Ghostbusters

So did you go trick or treating? We did but to a couple of neighbours that we know (one of whom had to be primed in advance with a stash of sweets.)

We could have knocked at a few more doors but the kids were new to the exeprience and it was more scary for them than it was for any householder.

Despite the fantastic pumpkin in the porch, see post "Pumpkin part deux" for picture (Karen, who has seen the real thing, says the picture gives the impression it's bigger than it actually is), we only had two groups knocking at our door. I think our house might be a bit scary. It has got a load of scaffolding at the front at the moment, it reminds a friend of going to the dentist and two more friends reckon it's haunted. And it is haunted.

A locksmith who fitted some window bolts for us told us he used to live in our street and he remembers seeing a report in the local newspaper years ago about a ghost residing at our house. Apparently a local celebrity (whatever that means) used to live here and it's their ghost that haunts the place. We've seen and heard nothing except creaky old house noises. Yes, my house and car keys do go missing on a regular basis but that's just me and the fact I foget where I've put them. Dave, who is a million times tidier than me, never loses his keys, unless of course I've borrowed them.

So when two friends admitted they always "felt a presence" in our house, I checked the local newspaper archives for tales of spookiness. I couldn't find anything but the archives didn't go back too far so I wasn't that surprised. My next step was to contact the paper, and I asked the old timer reporter, who used to do the "I've got a potato that looks like Tony Blair" stories, whether she remembered anything. She didn't. So I think I believe the locksmith but I have no evidence.

Do any of you have any ideas as to where I might get more information? Please don't suggest the Spiritualist church – I don't think so!

You're going to think I'm making this up, but as I've been typing this it's become very cold. It's as though I'm sat in a draught. I need to investigate.....

It's because the window is open. Either because we have a decorator painting the house, or we have a ghost with a sense of humour.