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UNCULTURED Pétillant Naturel 2018
MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front
93 points. Fruit salad of varieties here, but that ain't the point, it's bright, fizzy, delicious that's the motif. From biodynamic vines. I'm cheering on the increasing number of pet nats emerging from all sorts of producers across Australia; this one came before many on the new wave.
The 2018 is to be released soonish, the 2017 if still in market is also great.
Fizzy, lively, juicy, bright and so easy to drink. Fun, festive pink colour, blasting from the glass with fruity scents, the wine overall has an almost Passiona soft drink feel to it but decidedly dry, and it's spicy and chalky in texture too. Far out, this has smashable written all over it. Exciting thing this, and of the style it is an excellent example.
NGERINGA Chardonnay 2016
MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front
93 points. From Summit Vineyard. Basket pressed and sent to barrels to rest. A 'best barrels' scenario.
Concentrated, sleek white of great velocity, purity and freshness. Zips along the palate with light chewiness and cool, green apple flavours. Lots of detail here, and a sense of 'fine wine' while also having a kind of edginess to it. Yin n yang, I really.
J.E Chardonnay 2017
MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front
92 points. Biodynamic (certified) but the cert. sticker is off the bottles now (part political etc). Bit of new oak here, but just a smidge.
Juicy and bright, stone fruit centred with licks of chalky-mineral stuff going on. Has some tangy citrus through the wine and a general 'energy' going on. Very refreshing, lithe and pent up. Delicious!
NGERINGA Rosé 2017
MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front
93 points. Rose. Shiraz mostly. Looks dark, drinks light (and dry).
Campari! Well, not entirely, shows amaro-like, cranberry, pomegranate, red fruit-centric but far from sweet, decidedly spicy and dry. Lots of flavour, lots of chalky dryness with mouth-watering pucker to close. Super good.
NGERINGA Pinot Noir 2016
MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front
92 points. Adelaide Hills pinot noir is becoming less a field of landmines and more a field of waratahs,
or something like that.
Cherry! So cherry! Spicy, imbued with light 'botanical' elements, pepper. Very fragrant, lively and pure-scented. Crisp tannins, light and juicy feel but shapely and well-contained. Leaner style but done very well. Fresh and frisky. Nice.
UNCULTURED Pinot Noir 2017
MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front
92 points. Full carbonic maceration here. The wilder-edged versions of Ngeringa's wines sit under this label.
Ripe cherry scents, whiffs of green herbs, white pepper, very floral too. Lovely start. Slurpy texture, lightly chompy tannins, brisk acidity. Such a joyous drink here. Plenty of drinkability, stacked with freshness. Such a good vibe!
UNCULTURED Syrah Nouveau 2017
CAMPBELL MATTINSON, The Wine Front
89 points. Unsulphured. Small batch. Whole bunches. Estate grown, made and bottled.
Lovely drink. Heart and soul. Has a bit of heft but is fresh and perfumed. Spices aplenty, aniseed, black cherry and deli meat. Has it going on. Bit of funk, particularly on the nose, but in a good way.
JAMES HALLIDAY, The Wine Companion
87 points. Whole-bunch fermented in a style said to echo Beaujolais Nouveau, but it's more powerful than that. No oak, no SO2. Good stuff for natural wine devotees.
NGERINGA Elliptic Chardonnay 2016
JAMES HALLIDAY, The Wine Companion
94 points. Gleaming green colour; a complex, intense, long and very well-made chardonnay, pretty much as good as they come from the Adelaide Hills. Stone fruits are soused in a citrus sorbet, barrel fermentation driving texture and mouthfeel.
GARY WALSH, The Wine Front
94 points. A glass stopper, no less. I quite like them as a closure.
Creamed honey, floral perfume in with that, stonefruit and a little spice. Medium bodied, but mouth-filling, with a smooth glide of glossy fruit, chalky textural highlights, and a pretty good finish, with cream and a touch of pithy bitterness. Nice. Character.
NGERINGA Viognier 2015
CAMPBELL MATTINSON, The Wine Front
91 points. Single vineyard viognier from the Adelaide Hills.
Ample honeysuckle and apricot kernel character, fresh and rich at once. We get volume but we also get form, the wine's inherent richness kept neat, the sling of flavour through the finish yet another point in its favour.
NGERINGA Syrah 2015
JAMES HALLIDAY, The Wine Companion
94 points. There's a lot of wine in the bottle, opening with blackberry fruit, then a whisk of liquorice and fine-wrought tannins towards the finish. In transition from adolescence to adult maturity, and handling it well. Great value.
UNCULTURED Cider 2016
Delicious Food Magazine
For between the main courses. This is apple cider with a splash of pear and quince lending a hand. It's made from fruit of a biodynamic farm in the Adelaide Hills by some really nice people. To taste, it's tangy, tart and finishes dry. Just right.
NGERINGA Sangiovese 2016
CAMPBELL MATTISON, The Wine Front
88 points. Sangiovese from Mount Barker Summit, Adelaide Hills.
Complex Sangiovese. Gamey and generally meaty with black cherry and woodsy spice. A bit of chew, a bit of dryness, a slip of mint. Will be a little too gamey and a little too dry(ing) for some but it comes to life when served alongside appropriate food.
