#DOOR-Filipek

[prettylittlelyres]

Violins and Violets - Complete!

Today (14th August 2018), at 10:15am, I completed the first draft of Violins and Violets, to the tune of 66,553 words written since 1st April 2018, alongside an exam season, more essay deadlines than I care to count, and a house move.

I’ve settled into my new home, finished my first year at university, and finally finished my first stab at this novel, after a fight with a nasty case of writer’s block, and I’m more pleased with it, even so early on, than I’ve ever been with anything else I’ve ever written. I’ve wanted to tell a story like this for three-and-a-bit years, and now it’s done!

Beta Readers Wanted

If anyone’s interested in a historical romance inspired by the life of musical prodigy Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart, please let me know, and I’ll send you a copy of the first draft as soon as possible. This is just the first draft, so please do point out anything that confuses you, or that could be improved.

Excerpts from each chapter below the cut:

Chapter One The day I turned twenty, he took everything from me. He took away my violin, locked the fallboard of the harpsichord in our drawing room, and hid the key. I could do nothing. Perhaps my hands knew what was happening, understood that the music they had created since my feet could walk was being torn away from me, shut away as if in a room I could never access. My fingers trembled, cowering against my palms.

Chapter Two As darkness fell, I lay on my side with my counterpane drawn up over my head. Every time Father's footsteps passed my door, I pressed my eyes shut, and slowed my breathing, in case he decided to open my bedroom door. But I was not facing the door, I was facing the window, and, in the moments where the house fell silent, I watched the moon rise and furrowed my brow with thought. The periods of quiet grew longer and longer, until Mother's footsteps passed, too.

Chapter Three In the middle of the quarter stood the Malá Strana Opera House, an ornate building with intricately-decorated pillars and a grand door. Handfuls of people wandered in and out every few minutes, and other people, who were simply milling through the city, walked more slowly as they passed, so that they might look more closely at the beautiful building, and its sculptures: Apollo, and hundreds of angels with harps and spreading wings. I wanted to smile. I would be able to spread my own wings here.

Chapter Four The next five years of my life passed so quickly I hardly had time to look around and see what was happening. I spent my nights hunched over my desk, frantically scribbling down the sea of music crashing in my head, and spent my days reaching for every note of every opera the house presented, leaning into every attack, and finding that my fingers soon knew dialogue cues even more closely than my ears did.

Chapter Five Four weeks later, we were ready to present the opera to an audience. On the morning of the day the show was due to open, I headed to the opera house before dawn, to make certain that I would be there before anyone else. I could not stand the idea of being late for the final rehearsal before the premier.

Chapter Six I returned to my office, and found policemen sorting through the disarray of my belongings. Far from looking torn-apart, as it had when I had found it that morning, the room now looked taken-apart, as if it were being dissected in an anatomy class. I shuddered. It wasn't better, simply a different manner of awful.

Chapter Seven For the rest of my opera, my music was muffled, as though I were conducting my orchestra from the bottom of the Vltava. I could only just hear Herr Benes, and he could barely have been closer to my podium if he had sat on my lectern. He had always brought to life in the most heart-wrenching detail the tortured melodies of the princess' tragic stories, and yet his playing was almost totally inaudible to me.

Chapter Eight After my second show, I hurried to Magdalena's dressing room, and knocked on the door. "I wanted to thank you yesterday evening," I said, as soon as she opened it, "For your support… and for your encouragement… and for the dress. Such a risk, you took, standing up to Herr Filipek and Herr Havelka for me. You could have ruined your own career in half a minute, and yet…"

Chapter Nine I laid the letter on the windowsill and looked out across the city's rooftops. He must have sent the letter several days ago at least, probably not long after mine had arrived. By now, he would be in England, probably tuning his violin ready for a concerto as I read.

