Halloween - The Haunting of the Chateau Laurier

 

Yesterday completely got away from me so there was no time to really do a blog but today I thought I would repeat the stories of the Chateau Laurier. 

When Ottawa was much, much younger and the trains would arrived right downtown nearly across from Parilament Hill, the Chateau Laurier was built. It was commissioned by Charles Melville Hays who was the General Manager of the Grand Trunk Pacific Railway of Canada and he had a dream of building grand hotels in all the major stops of this line.

He watched over every step, every stone of

the Grand Hotel. It was to be named after

Canada’s 7th Prime Minister Sir Wilfred Laurier. This was to be a very grand place, one of the first in the country to have indoor bathrooms. Rooms were very expensive costing $2.00 a night since this was a time when the average person made just over $1,000 a year and a house cost just over $2,000. The Chateau cost $2 Million to build.

Charles Melville Hays never got to see his beautiful Hotel open at least while he was alive. He had gone to France to purchase the most beautiful dining room sets for the grand salon but he didn’t make it back. He and the lovely furnishings were on board the Titanic. He was in a hurry to get back to Ottawa as he was to open the hotel on April 26th 1912 but was drowned when the Titanic sank on April 14th. But his ghost did not stay under the frozen water with all the other lost souls but found his way to the halls of his beloved Chateau. He was there when the hotel was opened by Prime Minister Laurier on June 1, 1912. Everyone attending saw the shadowy form a man who they knew to be Charles Melville Hays. This was his life’s work and he had not gotten to see it open in life, well death would not stop him.

To this day, Charles Melville Hays walks the halls. You can feel his presence as you walk through the grand lobby. Those that work there often arrange furnishings for a party only to return with the flowers moments later and find all the furniture back in it’s original spot. Even though the trains no longer come downtown late at night you can hear the rattling and shaking as if some late night train has arrived. Guests have reported objects being moved around in their rooms. A reporter was accosted by Mr. Hayes in a stairwell.

Sometimes when you walk by the Chateau and look way up in the top towers you see a misty shadow in the window looking down at all the changes that have happened in this city. I wonder how Mr. Hays feels about the trains no longer coming to the downtown core and who is the little girl ghost that has been seen from time to time?

There is no story of who she is and where did she come from and why she is keeping Mr. Hays company?

When visiting Ottawa even if you don't stay there, you just must walk through the lobby and just see if you can see him, just there near the tea room or is he near the stairs.

Giving Thanks

 

With the cloudy day and the leaves turning swiftly it certainly is a time to be thankful.  I have so many blessings to be thankful for, family, friends and a home with hundreds of things to be thankful for within those three.

We always have our thanksgiving dinner on the Sunday so that we can enjoy our turkey sandwiches on Monday.  Both lunch and supper are turkey sandwiches today with relaxing and movies as well.  

I am so very grateful my sister and her family are all safe after the two hurricanes that hit them.  The first one their home made it through with very minimum of damage but the second hit them straight on and this time there was damage. 

The outside took a lot of damage but the worst of it was their main livingroom which the storm took out a window and did a lot inside. 

I was so sad to see the mess the storm left but so very happy they had done the sensible thing and that was to leave when told to.  My sister and BIL have always been smart and never just rode out things like a hurricane hitting their house.  Things can always be fixed but lives cannot when they are taken.  

And they have started the clean-up and repairs.  I know my sister and I will not be able to sit with our teas and video chat for awhile but I am good with that knowing they are all okay.  

So, I have a great deal to be thankful for and all of it by God's grace and blessings.  God is always good.  

And Happy Thanksgiving to All!

Norfolk County Fair

 

DD and I went off to the Fair yesterday and this is my gift to myself this time around.  I do look for something special when walking through all the booths.  If something really stays with me as we check everything out, it is worth getting.  

We, of course checked out the huge pumpkins and produce on display.  I love that not only do adults win blue ribbons so do the children.  Everyone can take part somewhere.

The pumpkins most over 1,000 pounds, truly worth checking out.  

Norfolk County grows most everything that one can find on one's table and this is the time that they truly show off.  

Their pigeons of every breed and type.  

Chickens and

and bunnies.  Cows, pigs and goats are there to show.  Show horses and donkey's 

All looking their best.  

Photography of all kinds to be judged and awarded a ribbon in each division.

Children's artwork from the youngest to the oldest are on display with ribbons awarded.

Little ones can't wait to show their parents their work and show off the ribbon that will come home with them when the displays are taken down and work goes home.

It was great fun to wander around with DD and check out the Fair this year.  Enjoying food that can only be got there that probably will be too much for this old girl but it is only once a year. 

Norfolk County Fair is always worth a walk around for the youth and the young at heart.