blocked from attaching to investigators.

2)  Has it always worked or have folks had to try to break the ghostly attachment multiple times?

So far, the protections have worked. I also usually encourage people to do the same procedures in their home if they have a ghost. 

    One time that an Inspired Ghost Tracking person did not surround herself by white light and do the protection prayer, a ghost actually DID attach to her at a hospital when she was visiting someone. The ghost followed her to a paranormal group meeting where she was discovered by some fellow investigators, and myself and several others had to cross her over!

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About the book: CASE FILES OF INSPIRED GHOST TRACKING : 

Case Files of Inspired Ghost TrackingWhen earth bound ghosts have traumatized families in their own homes, Inspired Ghost Tracking (IGT) of Maryland has gone in to cross them over. In this collection of IGT cases, you’ll read about a very haunted Maryland mansion, many ghosts of Baltimore’s Federal Hill, the Burned Ghost, ghosts of two different time periods in one building, the dark things Ouija boards brought into homes, a ghostly attachment, a Steelworker’s ghost, poltergeist activity, the famous IGT “Double Murder Ghost Investigation” and many more. You’ll also learn about ghosts vs. spirits, energy and lots of Q&A. So, come along with us on these IGT investigations and learn that the paranormal is quite active!

4 Min. Video; Odd Minutes in Howard County: Part 2: Historical Society

 Over the last couple of years, I've been fortunate to work with Tony Hoos, Television producer at Howard County Community College, who produces historic and sometimes haunted short video specials about the county here in Maryland. There are several of my video interviews on their website that feature the Ghost cat in the Envy Salon, Pets and the Afterlife, and the haunting of the Patapsco Female Institute.  In this 4 minutevideo, Tony and his amazing crew take you BACK to explore Howard County Historical Society Museum  (this is part 2). 

Mike McManus and Dustin Linz introduce us to their office, the Howard County Historical Society Museum. The museum is a former church with parishioners so loyal, they don’t want to leave. Or at least their spirits don’t. Women sing, ceilings and walls talk, and the old cook holds a grudge about losing her job. Plus, the mysterious black mask follows Mike and Dustin inside, with some chilling results.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/_WJfs9QqRtc

Paranormal Q and A: What are some differences between the spirits of pets and the spirits of humans?

Each week, I'll answer a question about the paranormal, whether a general question, or one about human or animal ghosts (Earthbound) or spirits (crossed over). This week's question is: What are some differences between the spirits of pets and the spirits of humans? 

 ANSWER: Pets communicate the way that they behaved in life as humans do. Whatever a dog or cat could do when they were alive in the physical world, they can do in spirit. So they can generate sound of nails walking on a floor, or a meow or bark from spirit (although it takes a LOT of energy).  They can also touch a person from spirit (it may feel like a light pressure against someone). 

   People can also generate sounds like footsteps, can call out a name or speak any words, and can also touch living people. 

As a side note,  Pets know limited words in life, but they can show me images of what the liked, where they lived, and who they're with on the other side. One dog told me his dad and mom gave him ice cream the day he passed, and they verified that they took him to a Wendy's drive through and got him ice cream because it was his favorite. He also gave me details about his favorite place to walk and the name of his grandmother in Germany! - It was amazing. - So, they're really not that different! Pets have the intelligence of a 3 to 5 year old child

BOTTOM LINE: Communications from the spirits of people and pets can be very much the same. It's all about how they lived and habits they had during their time on Earth.

For Rob Gutro's 8 books on the paranormal, visit: www.amazon.com. All of Rob's books were written to help explain the paranormal, and teach readers how to find signs from spirit.

Celebrate Pride Month - Read "Kindred Spirits" by Medium Rob Gutro

June is National Pride month, and we celebrate the diversity of the LGBT community. One of my books, "Kindred Spirits," is about how the spirit of a gay man has come through to me for the last 14 years and I've actually befriended him. The book examines the amazing signs he's given to prove he's around, sent a look-alike to save us from being lost in England, and helped solve the mystery around his own death... plus more!