Chapter Ten Herr Benes caught my arm during an entr'acte of my opera, six and a half weeks after Magdalena left. "Are you well, Fräulein Schmidt? You look dreadfully pale." I nodded, but then staggered so precariously on my podium that he helped me into his chair, and fanned my face with a score sheet. "Do you need to go home? I'm quite prepared to conduct the rest of this evening's performance on your behalf. It's all right. Nobody will mind, so long as you're at home, getting better. Do you feel ill?"

Chapter Eleven There were some words that I could not trust my voice to articulate. Instead of playing the harpsichord that day, I took a piece of paper from the desk in my bedroom. There, I sat down, and began to write what I could not say aloud.

Chapter Twelve The next morning, while Magdalena slept, with her hair splayed out across the pillows and spilling across her bare shoulders, I crept out of our bed, and settled into my armchair in the living room. There, I wrote a letter to Hans.

Chapter Thirteen I left the house as early and as quietly as I possibly could, tiptoeing down the stairs, just as I had done as a young woman, a number of hours before my parents were due to wake. I did not need to be in the city before they did, but I did need to leave the house.

Chapter Fourteen I did not wait, the next morning, for Herr Schneider to come and visit us at our home. As soon as I had dressed, I asked Father his address, and walked to his house. It was not so very far from our own, and I was there before I knew it, before I had had time to prepare myself to knock at his door.

Chapter Fifteen When I returned to our house that evening, Father and Mother were waiting for me in the drawing room. As I pushed open the front door and stepped into the hallway, Mother appeared in the doorway between the two rooms, and beckoned me in.

Chapter Sixteen We went to an estate sale nearby, and returned with a harpsichord of smooth light-brown wood. It was not as beautiful as the harpsichord Magdalena had found for me in Prague, but it had a kind of warmth to it that made it feel as if she were in the room.

Chapter Seventeen I left for Prague the next morning, after a long embrace with a tearful Wilhelm. "I will write to you," I promised, squeezing his hand through the open window of my carriage. "I will send you all my news, and my music, too. It shall be as though you are right there at my side, dear friend, and, of course, you must visit whenever you please. Soon! I shall miss you!"

Chapter Eighteen Magdalena pressed the door shut and slid the brass bolt into place. For a moment, silence hung in the scrap of air between us, and I caught myself staring at the fine wisps of hair at the nape of her neck. But then Magdalena turned around, and looked into my eyes.

If this sounds like the kind of story you’d like to read, let me know and I’ll send you a copy to beta!

[wildhcartcd]

closed starter for dylan grey. ( @creatvresoftheniight​ )

In her years of life and undeath Cara Filipek had never been the sort of woman who would even conceive of the idea of ignoring the things she wanted— it was something she’d applied to her personal relationships, her professions, her hobbies-- anything she could think of wanting in the world could be hers if she fought for it and it was a lesson she’d taken to heart from her childhood in rural Poland. It was certainly something she’d applied to meeting Dylan during the course of one of the DJ’s shows— well, perhaps meeting wasn’t an accurate term so much as observing had been but an immediate need to know the young witch had bloomed in her with such ferocity she’d felt helpless to ignore it. Cara held very little regret in her life for her choices on a day-to-day basis and choosing to pursue a relationship with Dylan was, in her mind, the best decision she’d made in decades. Her devotion for the other woman had been an immediate facet of their relationship and Cara had embraced showering Dylan with affection and gifts and her favored form of love expression: food. 

It was half the reason the Pole had set out in the direction of her girlfriend’s home to deliver a carefully prepared Polish coffee cake she’d enjoyed since her grandmother had taught her a recipe when she was a little girl-- the other half of the reason being that she simply wanted to be near her girlfriend for as long as possible out of a simple desire to share her company. She was humming softly as she approached Dylan’s front door and rang the bell out of courtesy before she opened the door quietly and slipped inside. “Moja najdroższa dziewczyna,” Cara called, a soft, lilting vibrato to the tone of her voice as she all but sang the pet name she’d taken to using for Dylan almost the moment they’d started dating. “Where are you hiding, my love? I’ve brought you treats! If I have to come and find you I will very much commence my search with the utmost haste.”

