My friend, Jodie, has been posting about her experience at a nearby B & B. You should go over and read. She’s a hoot. And her experience made me remember my similar experience, which I don’t think I’ve ever shared with you. Prepare to be enlightened.
Let me first start by saying that staying at a B & B is not one of my favorite things. Give me a good 5-star hotel any day.
To stay at a B & B in southern Louisiana is even worse.
Now, let me just say that the B & Bs in Louisiana are gorgeous and are usually part of a plantation home or some sort of historical home. That part is wonderful … exploring the grounds and learning all about the home through the tours.
But, with all that, there are inevitably ghost stories at every home. The “ghosts” are usually former plantation owners, family, or soldiers.
Beau and I arrived late in the evening after we had enjoyed an incredible dinner at one of the plantations down the road from where we were staying … one of the best meals I’ve eaten. It was a perfect anniversary meal.
Now, off to the cottage. We were going to do the tour of the large plantation home the next morning. We stayed in a cottage behind the house.
We arrived late in the evening.
Another thing you should know about Louisiana plantation homes is that most of them are placed across from the Mississippi River. So, it was dark with a veil of fog over the entire area. Already a little spooky.
See … there’s the Mississippi.
But, hey, I’ve got Jesus. I ain’t scared. Nothing can harm me.
We get to the cottage and there’s nothing around but a couple of other cottages and woods. Not much light either.
They look way better in the daytime.
The cottage is old, with creaky floors and antique furniture. The claw-foot tub was freezing.
After I’d enjoyed the fruit and cheese tray and was lounging on the couch while Beau took his shower, I noticed a small journal-type book on the coffee table. Of course, I picked it up to look at it.
The book was filled with letters and notes from previous guests and their experiences in the cottage. I read page after page after page about how these guests saw or felt a ghost that lived in one of the bedrooms. HUH? WHAT?
Remember … I’m a Jesus-follower. In the words of C & C Music Factory, “I’ve got the power.” I should have no fear. I can quote you lots of Scriptures about fearing not.
However, this made me a little jittery.
And, what made me even more jittery was the fact that after reading some of these journal additions to Beau, he proceeds to yell out, “Ghost, bring it on!”
I freak out and say, “Stop it! Are you crazy? Great. You just invited in a ghost.”
I was not happy with this.
By the time we finally got to sleep, of course, I couldn’t sleep. I mostly prayed all night and rebuked any ghosts. I tossed. I turned. I kept sweating. I kept sweating, but refused to get out from under the massive weight of the down comforter. I heard lots of creaks and strange noises, but refused to open my eyes, that were squeezed shut. I think I may have not slept a wink.
Beau, on the other hand, slept like a baby. Turkey.
And that’s the reason why I don’t and will not stay at B & Bs.
I’m guessing you’d never go to the Myrtles, huh? 😉
And this is precisely why we only stay at southern LA B&B's with a "no ghost" reputation. 🙂
I don’t think I’ve ever stayed in one. They look beautiful, tho.
I’m with you on this. I’d LOVE to visit and tour the homes…but FORGET about me sleeping anywhere near it!!!
ROFL – That was a great story!
-FringeGirl
Girl, I am in the same boat. I’m a big fat scaredy cat. You did much better than I! I couldn’t have stayed once it got dark!
But the plantation house is BEAUTIFUL!
Oh my, MB!
I would’ve done the same thing…huddled under the blanket praying, not once opening my eyes. I’d also probably continually poke Josh just to make sure he’d at least be a little bit awake! 🙂
I totally agree. I’m not into the “haunted” ones around here either. I have, however, stayed at a fabulous place without any hauntings, ghosts, whatever. It’s in Rayne (rather, Robert’s Cove)and called Maison D’Memoire. The owners are extremely nice and Mrs. Lyn probably makes the best breakfast between Lake Charles and Baton Rouge. My husband and I were married there, spent our honeymoon there and are returning this year for our 4 year anniversary.
Just my 2 cents.
I've always wanted to stay in one of those B&B's. I'll be thinking twice about that now. Thanks for the heads up!
Ha! I love them anyway! 🙂 I guess it pays to do some homework before you go though – we didn’t even hear anything about “ghost” stories – thankfully, because I had had quite enough to scare the cheese out of me anyway! I do not have nerves of steel. Do not. (Or buns either, but that’s neither here nor there.)
…was sure fun to read your story though… and you’re right about things looking better by day. I kept telling Danny on Sat. night – I’ll be much better when the sun comes up, I promise… but I also didn’t want to be the one to fall asleep first. Every time I woke up during the night I was afraid I’d open my eyes and see “something”—because I have seen stuff before. The terror is crushing. I totally understand what it means to be paralyzed with fear. I”m very glad that our weekend was completely void of “real” terror. I had enough of it in my head! 🙂
I love stayin' in B&B's.
That was hilarious. Oh my goodness, I would have been doing the same thing. I am still laughing. Oooh I needed that tonight.
Thank you,
Deb
I'm with ya sister!
The one and only time I stayed in a B&B was by myself…on my honeymoon.
we lived in our church for 3 months and I could tell you some hair raising stories! NEVER AGAIN! and to this day I hate being in dark churches alone, well if if they aren’t dark I hate it! Sounds crazy because we “do have the power” but it just gives me the shivers to think about it!
Oh and I could tell you a few stories about the place where the shining was taped in Estes Park. We had a friend who was an “extra” in the movie when it was being filmed the second time and she told us some pretty amazing stories that really happened!
When my boys were out there vacationing one wanted to stay there and one didn’t and said that if they did, he would sleep in the car! LOL
Ha! I'm not a fan of B&Bs either, but it has nothing to do with ghosts. I've stayed at one in my lifetime, and that was enough.
It was our wedding night. We found this sweet little B&B, made reservations, and thought the owner was so sweet and charming.
We stumbled in around midnight, after hours of partying it up at our reception. Considering the fact that we were expecting to sort of sneak in unnoticed, we were a bit surprised when the owner had been waiting up for us with her camera. I think we'd have had more privacy if we'd have stayed at my parents' house.
But the topper…
I had been dancing and sweating under my heavy wedding gown for hours – not to mention the 5 pounds of hairspray that was supposed to keep my hair up in that silly twist thing (but didn't). So I was really looking forward to a long hot shower.
I got my long hot shower, reached out for one of those lovely fluffy towels, and dried myself from head to toe. It took about 3 second for me to start itching and sneezing uncontrollably. And then I noticed that I was covered in some sort of…fur or something.
Sure enough. The cat. I didn't know that there was a cat. And evidently, the cat had made herself a cozy little nest that day…on that fluffy towel on the top of the stack in the bathroom.
I'm allergic to cats.
And now…I'm allergic to B&Bs.
Giggling over this one. The ghost rebuking slayed me.
You know you can put one shoe facing out and one shoe facing in at the foot of your bed and that keeps ghosts away. Of course that just shows that you actually DO believe in ghosts. It’s a quandry.
I loved your B&B story…I've never stayed in one in Louisiana, but I have stayed in a couple of them here in the Northwest. I'm so glad I hadn't heard any ghost stories or I would have been freaked out just like you. Thanks for sharing and making me chuckle. 🙂