JAMES HALLIDAY, The Wine Companion
90 points. A sangio on steroids, flexing its biceps, full of black and sour cherries with bits of undergrowth handing off its arms. Where to from now is the question – up, down or sideways?
NGERINGA Tempranillo 2015
CAMPBELL MATTISON, The Wine Front
91 points. Took me a while to get my head around this Adelaide Hills tempranillo. Think it just needs time to breathe, as much as anything. i.e. it's not me, it's you.
Body of flavour. Tightness of tannin. Polished texture. It has a good deal to offer, though it felt a bit flat and/or foursquare before it'd had time to breathe, the air bringing the texture up and fruit volume with it. Dark, choc-infused cherry with dry, meaty, cola-like inflections. Not overly complex in flavour terms, the sophistication based more around its texture, tannin and length. Decanting is advised.
NGERINGA Nebbiolo 2014
JAMES HALLIDAY, The Wine Companion
93 points. 100% destemmed, open-fermented and macerated for 4 weeks with hand plunging, matured for 18 months in old French barrels. Very good bright, clear colour; a fresh and vibrant nebbiolo, free of abrasive tannins, which has succeeded in every respect (and where its Sangiovese sibling failed). The problem for you if you acquire some is deciding how much to drink now and how much to keep, but then there could be worse problems to solve.
NGERINGA Chardonnay 2012
CAMPBELL MATTISON, The Wine Front
93 points. From a high-density planting of chardonnay vines in the Adelaide Hills. Biodynamically farmed. Spontaneous fermentation and mlf. Straw-green colour. Glowing. Complex array of flavours. Starts peachy, quite full, but turns both steelier and mealier as it rolls through the mouth. Tangy and energetic through the finish. Textural, both creamy and chalky, for the most part until a burst of limey flavour takes over the finish. An easy wine to praise and, of course, to drink.
MIKE ELLIS, The Wine Punter
A beautiful wine this. The aromatic profile is that of well behaved Chardonnay, it's confident but not flashy. Cereal and a mealy / cashew element sits amongst ripe stone fruit featuring yellow peach. The palate texture is sensational. Honey-like in its purity and flow. Like a breath of fresh air, a breeze, it is difficult to describe why it feels so damn refreshing and relaxing but this wine is certainly a breath of fresh air. The finish lasts long, as does the feel-good factor. I could drink this for days.
MIKE BENNIE, WBM Trade: 100 of the Best
93 points. Quietly, quietly Ngeringa go about their biodynamic farming and exceptional winemaking, and have come to release some seriously good white wines from their estate vineyards. Viognier does well, white blends, too, and this Chardonnay lends credence to these thoughts. It shows some richness but the counter balance of nuttiness and brine is brilliant – so very drinkable.
J.E Assemblage 2014
MIKE ELLIS, The Wine Punter
Ooh, now here's an interesting wine. Bold, charismatic, dripping in bling and rolling in the Benjamins. It's got so much energy, drive and instant appeal. The nose is full of rich aromas from stone fruit to spice; like freshly applied perfume it's intense and you know it'll integrate beautifully over time. It's lush on the palate too but far from flabby. Cool climate Chardonnay (70%) provides some crunch and structure while Viognier (30%) simply rolls around the mouth lavishing layers of stonefruit and bouncy texture. Some orange marmalade / apricot jam happening too. There's a decent finish with a little spike of fresh acid zip leaving you salivating for more. Fruit is sourced form Ngeringa's three vineyards in the Adelaide Hills and is a well balanced blend of power and finesse.So much of what I love about white wine, especially Chardonnay, is expressed here. Wicked value at 25 bucks too.
NGERINGA Viognier 2013
MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front
91-92 points. Just got around to this wine. Apricots everywhere. Totally different wine in personality to the more nutty, savoury, saline 2012. Shows the variety really well, however, where 2012 was delicious but perhaps obtuse for viognier enthusiasts. Slippery, lightly oily, apricot and kernel, ripe perfume.
NGERINGA Pinot Noir 2012
JAMES HALLIDAY, The Wine Companion
95 points. Hand-picked; a small amount whole bunch-pressed (very unconventional), the remainder spending 28 days on skins, then 12 months in French oak (20% new). Has a fragrant, dark cherry bouquet, and an intense and long palate that sends all the right messages, the flavour and texture of the mouthfeel admirable.
NGERINGA Syrah 2010
MIKE BENNIE, The Wine Front
93 points. Biodynamics. No additions aside sulphur in winery. Natural ferment. Erinn Klein, winemaker. Vineyard in the Adelaide Hills. Nice guy Erinn. Does things on the quiet. Steady as she goes. One of the other wineries to watch, forming a legacy, from the region. Spicy! Immediate default for the wine. Medium bodied, glossy texture, fresh, frisky finish. Seamless flow. Cool, red fruits. Floral. Pepper. Delicious wine here, easy to drink, flows effortlessly, finishes long. Sleek, tight, fine, grainy tannins tugging through the wine. Has a finesse and elegance. Leafiness finds a place, crunchy acidity too. It's mouthwatering after each sip. Fine wine, in a more slender, linear guise. Drink lots.