ON AMAZON:  CLICK HERE to buy on Amazon

  (Just $6.99 paperback and $3.49 ebook) 

   ABOUT THE BOOK:  It's uncommon for a medium really get know a spirit so well that the living person considers the spirit a best friend. But that's exactly what happened to medium and paranormal investigator Rob Gutro. When Rob met his partner Tom in 2005, Ed's spirit came along for the ride. Rob never knew Ed in life, but Tom did. Now, Ed often communicates to Rob and has revealed his sense of humor, his heart, and helped solved the mystery of his passing. Ed's "Spirit Treasure Hunt" showed his family he's with them, too. Ed even sent a look-alike to rescue Rob during a vacation in England. As you read about this special spirit named Ed and his sometimes funny communications, you'll learn signs your loved ones send. This book will teach you how to be more aware of messages from your loved ones in spirit. "Being a friend with Ed in spirit is like having a friend who lives in another state" - Author Rob Gutro describing his relationship with Ed's spirit.

Paranormal Q&A: My Thoughts on Premonitions

Recently, Chris wrote and asked me about my experience with Premonitions. Here is his great question and my response. 

QUESTION: We have heard stories about animals and humans having premonitions about upcoming deaths. What is your perspective on paranormal entities announcing deaths? I was thinking of the banshee and other spirits that in folklore have been known to appear to announce impending death. Care to share any thoughts?

(Photo : Rob Gutro and Paranormal Q&A) 

ANSWER:   First,  a premonition is a sense of something that will happen in the future. It's not a "Deja Vu" which is an event that you sense happened before to you and there is nothing you can do to change it.  There are 2 Kinds of Premonition. One from someone who is about to pass, and another from someone who did pass and wants to warn us about something. 

  That said, I do believe that when people are on their deathbeds, their spirit temporarily leaves their bodies (astral projection) and they "inform" their loved ones in different parts of the world, that they are going to pass.  - By inform - I mean give them a feeling, or give them a premonition.

    There are also other kinds of premonition from spirit- and they are done as a warning to us. For example,  the spirit of my dog Buzz gave me a premonition that if I walked my new dog, Dolly,  in the same exact area where Buzz was killed on the 1 year anniversary of Buzz's death, the dog's leash would open as it did with Buzz (causing his death when he ran across the street), so I heeded the premonition.

 Fortunately I did. I decided to walk Dolly through a wooded area instead, and as Buzz's spirit warned me, her leash mysteriously opened. Had I been on the main street where Buzz was killed, something also could have happened to Dolly.  It really scared me, and I took her right back home.

  So, premonitions can be of an impending death of someone, or can be a warning!

Thanks for the great question (and future blog post)! 

Thought of the Day: Fortunate Phone Calls from a Parent

 My friend Jane posted this meme about considering yourself lucky if you still can get a phone call from your parents. Having lost my parents in 2008 (my dad) and 2013 (my mom) I can relate. Jane lost her mom in 2020, and her mom was also a friend to me as well. Even though they can't call us anymore in the normal way (although some spirits have been known to use phones), I provided my take on spirits and communications (which you will read about in my "Lessons Learned from Talking to the Dead" book). 

  Here's what I said:   "If you can still receive calls from your mom and or/ dad, you're the luckiest person."   This is so true. However, my parents and yours don't need the phone to call me anymore though. They come through dreams, in my actions (that mimic theirs), whenever I hear someone with their same name, and more. 

   Personally, I swear my husband Tom has become the mouthpiece of my mother, because he says so many things she used to say (and he didn't know about)! 

 By the way, as a medium, I will tell you that our parents want us to think of them as living in a house with no phone service or no computer. They still think of us and love us from their new home. I always think of my mom and dad as living several states away.

Medium Rob Gutro's second book

LESSONS LEARNED FROM TALKING TO THE DEAD

 is written to answer any question you may have on the paranormal. In this 2016 revision, six chapters have been added and information on ghosts and spirits updated throughout. Learn the difference between a ghost and a spirit and the energy foundation. 

Learn lessons spirits want us to know to live better on Earth. 

Experience a "Spirit Treasure Hunt" of messages that prove a spirit was with all the members of his family and prove he didn't commit suicide. 

Meet the ghost of John Wilkes Booth and see photo proof of a ghostly face from a "Double Murder Ghost Investigation." Experience cemeteries, battlefields and historic places. Learn about spirits of suicide, murder victims, angels and demons, poltergeists, ashes, slow death experiences, how to protect yourself, reincarnation and how infants and animals pass messages to the living. 

