Haunted Flagstaff Part 1: A special visitor comes for tea in Strome

For many, ghost sightings or encounters terrify at the thought. Others are very open to having visitors from beyond, and believe in ghosts or spirits.

You hear stories of all sorts about encounters of the spirit kind. Of course Hollywood exploits and makes movies about the kind that will keep you awake at night more so than the sweet kind.

I have always been a believer in spirits and the idea of someone who crossed over coming to watch over those left behind is very comforting to me.

This is my story of the unexplained.

My paternal grandmother, whom I called ‘Grandma Jones,’ passed away five years before my daughter was born.

She was a kind, spiritual woman who had battled diabetes her entire life.

As kids, we would go visit her and there would be a bowl of oranges and a bowl of needles for everyone to practice giving insulin shots.

My siblings thought it was so cool to give her a shot of insulin, but not me, I wanted nothing to do with those needles.
I remember Grandma Jones couldn’t have sugar and always used honey as a replacement in her tea.

Grandma was English and always had her tea time. Having tea with Grandma was always special; she was a great story teller and seemed to always have the best stories of my dad, plus she had cookies!

For my daughter’s second Christmas, my mom (who my daughter calls ‘Grandma Jones’) had given my daughter a tea set.
She loved that set and anyone who entered our home had to have tea with her in her playroom.

One day, while I was having coffee with my husband’s grandma, Dode, my daughter ran out of her playroom into the kitchen and pushed a chair to reach the top cupboard.

When I asked what she was doing, she said she needed the honey for tea.

When I told her she could use the sugar, she said she couldn’t because Grandma Jones couldn’t have sugar in her tea, she needed honey.

My mom does not like honey and would never put it in her tea.

When I quizzed her about what Grandma looked like, she gave a perfect description of my Grandma Jones, who looked nothing like my mom!

I felt a chill and the hair on my arm stood on end but I felt very calm.

I stood outside the room and listened to her happily chat to an empty chair while she enjoyed her tea. Dode’s explanation was that kids can see things we can’t.

My Grandma Jones was a very tall, slender lady who had white hair during my whole life.

My Mom, my daughter’s Grandma Jones, is short and until a few years ago had jet black hair, so visually they are quite different in appearance.

I had no pictures of my Grandma, so I had my sister send some. Weeks later when the pictures arrived one was a family picture with all of my dad’s siblings and my grandparents.

When I asked my daughter if she knew anyone in the picture she picked out my dad, who she called Grandpa Tractor, and then pointed at my grandmother and said that is Grandma Jones.

When I asked how she knew that lady, she matter-of-factly told me, “She comes for afternoon tea with me sometimes.”
I told her my grandma was in heaven but she insisted that sometimes she comes to the playroom for tea.

She was completely unaware that heaven isn’t as close as Daysland, in fact she didn’t even ask me where heaven was, I am guessing she thought it was just past Camrose.

My husband dismisses the experience by saying, “She must have heard you talking about it.”

I had not told my two-year-old about my grandmother’s medical condition, nor her eating habits, however, and I was stunned that she somehow knew.

She was never scared of her imaginary friend and did not seem convinced or care that I could not see her too.
Grandma only came for tea a few times and I am happy that she did.

When I ask my daughter about it now she has no clear memory of it, as it was over 14 years ago.

I never saw my grandma but every once in awhile I would swear I could smell her rose perfume.

All children have imaginary friends but I believe in my heart that my grandma was having tea with my daughter, and it makes me smile to think she still checks in on her loved ones from beyond.

~ Jae Robbins, Strome

This summer, we’re featuring the best of the unexplained and paranormal that Flagstaff has to offer; and we need your help! Send us your best ghost stories. Long or short, any bone chilling tale will do. Don’t worry about grammar or spelling, we can edit. We just ask that you please type or print. Submit in person at our Killam or Sedgewick locations; fax to 780-385-3107; or email news@thecommunitypress.com

We also want your tips on some locations you suspect to be haunted around the area. The tips will be for our eyes only. Keep it fun, the author of our favourite published story of the summer will be presented with a prize on Halloween.