[kristablogs]

Dog crates to keep your pup safe and comfortable

A second home for Fido. (Tomasz Filipek via Unsplash/)

We know it’s never fun to put your pooch in their crate or cage, but it’s unavoidable at times. It’s super important to find a cage that is comfortable for your pup no matter their size, shape, or breed. Below are a few of the sturdiest cages we could find, so next time you can throw in a few of your good boy’s favorite toys or treats and rest assured that they are happy and out of harm’s way.

Remarkably reliable. (Amazon/)

This double-door crate is the perfect solution when it comes to keeping your pet secure. It includes a divider panel, two heavy-duty slide-bolt latches to firmly keep the door in place, and patented round side clips to hold the cage together without creating any sharp edges. The base is waterproof and leak-proof, so if your buddy has an accident it will be contained and easy to clean. The crate is foldable, which is super convenient for travel, and it has four roller feet to protect your floors. This particular model is great for large dogs and measures 42 x 28 x 30 inches, but check out the other cages from MidWest to find more sizes.

Puppies and beyond. (Amazon/)

If you have a puppy you might not need to invest in a cage with multiple doors and extra features...yet. This foldable crate from Carlson Pet Products has a simple, single-door design with a removable, washable base and is great for dogs that weigh under 45 pounds. It measures 30 x 19 x 21 inches and is particularly great for car travel if your little guy keeps distracting you when he jumps all over the backseat. Just like other products listed here, Carlson makes cages in various sizes (just in case your tiny puppy decides to get a little bit bigger).

Always be able to reach in for a pet. (Amazon/)

This cage has many of the features we love in the other products listed here: a washable/removable base, foldable for storage, and a superior lock system. However, this crate is particularly suited for small dogs up to 15 pounds. It has a great topside door that will allow you to gently lower your companion into the crate, which you can then keep open if you want to give them a little more room. This door is also perfect for scooping your pup out if they tend to be skittish or scared of a new environment.

For your adventure buddy. (Amazon/)

One of the most common reasons a dog owner needs a cage or kennel is for travel and this crate from SportPet is a great option. It was two carrier handles, for attachable wheels for easy navigation, 2 dishes for pet snacks and water, with metal slats to mitigate chewing. Inside the crate is a moat so any accidents or spills are pulled away from your pet’s body, keeping them clean and healthy. This kennel comes in multiple sizes marked as small, medium, large, X-large, XX-large, and 3XL so make sure you look at the measurement carefully when choosing the right size for your pooch.

[scootoaster]

Dog crates to keep your pup safe and comfortable

A second home for Fido. (Tomasz Filipek via Unsplash/)

We know it’s never fun to put your pooch in their crate or cage, but it’s unavoidable at times. It’s super important to find a cage that is comfortable for your pup no matter their size, shape, or breed. Below are a few of the sturdiest cages we could find, so next time you can throw in a few of your good boy’s favorite toys or treats and rest assured that they are happy and out of harm’s way.

Remarkably reliable. (Amazon/)

This double-door crate is the perfect solution when it comes to keeping your pet secure. It includes a divider panel, two heavy-duty slide-bolt latches to firmly keep the door in place, and patented round side clips to hold the cage together without creating any sharp edges. The base is waterproof and leak-proof, so if your buddy has an accident it will be contained and easy to clean. The crate is foldable, which is super convenient for travel, and it has four roller feet to protect your floors. This particular model is great for large dogs and measures 42 x 28 x 30 inches, but check out the other cages from MidWest to find more sizes.

Puppies and beyond. (Amazon/)

If you have a puppy you might not need to invest in a cage with multiple doors and extra features...yet. This foldable crate from Carlson Pet Products has a simple, single-door design with a removable, washable base and is great for dogs that weigh under 45 pounds. It measures 30 x 19 x 21 inches and is particularly great for car travel if your little guy keeps distracting you when he jumps all over the backseat. Just like other products listed here, Carlson makes cages in various sizes (just in case your tiny puppy decides to get a little bit bigger).