Many questions that you may have about the paranormal and how your loved ones are trying to communicate can be found in this comprehensive book. The author has written 8 books on the paranormal, 5 about people and 3 about pets.   

4 Min. Video: Odd Minutes in Howard County : Ghost in Howard County Historical Society Museum

  Over the last couple of years, I've been fortunate to work with Tony Hoos, Television producer at Howard County Community College, who produces historic and sometimes haunted short video specials about the county here in Maryland. There are several of my video interviews on their website that feature the Ghost cat in the Envy Salon, Pets and the Afterlife, and the haunting of the Patapsco Female Institute.  In this 4 minute  video, Tony and his amazing crew take you to explore Howard County Historical Society Museum  (this is part 1). 

Mike McManus and Dustin Linz, from the Howard County Historical Society Museum, take us inside the Weir House, a 200 year old building that was supposedly a field hospital for soldiers during the War of 1812. The building is now a storage facility for the history museum next door, and it now houses some spirits from the past, like the little girl at the top of the steps, a ghost that might come at you if you get too close, and the mysterious black mask, which follows Mike and Dustin next door.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/uD_EFXvTXBk

Watch part two here: https://youtu.be/_WJfs9QqRtc

Haunted hotels in Hampshire, United Kingdom: Dolphin Hotel

  In my book "Ghosts of England on a Medium's Vacation" I stayed in a bed and breakfast in a former Tudor Era castle, that turned out to be haunted,  In fact, there was a ghost named Rupert in my room and I wound up figuring out exactly who he was and learned why he was there. You can read about him in my book. In today's blog, Thanks to an article in the UK Hampshire Chronicle, you'll read about the Dolphin Hotel.

Dolphin Hotel, Southampton

Google Street View

This Grade 2 listed hotel has stood in the heart of the city’s Old Town since 1751.

Parts of the hotel are medieval and, with its vaulted cellars and creaky passageways - a perfect location for ghost hunting.

The hotel’s most active ghost appears to be the apparition of a young chambermaid named, Molly.

The story goes that Molly killed herself after her affections were spurned by a cruel young man she fell in love with.

Molly has been witnessed wandering the halls of the hotel with her legs stuck below floor level.

Ghosts of England: On a Medium's Vacation

What happens when a medium goes on vacation? Can a medium simply switch off their ability at will? Well…not exactly. Rob Gutro is a medium/author/paranormal investigator and a scientist who has written 4 books about his encounters with human and animal ghosts and spirits. In this book, you will read about his experiences on two separate trips to the United Kingdom. England’s rich history and many epic battles have caused an over-abundance of residual emotional energy. Everywhere he traveled, he had a paranormal experience. He explored royal palaces and spent the night in haunted castles. He encountered the ghosts of historical figures including a queen, a prince, and a nobleman; and several ghosts even shared their pain of death experience with him. 

TO PURCHASE ON AMAZON: https://www.amazon.com/Ghosts-England-Vacation-Rob-Gutro/dp/1985276577/ref=sr_1_8?dchild=1&keywords=rob+gutro&qid=1591021774&sr=8-8

Part 3: A Unique Pet Cemetery: Mystery Cat from a Razed Washington DC Hotel

  In May, I was the subject of a short local film about Pets and the Afterlife and how they communicate from the other side, based on my 3 Amazon best-selling books of the same name (Pets and the Afterlife). We filmed at Pet Cemetery in Elkridge, Maryland that was filled with interesting markers and tributes. This is part three about a special cat from an old Washington, DC Hotel that I didn't know existed, so I did some digging. In today's blog, you'll learn a bit about Mose, and what happened to that mystery hotel! 

"OUR SWEETHEART MOSE" THE CAT- I came across one memorial that obviously has a story behind it. This plaque had the engraved face of a cat who lived from 1936 to 1948 at the Dodge Hotel in Washington, D.C. I was intrigued to find out where Mose lived his life, and uncovered information about a Washington, DC hotel I never knew existed. 

WHERE WAS THE DODGE HOTEL?  The hotel doesn't exist by that name anymore in 2021. According to GG Washington.org, "A site at North Capitol and E Streets, NW was chosen, and under the leadership of Mrs. John D. Rockefeller, Jr., the new chair of the YWCA Board, the hotel was constructed."  

