Ghost Footprints in the Snow

Ghost?  Well, strange and hard to explain.  

This isn't the first time there have been boot prints in the snow.  In fact, it's a regular occurrence.   And the same print, smooth heels and soles, a little narrow, and pointed toe, with a hollow between the heel and the sole.   And always on the south side of the driveway.  

This time there were boot prints of someone walking from the front door to the road.  But no prints coming to the front door.   At first I supposed they had walked to a car that had left tire prints in the road, but the prints ended too short of the tire prints for anyone to have come or gone in a car.  

I called David, assuming that he had been here since the prints went in the direction of his house.   Knowing him he would have decided to check on us and make sure we had heat or whatever in the bitter weather.  And I had left the phone off the hook accidentally, so he couldn't have called.   But no, when I called him he said he hadn't been here, but now that I had touched bases he would know that he didn't need to stop by later.  I told him about the boot prints.   "Maybe they were dog prints."  !!  This made me laugh.  There were dog prints too, but I know the difference between dog prints and boot prints.   I imagine these were cowboy style boots.  Definitely larger feet than mine. But, who knows what style they are?

I followed the prints up the driveway, where they stopped, and I just wound up more puzzled then before.   And besides that, the prints were much less distinct now, although I had carefully checked them out when I first saw them.  Cheesh.  

As I mentioned. I've seen these boot prints in the snow before, or identical looking prints before.  The first time was a couple of years ago when it snowed.  There were boot prints of the same size and same appearance of someone walking from the driveway on the south side,   They walked beside the house, and really, in a way that was too close to the house, then behind the house and disappearing into the woods.  ??  Why?  And it seemed odd that the boot prints were the same size and shape as the new prints.  I wondered why they had the same boots after so much time.   And again, the prints went in only one direction.  

As best as I can remember, this happens every time it snows, which leads me to think it probably happens a lot of other times but I don't see any boot prints in the grass.  

There have been other times that someone was here.  They like to bang on the walls next to Mom's bed around midnight, or sit on the back steps, attempt to open the back door, leaving the storm door open, and smoke cigarettes.  Typical ghost.  This ghost smokes Marlboros.  I still have one of the partly smoked cigarettes.  For evidence I guess.  Someone stood outside my bedroom one night taping four times on each of the windows.  I called the sheriff, and a deputy came over and walked around the house, but no one was there.  He asked me if I could think of anyone that might do this.  I didn't know, but suggested the possibility of one local jerk that might be behind it.  He called the person and told them not to ever set a foot again on my property or they would be arrested.  This brought me joy, but it probably wasn't that person, because that wasn't the last of it.  

I thought things had ended when I put "No Trespassing" signs all over the place.  I stopped short of saying, "Trespassers will be shot," but never say never.   This always happens at night at midnight or later.  I can think of one night person, but still, spooking us at night just doesn't make sense.  I have just gone outside and fired shots in the air to let this crazy know I am armed.  That's one of the reasons most people don't prowl around other people's yards at night.   

So I still can't figure out how someone left prints leaving the front door but not coming to the house.  Mom said maybe they live under the house.  That was a joke. 

Everyone keeps telling me I just think I saw these prints.  I KNOW WHAT I SAW! 

And what was little Spot doing while a prowler was at the front door?  

Spoooot.  Explain yourself!