NGERINGA Tempranillo 2013
CAMPBELL MATTISON, The Wine Front
92 points. Lively red, complete with a beautiful roll of fruit-submerged tannin. Flavours of red and black cherry, powdered chocolate, fennel roots and tobacco leaves. Mid-weight but feels accomplished from start to finish. Drinks well now but should develop well over the medium term.
MIKE ELLIS, The Wine Punter
Drink, drank, drunk it. It's certainly an easy proposition – bright red berry aromas, mouth watering texture and vibrant. Cured meats, shaved nice and thin, banging' tunes and a lazy afternoon session. A little buzz goin' on. I'm rather partial to Tempranillo, apparently. With cherry cola, spice and a little mocha on the nose it's seductive. In the mouth it's juicy juicy. Plenty of puckering acidity, comfortably balanced and medium bodied with just enough fruit concentration to see it through. Please eat some salty cured meats with this and share with friends. It's as nature intended. *Disclaimer – I did drink this out of a Sigg bottle whilst sitting on a beanbag under the stars. The outdoor cinema I went to had a very limited selection of wines and I thought this would be just the ticket with pizza. It was. I also tasted it out of a real glass under strict tasting conditions. It was still great.
NGERINGA Sangiovese 2013
CAMPBELL MATTINSON, The Wine Front
93 points. Biodynamically-grown sangiovese from the Adelaide Hills. Perfumed and yet savoury. Sex and conversation. Jubey cherries and boysenberries, spicy twig notes, even a gentle meatiness. The 2010 had a pinot noir-esque personality and so too does this 2013. Juicy and perfumed with a thread of spicy tannin. It is most enjoyable.
NGERINGA Nebbiolo 2013
CAMPBELL MATTINSON, The Wine Front
93+ points. Another impressive wine from Ngeringa.High drinkability here. And yet taut and well structured at the same time. Roasted nuts, red cherries, undergrowth and dried herb notes. Blond tobacco-ish. Fine, defined, precise wine. Succulent nebbiolo. Builds beautifully in the glass.


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The big animal lurches, bolts from the rodeo chute and hauls the rider on a bucking ride across the brown dirt ring in front of 2,000 people. But it can't knock him off and he rides it to the fence.
The crown roars. The cowboy grins, tosses his white cowboy hat to the sky and runs back to the handshakes and hugs of his friends. The 31-year-old Portland, Ore., horse trainer, leads his event even though he hasn't competed in a rodeo in 18 years. But then, neither have most of his competitors.
"There's not many cowboys that are gay," he notes.
The Reno Gay Rodeo, a charity fund-raising event which concludes today, "is the only gay rodeo in the world so far," said its organizer. The four-year-old event has grown out of exhibition halls and into the main arena of the Washoe County Fairgrounds. And it drew a crowd from all over the West.
The organizer says he hopes someday there will be gay rodeos across the West, with a championship in Reno. But for now, it's strictly an amature affair."I just though it would be a good way to show that the gays arn't strictly stereotypes as limp wrists or diesel dykes." he said.
The cowboys, and much of the audience, would easily blend in on any rural Nevada ranch with their weathered faces and dirty levis. But there were signs this rodeo was different.
The Oregon horse trainer's ride came on a cow. While there was bull riding, most of the inexperienced riders were dumped to the dirt as soon as they left the chute.
First-time ropers had trouble snaring calves which were chased back by comic drag queens, one in a silver glitter bra and a wig which slipped off the short hair beneath.
Homosexuality is a low-key, often hidden affair in conservative Nevada. But during frequent breaks in the rodeo action, the stands shook as a Texas-based county band played rollicking Hank Williams. Men danced with men and women with women.
Outside the gate, one of the buses which brought spectators from California was labelled "Gay Line Tours."

subset: commoncrawl


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23 Oct The Closet Behind the Wall
CHECK OUT MORE STORIES SORTED BY:🏆 Top-Ranked Stories 📅 Recently Published 📚 Category ⌛ Length 📝 Author 📖 Title 📅 Published on October 23, 2016
"The Closet Behind the Wall"Written by Umbrello (a.k.a. Umby Pokochan)
Copyright Statement: Unless explicitly stated, all stories published on Creepypasta.com are the property of (and under copyright to) their respective authors, and may not be narrated or performed, adapted to film, television or audio mediums, republished in a print or electronic book, reposted on any other website, blog, or online platform, or otherwise monetized without the express written consent of its author(s).Looking for author contact information? If available, it will be featured at the conclusion of the story.
Estimated reading time — 26 minutes
"Where should I put this crap?" Lily asked her mother, pointing to a box of cheap artwork that looked like it belonged in a dentist's office.
"Oh, come on, I like these," Sharon replied. "I've had these since college. Your father never let me put them up."
Lily became cross at her mother's words. "I hate when you act like he's dead."
"I'm not doing that," said Sharon, a bit rattled, "but if he isn't here then I can hang them up. It's nothing more than that, okay?" Her daughter just glared at her. Sharon realized she was being insensitive, but she couldn't help getting defensive. "You're not being fair. I miss him, too."
"Then why do you act like he's never coming back?"
It was a fair question, one that Sharon had been subconsciously expecting but still not fully prepared for.
"It's the only way I can deal with it, honey. We lost your father. We lost the house. Now we have this one, and I just want to make it ours, yours and mine. We've had the year from hell and I'm trying to be positive."
