My house is haunted

I am not a collector.

However, I do collect music boxes. I've always been fascinated by them. I have several unusual ones, all tucked out of sight because when Adam was small there was nothing visible that was safe from him. He managed to break the blown glass piano that was on the top of one of my music boxes, at which point everything breakable disappeared.

I've kept out four music boxes. They're largely unbreakable, and they joined my collection when Adam was old enough to stop breaking things (which doesn't mean he actually did stop). The music box parts are in the lids of  decorative, circular tins which originally held ginger cookies, and they play Christmas carols. I've left them out because my nephews (more destructive than Adam was) can play with them without destroying them. 

I've had those music boxes for more than ten years now. My nephews no longer find them novel, and they've lain silent on my shelves for the past two years.

Today, however, I sat alone at my computer. The kids and Darrin had gone shopping, or visiting, or whatever else, while I worked for a few hours. The silence was suddenly broken by a tinkling Christmas Carol. My first thought was that someone had left the CD player on pause, and something had jolted it back on. Then I recognized the tune of the red tin. It played for about twenty seconds, then stopped.

I have no idea what caused the music box to sing on its own but if, indeed, it was the work of a ghost, he or she is welcome. This specter has very good taste. I believe we would like each other. 

Oh--and speaking of Christmas Carols, if you want to get in on this year's giveaway, be sure to let me know in an email or a comment. I'll be sending out one a day from December 1st, through the 25th. I'm not promising I won't duplicate any from last year, and you can count on at least one bagpipe serenade because that still makes me laugh. Let me know if you're in...maybe I'll let the ghost choose the first one.