"The end of the road came for the Dodge Hotel in 1972, when new owners decided to raze it to make room for a more profitable office building. In addition to $1,000 chandeliers, the going-out-of-business sale for the hotel featured a set of hand-carved doors said to have been installed by Robert F. Kennedy when a Kennedy-For-President office was located at the Dodge.

The large 400 North Capitol Plaza office complex, still standing today, was subsequently constructed on the sites of the Dodge Hotel and the Hotel Continental, which had occupied the adjacent lot on North Capitol Street and was also torn down in 1972."

(Image: Old post card, pre-1972, of the Dodge Hotel. Cr: E.L. Crandall)

WHO FOUNDED THE GRACE DODGE HOTEL? GG Washington reported Grace Hoadley Dodge (1856-1914) was born into a wealthy and venerable New York family. She was the granddaughter of William Earle Dodge (1805-1883), co-founder of the Phelps Dodge Mining Corporation, noted advocate for Native American rights, and one of the early supporters of the Young Men’s Christian Association in the US. In 1906 she became the first president of the National Board of Young Women’s Christian Associations, whose budget deficits she would regularly make up with her personal funds. At her death in 1914, she left $500,000 to the board.

WHO APPROVED THE HOTEL? The YWCA had joined with 6 other charitable organizations to form the War Work Council to provide assistance to workers, including housing. Among other projects, the council provided funds to the YWCA for construction of a hotel for women in Washington.  The 8-story, 376-room hotel was completed and opened in October 1921.

ENTER MOSE - Since Mose's memorial says he was born in 1936, he would've made his entrance to the hotel 15 years after it opened.  The only article I could find noted that Mary Lindlsey was the manager until 1936. So, after she left, Mose the cat made his entrance. 

WHO DESIGNED IT?  New York architect Duncan Candler (1873-1949), designed the Grace Dodge hotel and it was stately and elegant but restrained in décor. It was finished in tan brick with limestone trim and featured an enormous three-story tall entrance-way with a neoclassical pediment broken by third-story windows.

Part 2: A Unique Pet Cemetery: Washington Bullets Mascots, a D-Day Dog, Parakeet Wordmaster, Monkey, Rabbit, Lizard and heroic pets

  In May, I was the subject of a short local film about Pets and the Afterlife and how they communicate from the other side, based on my 3 Amazon best-selling books of the same name (Pets and the Afterlife). We filmed at Rosa Bonheur Memorial Park (Pet/person) Cemetery in Elkridge, Maryland that was filled with interesting markers and tributes. This is part two. In today's blog you'll read about Washington Bullets Mascots, a D-Day Dog, Parakeet Wordmaster, Monkey, Rabbit, Lizard and heroic pets and more! 

PHOTOS OF MARKERS - This blog also contains photos I took of different grave markers that I thought were really nice. Some of them had profiles of their dogs or cats, others had actual photographs in lockets on the plaque that you could open to see their pet.  

Washington Bullets mascots. Several mascots for the Washington Bullets basketball team are buried at the cemetery: "Tiny BB" (1966–1987), Alex "The Bullet" (1957–1975), and "Buckshot" (1964–1967). 

(Photos: Ticky and Tiny. Credit: R.Gutro)

Little Van Atta (D-Day Dog) (1947–1955), an underground courier dog born in France, who is said to have brought the news of D-Day to her native city with a message hidden in her collar. 

(Photo right: Film crew deciding on the location for my filming. Credit: R.Gutro

Pretty Boy Boyer (1954–1956), a parakeet with a vocabulary of 1000 words. His headstone is inscribed "Bye, Bye, Mommy, see you later", which is what he always said when his owner left the room.

Carlo (1939–1966), a dog. At age 27, he was, according to his burial marker, "one of the oldest authenticated dogs in the country". 

Gretchen (1939–1950), a boxer who saved the lives of her owner and the owner's father by waking them up during the night when a fire broke out in their home. 

Juan Carlos, a dog with personality

Misty, a German Shepherd seeing-eye dog to a veteran blinded at the Battle of the Bulge in World War II. 

Moses Gigrandy (1929–1942), a monkey. 