After an awkward silence, Lily picked up the box. "So where do I put these?"
Sharon smirked. "Just stick them in the upstairs hallway. I want to hang them at the end of the hall. It looks so bare, it's the perfect spot."
"Fine," Lily mumbled as she trudged up the stairs to the end of the hall, carelessly throwing the box down.
"I heard that!" her mother yelled.
Lily just ignored her and pulled out a framed print of a painting, expecting it to be hideous; it wasn't so bad. Scanning the walls for a place to hang it, she noticed something peculiar.
"Hey, mom!" she shouted down the stairs. "The wallpaper doesn't match up here!"
Sharon came up to see what she was blabbing about. Sure enough, the wall at the far end of the hallway had slightly different wallpaper than the rest.
"Good eye, honey. Wow, I wouldn't have even noticed that."
"It doesn't look bad, right? It's just odd that they did this one wall with different wallpaper." Lily examined more closely. "It almost looks like they tried to match the other one. Nice try, I guess."
"Well, we don't have the money to go around fixing stuff that isn't broken, so we'll just leave it as it is for now. Why don't we hang something here? How about this one?" Sharon picked up the painting that Lily had been looking at. "Can you get the toolbox?"
Lily returned with the tools to find her mother tapping the walls with her knuckle.
"What are you doing?"
"This wall sounds different."
"Which one?"
"This one," said Sharon, knocking on the alternately papered wall. "Check this out." She proceeded to knock on the other walls, then again on the first one.
"Weird," said Lily, "that doesn't sound right."
Sharon continued to knock in different spots. "I can't find a stud."
Lily picked up a hammer and nail from the toolbox. "Here, let me see something." She held the nail to the wall and gently tapped it a few times with the hammer. "It doesn't really wanna go in."
"Well, hit it harder," her mother suggested. Lily rolled her eyes then delivered a firm blow to the nail, but the wall shuddered and sounded like it might crack. "It sounds like plywood."
"Plywood? You're kidding me." Sharon banged hard on the wall. "It's like there's space behind it. No insulation?"
"Now I know how you got this place so cheap."
"Haha," Sharon said sarcastically as she looked over the wall some more, pushing on it firmly with both hands. "I guess we're just going to leave it?" she asked, fishing for her daughter to make the call.
"Might as well," Lily replied. "We'll find another way to hang the painting. I don't want the wood to crack if I don't hammer the nail in correctly."
"You're such a good handyman, though. Like your father." Sharon immediately regretted bringing him up again, but Lily's reaction was more amiable this time around.
"Yeah," she said, "but not quite as good. He would have made a better wall, that's for sure."
They laughed together for the first time in months, and it felt good.
The next evening, Lily proposed something interesting to her mother, "I think I figured something out."
"Hmm, what?" Sharon wasn't giving all her attention just yet, instead focusing on cleaning the counter.
"So you know that weird wall upstairs?"
"Okay, now think about the other rooms upstairs. Think about the space and where the walls end, even in the closets. Try to picture it like a floor plan."
Sharon stopped cleaning and gave Lily a puzzled look. "I don't get what you mean."
"Well, there's unused space upstairs. One of the rooms should be bigger. Think about it."
Sharon looked even more puzzled, but tried to work out what Lily was getting at.
"Ohh, I see what you mean. So like, the hallway should be longer, or the closets should be bigger?"
"Yeah, there's wasted space. What if there's something behind that wall? Like a secret room?"
"Behind what wall?"
"The plywood wall at the end of the hallway."
"Wait, a secret room? Lily, be serious. You've been watching too many movies."
"No, I've been reading Anne Frank," Lily fibbed conspicuously. Sharon just rolled her eyes. "Besides, whatever's behind it, don't you think we should look? It's a crap wall, anyway. We can get someone to put up a real one, a professional one."
"We can't really afford it, honey. Though, we're kind of getting gypped if there really is more space being blocked off by that shitty wall." Sharon froze, realizing she just swore in front of her daughter. Lily smiled ear to ear, then started cracking up, causing Sharon to burst out as well. It was then she had a sudden change of heart about the wall, and a crazy idea: "Let's tear it down."
Lily was excited for a brief moment, before it dawned on Sharon how impractical it was.
"Nevermind," said Sharon, "that would be a huge mess."
"Aww," Lily sighed.
"But…" Sharon began. Lily looked hopeful again as her mother continued, "we could get your uncle Jack to bring over his little power saw and cut a hole in the wall so we can see what's behind it. Then, if there's nothing there, we'll just patch it up and hang a picture over it."
Lily chuckled in agreement. Somehow this poorly constructed wall was bringing her and her mother closer together. Sharon was all for some extra storage space, but Lily was just caught up in the mystery.
A few days later, Sharon's brother, Jack, came to the rescue with his crate of mini power tools. He couldn't help laughing at the wall.
"Who the hell put this thing up? Did they have a field trip from shop class? I can't even tell what they did here."
"Pathetic, right?" said Lily.
"So there's something on the other side of this?" asked Jack.
"That's what Lily thinks," replied Sharon, "but I figure it's just unfinished space and they were too cheap to block it off with a proper wall."
"Again," Lily jumped in, "why the house was so cheap." Sharon just rolled her eyes.
