Sunday 22 August – What the f#*k! You losers! SHUT IT DOWN!!!!
Oh sorry! For a minute there Gordon Ramsay was updating the blog…
And what does a team of ghosthunters have to do with the famous foul-mouthed chef? Ummm…nothing really, we just had our farewell meal with Derek and Gwen at his restaurant – Maze at Crown.
And what a night! A chance for the team to relax and enjoy the company of the lovely and the super-buff big man, have a few glasses of wine, an amazing piece of steak, pig trotter finger food and a giggle and a chat about the event bloopers…
Derek revealed his thoughts on everyone in the team, describing yours truly as the only one he couldn’t make out at the start of the events…but who he has decided is a “real sweetie”. Phew! Gwen revealed I was the only one Derek was scared of during the events…well someone has to be the Time Bitch!!
We also discovered who is really updating Derek’s online presence…and I quote “I’ll keep in touch with you all on MyFace or SpaceBook…or I’ll get Gwen to do it”.
Gwen and Derek were also presented with their true-blue Aussie beer mugs (made by our multi-talented team member Andrew!) as well as an API t-shirt for Derek, which he promptly put on (after hiding himself behind the wine fridge to take his shirt off…sorry Michelle, didn’t get any pics!). Npt bad guns for an old bloke!
We had a brilliant night and a fitting end to all our hard work. I think I speak for everyone on the team when I say we have made two very special friends who have greatly touched us with their gracious and open nature, and whom we will – and already do – miss deeply.
Sob!!!
Come back soon Gwen and Derek!
Saturday 21st August – I’m heading over there somewhere…
Of course, watching Derek in full ghosthunting action-mode is quite different to his on-stage theatre work…which is why my hubby and I tagged along to Derek’s Melbourne show…
The queue round the corner revealed a few familiar faces from our Spooky Encounters events – nice to see you guys!
First up was the lovely Donna Abrahams as guest medium – I hadn’t realised how hard it must be for mediums to get their audience to “own” the spirits that are coming through! Donna had been followed around by a little girl for three days prior to the show, and thankfully one of the audience members was able to claim her…a very sad story, but an apparently happy little spirit who was pleased to have “got through”.
I don’t know if most people there were star-struck when the big man jumped on stage but he spent a lot of time running into the audience saying “Sam, where are they? You. Yes, you madam, this relates to you!”
But the one that sticks with me – the one reading that meant I’m struggling to hang onto my skepticism – was the woman whose relative had passed in a motorcycle accident – Derek described the colour of the bike and type of van, gave the man’s name, talked about his son who is having some health problems, then told the woman that the type of eczema cream her father was using wasn’t doing any good. “Tell your father he’s going to send him something that will help.” Totally accurate, totally jaw-dropping, totally believable.
Most interesting were the photos that the lovely loud Angelique sent me of her and her mates in the audience – will post them up – but they showed a number of orbs above people, with one woman seeming to have one on her shoulder.
But of course, on the way to dinner my husband and I tried to pick apart Derek’s demonstration, working out whether, with enough time and information, he could have found out the info he was giving. And quickly came to the conclusion that if you could find out all that you’d probably take up a career as Magnum PI rather than trying to pass off fake psychic abilities…
Dammit, it’s getting harder to stay skeptic…
Friday 20th Aug – Goodbye Connie…
Sorry it’s taken me a while to get this up…been trying to catch up on some sleep!
You know how I said the Mitre Tavern was thick with ghosts? Well our Friday night there (and our last event with Derek…sob!) was full of excitement. With Jo supplying live Twitter and Facebook chat to hundreds of DA fans across the globe, the night was certainly unforgettable.
Firstly it was great because our star-ghosthunter and self-confessed DA stalker Michelle from Sydney flew down to be with us…a fabulous dinner was first (really, the steaks are amazing!) and because all the action had been where ever Derek was the night before, we decided to do single group vigils. This of course meant the group was HUGE, but also that we could all stick together with the big man.
And secondly, he – and the spirits – didn’t disappoint! From the kick-off, two women in the top room were affected – one felt as though a rope had been tightened around her neck and the other was bound to a chair, unable to move or speak. Luckily API team member Andrew was able to “release” her, get her a glass of water and let Derek get rid of whatever was hanging onto her. Bit scary!
Connie was coming through loud and strong, with Derek channeling her – we had been given the story that Connie was a prostitute, but she quite firmly told us that was wrong! She then told function manager Jeff to fix the cellar drains because they stank and not to wear shorts. Hmmmmm…
After some time with Connie, Derek and his new-best-mates ghosthunters decided to obey the unwritten global paranormal rule – if you can help someone to move on, then you should. With the help of some group energy, Derek and our lovely guests and team sent Connie towards the light.
Relaxed, relieved and revived the group then settled in for some psychometry readings – one guest had seen many psychic’s in the 17 years since her Mum passed on to no avail, but Derek was able to finally pass on a message from her mother after picking up her wedding ring.
Of course we ended with too many drinks at the bar (a big THANK YOU to Jeff and his team for all their expert help!) with Derek and Gwen in fine form before we all staggered off into the night…but wait there’s more!