Always be able to reach in for a pet. (Amazon/)

This cage has many of the features we love in the other products listed here: a washable/removable base, foldable for storage, and a superior lock system. However, this crate is particularly suited for small dogs up to 15 pounds. It has a great topside door that will allow you to gently lower your companion into the crate, which you can then keep open if you want to give them a little more room. This door is also perfect for scooping your pup out if they tend to be skittish or scared of a new environment.

For your adventure buddy. (Amazon/)

One of the most common reasons a dog owner needs a cage or kennel is for travel and this crate from SportPet is a great option. It was two carrier handles, for attachable wheels for easy navigation, 2 dishes for pet snacks and water, with metal slats to mitigate chewing. Inside the crate is a moat so any accidents or spills are pulled away from your pet’s body, keeping them clean and healthy. This kennel comes in multiple sizes marked as small, medium, large, X-large, XX-large, and 3XL so make sure you look at the measurement carefully when choosing the right size for your pooch.

[florahecate]

Read More 10 Girl Scout Cookies That No Longer Exist

The following post 10 Girl Scout Cookies That No Longer Exist is republished from Eat This Not That by Meghan De Maria

This may be hard to believe, but Thin Mints are not the original Girl Scout cookie. They may be the most beloved and best-selling cookies the Girl Scouts have ever given us, but for decades prior to their introduction in 1951, only those little shortbread Trefoils were available door-to-door. And there’s still a whole world of Girl Scout cookies beyond Thin Mints, Trefoils, Samoas, and Tagalongs (or Caramel deLites and Peanut Butter Patties, depending on where you’re from). But many of them haven’t lasted long.

Some of the Girl Scout cookies that are no longer with us, like Animal Treasures, sound positively delicious. But other varieties, like the ones that came in 100-calorie packs, seemed destined to fail. It’s all just a lesson that you should hold your favorite Girl Scout cookies close—because you never know when they will become extinct, like the following 10 experiments did.

1

Juliettes

Alexandra Filipek

The Girl Scouts of America was founded by Juliette Gordon Low in 1912, when she gathered 18 girls in her hometown of Savannah, Georgia, to educate them about anything and everything, including camping and hiking. By the mid-1980s, there were millions of Girls Scouts across the country, and the organization thought it was time to honor Low with a sweet treat: a cookie in her name.

Juliettes, as they were called, were initially available from 1984 to 1985. They came in a box that had two sleeves, each with its own variety of cookie, according to Little Brownie Bakers, one of the two companies that produce Girl Scout cookies. The first sleeve was filled with a “daisy shaped shortbread cookie with a lemon-coated bottom, and the second sleeve with a pecan-praline coating on the bottom.”

Then, Juliettes were revamped in 1993. The second iteration was a caramel and pecan cookie covered with chocolate fudge, and they lasted until 1996.

2

Animal Treasures

Alexandra Filipek

Considering the focus the Girl Scouts have long had on the great outdoors and all the creatures living in the wilderness, it’s probably not too surprising that they offered a cookie called Animal Treasures. These chocolate-covered shortbread cookies were available from 1999 to 2005. And they didn’t just feature any animals; the cookies came in the shapes of endangered species, according to Mashable. Eventually, they were replaced by Thanks-A-Lots, which are still available today.

3

Le Chips

Alexandra Filipek

From 1996 to 1997, the Girl Scouts gave us the French-inspired Le Chips—a chocolate chip cookie with a hazelnut twist. While they may not have been as popular as some of the other flavors out there, they certainly had a devoted fan base.

In 2001, Bob Levey lamented their death in a Washington Post column. “I never sprang for any other flavor,” he wrote. “Everything else is tied for second place.”