"Well," said Jack, "I guess it's time to solve the mystery, huh?"
"Go ahead, we're waiting," Sharon said in jest, crossing her arms.
Jack slipped on a pair of goggles, plugged in his saw and went to work, cutting a square hole in the wall about a foot and a half wide. Sharon and Lily stood back and watched in feverish anticipation as the small slab of wood toppled into the empty space behind the wall. Jack waved the dust away and shined a flashlight into the hole.
"I knew it!" shouted Lily. "A secret room!"
Sure enough, about two feet behind the wall was a door.
"Holy shit," said Jack. Sharon just stared blankly.
"I told you! Secret room!" Lily continued to gloat.
"Can you remove the whole wall?" asked Sharon.
Jack looked at her like he was insulted. "Yeah, I can remove the whole wall."
Sharon made some coffee while Lily watched Jack cut around the perimeter of the false wall.
"How's it going?" Lily was getting impatient.
"Alright, I guess. But, man, this guy was the worst carpenter of all time. Step back, I gotta take this out." Jack grabbed the massive slab of sawed out wood and set it aside as Sharon returned with three cups of coffee.
"Done already?"
"Okay, who's going to do the honors?" Lily inquired, hoping Sharon and Jack would realize she was dying to be the one.
"Go ahead, honey," said Sharon, motioning for her daughter to approach the door.
"Cross your fingers for no dead bodies," Lily said, half-joking.
"Honey, that's not funny. Just open it."
As Lily reached out for the doorknob, the three of them held their breath. She started turning it slowly, but then flung the door open to make it more of a surprise; and what a surprise it was.
"You're kidding. A closet?" Lily moaned.
"Well, you were right about that extra space," said Sharon in an attempt to help her daughter save some face.
"Yeah, but, there should be more than just a closet."
"Well," Jack interjected, "just because there's extra space doesn't mean it's always used. I mean, you could probably make this closet bigger, maybe even big enough to be a room. That's what you wanted, right?"
"No!" Lily cried, "I wanted a "secret" room! Seeecrehhht!"
"Well, you got a secret closet," Jack innocently replied.
"Who builds a wall in front of a closet?" she continued to whine. "Why didn't they just turn the door into a wall?"
"Oh, my poor baby," Sharon remarked condescendingly as she squeezed her daughter's shoulders.
Lily shrugged off her mother's hands. "This is such a disappointment. Just when I thought this house was interesting."
"Well at least with this extra closet we can get some of that junk out of your room."
"It's not junk."
"I've seen it," Jack interjected. "It's junk."
That evening, Lily noticed her "junk" wasn't in her room. She checked the newly discovered closet but it was empty, so she went to interrogate her mother.
"Did you take that stuff out of my room?"
"What stuff?"
"The boxes with all my stuff."
"Oh, the junk?"
"Yes, the junk. Where is it?"
"I put it in that closet."
"The closet that was behind that wall?"
"I checked there. It's empty."
"Well, that's where I put it. You must have moved them and forgot."
"How would I move them and forget? It sounds like "you" forgot where you put them."
"Honey, I put them in that closet."
"Well, there's nothing there."
"Show me."
So mother and daughter went upstairs to check the closet, each hoping to prove the other wrong. Sure enough, it was completely empty.
"Okay," said Sharon, "you're messing with me."
"I'm not messing with you. They're not in here, and they're not in my room."
"Did you check anywhere else?"
"No, I'll look in my closet."
"I'll look in mine."
The two searched their own rooms, then proceeded to check everywhere else in the house, even the basement and the garage. Lily's boxes were no where to be found.
"Did you hide them?" Sharon asked suspiciously.
"Mom, why would I hide my own stuff?"
"Because you're playing a joke on me?"
"I'm not playing a joke on you!" Lily was getting frustrated.
"Okay, okay. Let's just leave it for now and maybe they'll turn up. There must be some explanation."
"Fine. But if they don't turn up, I blame "you"."
Sharon smirked. "Fine."
A few days later, Lily was studying in her room when her mother came in looking for some missing clothes.
"Have you seen some space bags full of clothes? I put them in the hall closet."
"Nope," Lily replied flatly, not really paying attention.
"Honey, I'm serious. They disappeared."
"Mom. I didn't see them."
Sharon looked like she'd lost a puppy.
"Damn it, those were my mother's clothes. I was going to give them to aunt Phyllis. That's the second time something's gone missing. We never found your boxes, either."
"Maybe there's a thief in our midst."
"Well, they sure don't have their priorities straight. We still have our television and computer."
Lily chuckled, "Maybe the closet just ate our stuff."
"No wonder the house was so cheap, right?"
Lily playfully glared at her mother for stealing her wisecrack, then together they searched for the missing clothes. Nothing turned up.
The following day when Sharon returned from work, Lily immediately shouted for her to come upstairs.
"What is it?" Sharon groaned. "I just got home."
"Mom, you have to see this!" Lily was more animated than usual, which concerned Sharon, so she reluctantly went to see what her daughter was going on about.
"Check this out!" Lily reached into a trash bag and picked out an empty soda can.
"Oh God, honey. What are you doing?" Sharon covered her nose and mouth to avoid the stench.
