I am so sorry to be late with my feedback! I've had a lot on, but also, each time I came to AT I thought I'd go through the things that needed no thinking about first... then every day was too tired to focus on this later. So now I'm starting with this!
I can't remember many details but somewhere (nowhere I could lay my hands on it for now), I have quite a lot of family history although it's never been a hobby of mine (yet). My mother looked into her side, and all her papers on it will be somewhere in this house - and my gran talked a lot about that side of the family. And someone once took my father's side back to 1810.
However I can't say any of your details seem familiar! In fact the energy/energies I've been feeling have been mainly female.
BUT, having said that, some of what you picked up fits with some things.
1887 doesn't ring any bells in my mind, though my great-grandparents were born in that decade. I can't think of any "W ' STONE" or similar. I wondered if it may be a placename? I'm thinking Winston probably came into your mind because it's such a famous name, rather than with a connection to me - forgive me if you are sure that didn't happen.
Since you step as far from Stone as to suggest Smith, Smythe etc, maybe Styles? It's three generations back on my mother's side, and the spelling is unusual with a 'y' as it's more common with an 'i'.
I don't know about Jan/Feb. But my second son died as a baby. On the 12th of December in fact. That would also connect with the child's face you saw?
Worse, just this weekend my eldest cousin (on my mum's side) lost a 7-year-old grandson in an accident. I could PM you a photo to see if you saw his face? Gives me the shivers to think you may have seen him!
ETA: I've just remembered that this eldest cousin, my favourite cousin actually, is a big chap (had a gastric bypass last year) and when I was little I nicknamed him Teddy Bear for a while. (I was Goldilocks! I was a lot younger than him.
)
As far as I know I have no connection with the USA, except a penfriend. There is a branch of my family in Canada, though. My father is in Canada - and he's another of the "absent males". I think it was the Irish side of his line that had some family members go to Canada. I've met two from that side of the family, a Canadian half-sister, and an English aunt.
There are a lot of males in my family who are "absent" for me. I grew up in an all-female household for example. That man sprawled on his back - I instantly thought of my ex! He is still alive though, but I can't see why that would prevent his spirit hanging around me a bit? I know you said "someone that passed" - and you said "stands with you in spirit watching over you" - but are you actually feeling goodwill and perceiving that this person has left this life, or taking it for granted because that's what we're talking about... if you see what I mean? (No offence! It's just that I'm not very used to this topic altogether.)
I was quite used to seeing him like that, because whenever he's a little bit poorly he acts it up massively.
To the extent of a few nights in hospital being investigated for appendicitis when the rest of us would wait half an hour to see if the tummy ache went off. Over the years he's got worse and last summer he faked an anaphylactic attack - thankfully it was his new partner coping with him by then.
She was of course terrified, but both our sons were present and, knowing him, they weren't fooled for a second - just to prove it's not me exaggerating!
Anyway the sight of an old man (he is only in his early 50s but behaves old, sorry for himself, as if he aches all over - when he wants to...), in an undignified position on his back as if ill and helpless, is quite familiar to me.
However I can't agree with 'intelligent', 'humour', 'loyal' etc with regard to my ex!
Both my uncles died 10-15 years ago, and they were both fat. Did you say this guy was fat? (My ex is too.) My father is big, and I have no idea whether he's a drama queen, and haven't heard of any illness but then he isn't really in touch with anyone who could tell me (not even his sister, my aunt).
I mentioned the boy above... and I have two other sons. the dog means nothing to me, though I have a dog - I'd love a poodle (standard not miniature) but mine is a lurcher (greyhound-shaped). We had no dogs in my childhood, only a budgie and a cat. My uncles had collies, and later dachshunds and a Westie.
Teddy bears have always been around; my grandmother made toys and clothes, should have gone professional, taught dressmaking. I was surrounded by home-made bears, dolls, and lots more, and still have quite a number of them.
Back to my ex! he has had IBS for years; with hindsight it probably started before we even met (which was 1987). It was another thing that was always very dramatic when it hit him, bad enough to stop anything that we were all doing, though never bad enough to stop him eating what he's sensitive to(!). If he had an ache or a touch of nausea he'd tense up like mad and focus on it, make great efforts to vomit, until he succeeded in bringing something up - rather than being discreet and hoping it would pass.
I was quite astonished that in the same breath, as it were, you mention his head. He had a "not-a-stroke" (my name for it!) a few years ago - apparently it's a known condition, symptoms with nothing showing on the MRI - and last year a real stroke. Very hard to tell how serious because he'll said his doctor thought he'd never work again, and he's just started a new job - full time, pretty senior and very demanding. It doesn't concern me directly and our sons have got used to taking nothing he says as gospel.
Anyway all his symptoms were left-sided...
He's also the kind of person who walks into cupboard doors because they simply shouldn't have been there and thus has a few forehead scars.
That's what he's like when being ill - all the nurses, paramedics etc say they've never seen someone quite so badly affected by whatever it is he has this time!
Well, French is an official language in Canada. I do have ties to Europe, I live here!
French was my degree subject too. I have never been to Canada, nor the USA. I can't think of any "foreign-ish" name in my family though. Mostly the lineage is Welsh and Irish, with some more Norse-derived surnames. I lived in France briefly, a long time ago. Throwing out all the info I can think of in case any of it is relevant!
I don't think anyone has owned a pedigree dog... the dachshunds I mentioned were/are show dogs, my uncle and his wife bred and showed (and did well at it) for 30 years.
The teddy bear on the inside is my eldest cousin again.
I realise I keep making suggestions of people I know directly, mostly still alive. I don't know if I'm doing it wrong or if it's a valid alternative!
My father is extremely private, in touch with almost no one in the family. the real black sheep. He is still alive though. And unfriendly - to others, he has been threatening. I don't know about conservative but I gather he is good at disapproving of people.
My ex also hides facts, and retreats/withdraws to punish, but is more often very in your face.
I'm afraid I don't know much about the men who aren't still around. My gran's husband (my grandfather of course!) died when I was a year old and I don't think I ever met him. He was quite difficult, but I don't know if he was flamboyant or quiet / private, versus showy. My gran's father was a business owner but I know nothing about his personality, now I think about it. Her brothers were just people, I remember them both but didn't know them well. Never felt them to be interested in me.
You see I have racked my brains to think of all the possible male influences and this is all I've got!
I am really touched by the time you put into this. Apologies again for being late with my response. I don't know if I've given you anything that makes sense of what you saw. Are you absolutely sure it was friendly, or if not friendly, no worse than indifferent?
Thank you DownUnderNZer!