Sylvester, a rabbit who slept on his young polio-stricken master's bed for three years and was trained to play certain games. Shortly after the boy died, Sylvester passed on and was buried at Bonheur. 

Wiggles, a 29-year-old champion horse. 

Lizzy, a monitor lizard born in Africa. 

Amanda, a guinea pig. 

Buster Ward (1967–1979), a pigeon that flew into a moving mail truck. 

Bently the Pig (2012–2014), a micro-mini pig named for the child from MTV's teen mom, that traveled from Florida to Maryland on a plane. He caused a fire in the garage. 

Also reported to be buried at Bonheur: a lion, squirrels, and white mice.

(Photo: Rob at the Rosa Bonheur Memorial Park during the video production). . 

 

NEXT: A Special Cat from an Old Washington, DC Hotel 

Part 1 A Unique Pet Cemetery: A WW1 Horse, 1st Baltimore Elephant, a WWII Corporal Canine

 In May, I was the subject of a short local film about Pets and the Afterlife and how they communicate from the other side, based on my 3 Amazon best-selling books of the same name (Pets and the Afterlife). We filmed at Pet Cemetery in Elkridge, Maryland that was filled with interesting markers and tributes. This is part one where you'll learn about a WW1 era Horse, 1st Baltimore Elephant,  and a WWII Corporal Canine!  

ABOUT THE ROSA BONHEUR MEMORIAL PARK  -The  Rosa Bonheur Memorial Park is a pet cemetery located in Elkridge, Maryland, USA. The cemetery was established in 1935, and was actively operated until 2002. Approximately 8,000 animals and humans are buried in the cemetery's ​11 ¹⁄₂ acres, which is large enough to accommodate about 24,000 pets.

WHO IS IT NAMED FOR? The cemetery is named for Rosa Bonheur (1822–1899), a French painter and sculptor noted for her paintings of animals.

FIRST U.S. CEMETERY TO BURY PEOPLE WITH PETS - The Rosa Bonheur Memorial Park made national headlines in 1979 when it became the first pet cemetery in the world to allow humans to be buried alongside their pets. There are at least 28 humans, and perhaps as many as 100, buried at the cemetery. A tomb of unknown pets was established in 1991.

 (Photo: The horse called Gypsy Queen's marker. Credit: R.Gutro) 

 SOME NOTABLE ANIMALS INTERRED HERE - 

1) Gypsy Queen. In 1925, World War I veteran Frank Heath and his horse Gypsy Queen began a journey across the United States, with the goal of visiting all 48 states. They completed the trip more than two years later, returning to their starting point in Washington, D.C. in 1927. In all, the pair covered 11,356 miles, making it the longest trail ever covered by one horse under saddle. Gypsy Queen died in 1936, and a bronze tablet was erected in her honor at the Rosa Bonheur Memorial Park in 1938. Gypsy Queen also has a burial plot at the cemetery

(Photo right: Maryann's marker with a flag)

2)  Mary Ann. Mary Ann was the first Elephant at the Baltimore Zoo. She was brought to Baltimore from India in 1922, and was especially popular with children. Mary Ann died in 1942 after falling over in her sleep and injuring her spine. She was buried at the cemetery after her death. 

WHO WAS MARY ANN? Mary Ann was the first elephant exhibited at the Baltimore Zoo. She

was purchased for the zoo with pennies contributed by children. Her arrival also revived zoo attendance, which greatly increased revenues and made it possible to fund new exhibits.

 MARY ANN'S MARKER - is a white pillar with a flag pole waving an American flag.

(Photo: Baltimore newspaper clipping of Mary Ann's passing)

3) Corporal Rex Ahlbin. Rex Ahlbin was a combat dog who served with the US Marine Corps during World War II. Rex served with the US 3rd Marine Division during the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay at Bougainville Island in 1943. Rex, a two-year-old Doberman, warned of the presence of Japanese soldiers near a Marine position, enabling Marines to fend off a later attack. Rex also served with the Marine Corps during the Guadalcanal campaign and at the Battle of Tinian. For his service, Rex was promoted to the rank of corporal by the Marine Corps in 1944. Rex is buried near the center of the cemetery, with a marker noting his service to his country.

(Photo: Rob walking through the cemetery before the filming).

PART 2: More Noted Animals at the Cemetery