"Gross, right? We should really recycle, by the way. But that doesn't matter, because look at this!" Lily swung open the door to the closet that had been behind the wall, threw the empty can inside, and slammed it shut. She then turned to her mother with a maniacal grin.
"Um… what's going on?" Sharon asked apprehensively.
"Watch," said Lily as she slowly opened the door. The can was gone.
"Oh my god! How did you do that?"
"I didn't! It just happens! Watch!" Lily squealed, and threw a crumpled Pop Tart box into the closet. She shut the door, opened it, and the box was gone.
"When did you become a magician?" Sharon just assumed Lily was behind the illusion.
"Mom, I'm not doing anything. You just put something in there, shut the door, and it disappears. That's where our stuff went! It just vanished!"
Sharon tried to wrap her head around what Lily was suggesting. Instead of refuting it, she took a half-eaten apple from the garbage bag and gently placed it on the floor of the closet. She then shut the door, paused to give Lily a skeptical glance, and opened it again. The apple had vanished.
"That's incredible!"
"I told you!"
"H-hold on," said Sharon, "we have to try something bigger. There could be an explanation for little things disappearing."
Lily dashed to her room and returned with a large teddy bear.
"Mr. Biggins? But you used to love him!"
"No, I didn't. I just kept him because dad thought I liked him. I didn't want to hurt his feelings."
Sharon put her hand on Lily's shoulder and stroked Mr. Biggins' cheek.
"What if he disappears?" she asked.
"Well, dad disappeared, so… maybe Mr. Biggins will find him."
They looked at each other for a moment, sending hope and forgiveness back and forth with their eyes. Sharon opened the closet door. Lily knelt down and placed Mr. Biggins inside.
"Well, here we go," she said as she got up and stood next to Sharon. "If he disappears, then we know for sure there is something strange going on."
So mother and daughter held hands and, together, shut the door to the closet. Lily counted to three and opened it again. Mr. Biggins was gone. Sharon and Lily froze. They were amazed by the disappearing garbage, but a vanishing teddy bear the size of a five-year-old was a frightening realization that there was something terribly wrong with this closet.
Lily turned to her mother. "I wish I hadn't done that."
Neither Lily nor her mother could even begin to explain how the closet worked, or why it existed. Lily wanted to know, but Sharon didn't. However, one thing they did agree on was to keep it a secret.
Time went by, and the closet began to cause a rift in Sharon and Lily's relationship. Sharon wanted to nail it shut, but Lily wanted to experiment with it. She would put something inside but keep the door open, then sit there waiting to see if it would vanish. No matter how long she waited, nothing would disappear unless the door was shut completely.
Before long, Lily became obsessed with her closet experiments. She squirted ketchup and mayonnaise all over the interior; it disappeared. She tossed a bucket of water and slammed the door as fast as she could; it disappeared. Smashed eggs, glitter, motor oil; gone, gone and gone. After she scratched the stairs and hallway with a huge rock, Sharon couldn't let it go on anymore.
"I'm taking this door off," said Sharon.
"Oh, come on! Don't do that!" Lily cried.
"Things only disappear when the door closes, so if we take off the door then it's just a doorless closet. No more magic tricks."
"But it's so amazing! It's our very own magical closet! How can you be so boring?"
"I'm thinking about safety. What if you accidentally went inside and the door shut behind you?"
"I don't know. What if that happened? Where do you think I'd end up?"
"I don't even want to think about it. We're taking that door off. I'll get Jack to do it."
The next day, Jack came by to take the door off the hinges.
"Why do you want this door off, anyway? Are you gonna put a wall here again?"
"Maybe," said Sharon, "but for now I just want that damned door off."
Jack was a little confused, but it wasn't a big deal to remove the door so he obliged. "I'll put it down in the basement."
Sharon was relieved to have the door gone, but Lily was pissed.
"I'm gonna tell someone about the closet," she told her mother. "When you're not around, I'll have Jack put the door back on, and then I'm going to show people the closet."
"No, you're not," Sharon firmly stated.
"Why, huh? Why are we keeping this a secret? I wanted to before because I liked us having our own little secret just between us, but…"
"I did, too. But, honey… there's something about that closet that isn't right. I don't think we should share it with people. Whoever blocked it had the right idea."
Lily wanted to argue, but she knew her mother was right. She thought of all the possible things that could happen if they went public. At first, she reveled in the fifteen minutes of fame, but then realized how it could turn into years of unwanted attention. Then there were the moral implications if the closet was ever used for unsavory purposes.
"I know. It's our responsibility to keep it secret. I guess it was fun while it lasted."
"We can still put stuff in there, it just won't vanish. Sounds more fun to me. You know, not losing things."
Lily smirked. "Fine. I'm going to bed."
The next day was Saturday, so both Sharon and Lily slept in. Shockingly enough, Lily got up before her mother and shuffled out into the hall. To her amazement, the closet door was back on its hinges.
"Mom? Are you awake?"
Sharon came out of her room, rubbing her eyes.
"I can't believe I slept so late," she yawned.
"Look." Lily pointed to the closet.
Sharon couldn't believe her eyes. "Honey," she said in a disappointed tone, "did you get Jack to put the door back on?"
"No, did you?"
"Of course not."
"So how the heck…" Lily was stumped.
"I don't know," said Sharon, "I'll call him. We can just get him to take it off again."