4

Aloha Chips

Alexandra Filipek

In 2000, Le Chips were replaced by Aloha Chips, which had white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts instead of the hazelnuts. However, they didn’t stand the test of time, either. They were discontinued in 2004, but they too have their fans: Complex rated Aloha Chips among the 15 best Girl Scout Cookies of all time.

5

Olé Olés

Alexandra Filipek

Olé Olés were available in the early 2000s, when low-fat diets were all the rage. The reduced-fat cookies included coconut and pecan bits, and they were coated in powdered sugar. We still don’t understand their Spanish-language connection, but we didn’t have much time to crack the code—Olé Olés were only available between 2001 and 2003.

6

Apple Cinnamons

Alexandra Filipek

Apple Cinnamons sound like a tasty breakfast cereal in cookie form, but customers weren’t crazy about the flavor. The cookies, which were around from 1997 to 2001, were also considered reduced fat and were shaped like apples, complete with cinnamon sugar.

RELATED: The easy way to make healthier comfort foods.

7

Iced Berry Piñatas

Alexandra Filipek

These cookies, which were on the Girl Scout cookie market from 2003 to 2005, featured strawberry jelly, cinnamon crumbles, and a hefty layer of icing. According to More magazine, “Piñatas were actually cookie versions of the Danish pastry.” But eventually, these guys also got knocked out of the game.

8

Kookaburras

Alexandra Filipek

Kookaburras, which were available in the 1980s, were chocolate-covered crispy rice and caramel. Basically, as More magazine described, these bygone treats were “Kit Kats in cookie form.” Frankly, we’re not sure why they didn’t last, but there are copycat recipes all over the internet, thankfully!

9

Cinna-Spins

Alexandra Filipek

In the late 2000s, pre-packaged snacks that only contained 100 calories were all the rage. And, of course, the Girl Scouts got in on the action. In 2007 and 2008, they produced 100-calorie snack packs of this cinnamon oatmeal cookie. But, we’re not surprised they didn’t last: Girl Scout cookie season is not for calorie counting.

10

Upside Downs

Alexandra Filipek

These late 1990s oatmeal cookies had an advantage over their competitors: a layer of icing on the bottom. According to CafeMom.com, Upside Downs were the Girl Scouts’ answer to Little Debbie Oatmeal Creme Pies. Unfortunately, that wasn’t enough of a sell for them to become a permanent flavor, and so they’ve since been retired to the Girl Scout cookie graveyard.

The post 10 Girl Scout Cookies That No Longer Exist appeared first on Eat This Not That.

[greateventsrent]

3 Things You Should Think About Before Placing a Wedding Rentals Order

1.       Research the Companies Décor companies have designers on staff and offer solutions for your wedding décor based on their design experience, whereas rental companies generally do not offer or incorporate design services. Find out if set up is included, extra or not offered at all. Sometimes, the rental company can recommend a private contractor that would provide set up services, and these are often very reasonably-priced when compared to a full-services planner or designer.

2.       Pick Your Theme (or at least the colours) Having a mental picture of what you’re looking for before you walk through the door is paramount, but there’s also no sin in window shopping. Many rental companies have showrooms where you can “play”: Create a mock-up to see which colours will go best together and build your vision. Take advantage of this opportunity to truly decide on the look and feel of your event. It’s like real-life Pinterest!

3.       Establish a Budget Nothing is more disappointing than realizing your dream wedding is financially out of reach. Be realistic when building the budget. Most event rental companies will offer both basic and upscale options for many items, so make a decision on what you want to spend the money on and what will make the most impact. Perhaps a runner rather than a full-length linen in that glitzy fabric will portray your vision just as well, or you can opt for a vignette that incorporates your vision for a photo booth.

(as previously featured on Calgary Bride)

Photocredits | Filipek Photography Models | Shelbey Xii | Graham | Patricia Truong

Words: Kasia Gorski