"Won't he wonder how we got it back on?"
"You know, I don't know why we need him anyway. We probably could have gotten it off by ourselves. We'll just do it again."
"And if it comes back again?"
"Then we'll take it off again."
"That doesn't seem practical."
"We'll take it off again and see if it comes back and then we'll think of something else, okay?"
Forty minutes of struggling and the door was finally off its hinges. The two carried it clumsily to the basement, banging it into the walls several times.
"Okay," said Sharon, huffing and puffing, "we are not doing that again without Jack."
"You're not kidding."
That night, Lily couldn't sleep. She was too anxious to see if the door would magically appear back on its hinges again. Taking a tip from every modern paranormal movie, she placed her laptop in the hallway, facing the closet, and turned on her webcam. Hopefully, it would reveal what was really happening before her hard drive filled up.
Sure enough, the following morning, the closet door was back once again. Lily checked the video but it had only recorded for a few hours before stopping for no reason.
"So what do we do now?" asked Sharon.
"I don't know. It should have kept recording. I could try it again. Or we could just stay up all night."
"I don't think so, honey. I have to work in the morning and you have school."
"So we'll wait till the weekend. Come on, it'll be fun."
Sharon thought about it for a moment. Staying up all night with Lily could be a good bonding experience, considering the closet was potentially threatening to drive a wedge between them; a wedge she worked so hard to diminish.
"Fine. Let's do it. It'll be fun." Sharon smiled, and Lily nodded back.
Sharon arrived home that Friday to find Lily preparing a "stay up all night" snack spread.
"Honey, what is all this?"
"It's our fuel! We've got soda, chips, candy, energy drinks-"
"Lily, please. I'm getting indigestion just thinking about it."
"And we can take the portable DVD player upstairs and watch scary movies."
Lily seemed to be getting carried away with their little slumber party, but Sharon was too tired from work to argue. She just let Lily take the reigns. Hopefully, they would find out what was going on with the door before Sharon passed out.
It was nearing 3:00 am and Sharon and Lily were still wide awake. No one had come to secretly put the closet door back on its hinges. The chips were eaten, the soda drank, and the night was beginning to drag on.
"I can't believe it's been a year since dad left." Lily's words were met with silence. "I feel like I should still be sad. Not that I'm not, I just feel like I should cry myself to sleep every night or I'm a bad daughter."
"Honey, that's ridiculous. People move on. As long as we don't stop loving him, we aren't bad people for trying to be happy."
Lily didn't reply, but gave a little shrug like she understood somewhat. Then she noticed something beyond peculiar.
"Mom!" she shouted, standing up and pointing at the closet. The door was back.
"How the hell? We were right here!"
"Mom, I don't like this."
The two looked at each other, dumbfounded. Lily touched the door to make sure they weren't just seeing things.
"There has to be an explanation," Sharon insisted.
"Forget explanations." Lily was finally tired of games and experiments. "I say we destroy the door. We can take it off the hinges again and chop it up into little pieces."
"Isn't that a little extreme?"
"Are you not the least bit concerned about this?"
"Of course I am. That doesn't mean we have to chop up the door."
"It's the only way to know for sure if there's something supernatural going on."
"Supernatural? I was leaning more towards science fiction."
"Science doesn't make doors magically appear back on their hinges. Ghosts do."
"Oh, come on. Ghosts? I'll believe in a closet that makes things disappear, but not ghosts."
"Ghosts or not, I want to do this. We have to be sure. We'll destroy the door, then no one can put it back, right?"
Sharon took a moment to let everything sink in. "I think we should talk about this in the morning."
"You're going to sleep after this?!"
"Come on, you can sleep in my bed. We'll lock the door."
Neither Lily nor Sharon could sleep much. The mystery of the closet was on a whole new level now. Once the sun came up, they crept out of Sharon's room and sent the closet door a threatening gaze. Lily looked to Sharon to give the word: "Let's do this."
They'd gotten pretty good at removing the door, but carrying it to the basement was still a disaster. Once they got it down there, Lily dragged over some cinder blocks and they propped the door up at an angle, taking turns whacking it with a skimpy hatchet.
"We couldn't have a real axe?" Lily grumbled.
"Honey, do I look like a lumberjack? At least we're making some headway."
"I just hope this proves something."
"Are you hoping it proves someone's been messing with us? Or that our closet is cursed?"
Lily didn't have an answer. She just looked down at the broken pieces of door, and gave it one more whack.
That night she slept easy, part of her believing the door would remain in shards in the basement, and that everything had just been some weird dream. Though, if something so unbelievable could happen then maybe anything was possible, even her father returning home.
In the morning, the closet door was back on its hinges, as if nothing happened. There were no marks of any kind. For the first time, Sharon and Lily were truly frightened by the situation.
"What do we do?" Lily asked her mother. "Should we get a medium or something?"
"Honey, you've been watching too many movies. I'll tell you what we're going to do. We're going to check into a motel, get someone to put up a wall in front of that closet, then sell the damned house."
Lily was shocked that her mother would be so decisive, but she agreed that getting the hell out of there was the right thing to do. "Let's just hope no one puts anything in the closet before the wall goes up."
Days went by, and Sharon was concerned about the money they were wasting on a motel.
"Can't we stay with uncle Jack?" Lily asked.
"If it were a serious emergency, yeah, but we're just scared of a closet. I don't think he'd appreciate it."
"Well, are we going to go back?"
Sharon sighed and rubbed her forehead. "I don't know. I called someone about putting up a wall but they want to charge us an arm and a leg."
"Like what we're spending now?"
"Maybe we should just put up another plywood piece of crap and stick the house on the market."
"I guess that's what the last guy did, huh?"
Sharon paused. "I guess so."
Something about Sharon's "I guess so" sounded odd to Lily. She took another tip from every paranormal mystery movie and did some research on the previous owner of the house. Unfortunately, she discovered more than she was hoping for.
"Hey, I'm home," said Sharon, removing her coat as she came through the door. "You hungry?"
Lily just sat there on the bed, staring at her.
"What's wrong, honey? Did something happen? You didn't go back to the house, did you?"
"No, I didn't go back to the house."
"What's that you've got?" asked Sharon, motioning to a sheet of paper in Lily's hands. Lily stood up and looked straight into her mother's eyes.
"Did you know about this?" she asked quietly, holding the paper in front of Sharon's face. Sharon wasn't sure what was going on, but when she noticed the newspaper article before her she felt the heated sting of regret.
"Honey, I'm sorry. We lost the house and I didn't know what we were going to do, and it was being foreclosed because-"
"Because the owner killed himself?!" Lily shouted, her face red and her fists clenched. "You bought a fucking suicide house!"
"Hey! Don't you speak to me like that! I-"
"No wonder we have ghosts!"
"We don't have ghosts, Lily. Now, cut that out."
"Don't tell me what to do! You moved us into a suicide house and you weren't even going to tell me?! What else aren't you telling me?!"
"I did this for us! Who cares what happened in the house before we got there!"
"I can't believe this!" Lily screamed, and sat down hard on the far side of the bed, facing away from her mother. Sharon sat down next to her. The two didn't move or talk for a while, then Lily grabbed the newspaper article and showed it to Sharon again.
"You see this?" said Lily. "His wife disappeared. It was before he killed himself."
"Maybe he missed her so much he couldn't go on."
Lily ignored her mother's reply. "They actually didn't discover that she was missing until they found the husband's body."
Sharon was getting nervous, afraid of where her daughter was going with this. "That's a shame, honey. I never should have bought that house. I'm so sorry."
"You know, she disappeared around the same time dad did." Lily turned to look at her mother, anticipating her response.
"Well," Sharon said anxiously, "that's a strange coincidence."
"The last time we saw dad was three days before this guy supposedly killed himself. It was also the last time anyone saw his wife."
Sharon started to panic. "What are you getting at, honey?"
"Did they know each other? Did dad know this guy and his wife?"
Sharon didn't answer.
"Mom? What aren't you telling me?"
Sharon still didn't answer.
"If you know something about this, you have to tell me. Did dad really vanish, or did he kill himself too?"
"Oh, god, honey, no!" Sharon wasn't expecting that kind of conclusion from her daughter's investigation.
"Then what? What happened? Did dad know these people?"
Sharon looked away in shame. She had kept something from Lily for too long, and it was time to confess.
"Honey, your father was having an affair."
Lily was stupefied. "You're lying."
"He was having an affair with that woman."
Lily's mouth hit the floor. Her mother had bought the house of the man who's wife was having an affair with her father. A suicide house, no less.
"You fucking bitch."
Lily stood up. Unable to focus her rage, she paced around the room picking up random objects and throwing them at the walls. "I can't believe this!"
"Stop it!" Sharon yelled, grabbing Lily's arms.
"Let go of me! You lied to me for so long! How could you do that to me?!"
"I didn't want you to know what kind of man your father was! I didn't want you to hate him!"
"Well, now I hate "you!""
"You don't hate me! You're just shocked and upset!"
"You moved us into dad's mistress' house! Where her husband killed himself! What the hell is wrong with you?!"
"I don't even know you! You're my mom and I don't even know you!"
"I'm still your mom, and I love you! Just calm down and we'll talk about this."
Lily got right up in her mother's face, said, "Fuck you," and stormed out.
"Where are you going?!" shouted Sharon, chasing after her.
"I don't know!"
"You're not going back to the house, are you?"
"Why in God's name would I go back there now?!"
Sharon felt stupid for even asking. As Lily walked off down the sidewalk, Sharon just stood there. Once her daughter was out of sight, she broke down in tears.
Hours went by, and Sharon was a nervous wreck. She thought about calling the police, but had a feeling Lily would come back at some point and that she'd just seem like a bad mother. Though, she knew she was a bad mother. Maybe it wasn't all her fault, but she was hard-pressed to convince herself.
It was pushing 10:00 pm when Lily finally came home.
"Thank, God! Where were you? Are you alright?"
Lily hung her head. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'm sorry I called you a bitch," she said, then looked up at her mother, "but it's still really screwed up what you did."
"I know. I don't know what I was thinking, buying that house."
"I think I kinda get it, though. That's why I don't hate you."
Sharon smirked. So did Lily, and she let her mother embrace her.
The two of them sat up all night talking. Sharon wanted to set Lily straight about her father.
"Why didn't you confront him?" Lily asked.
"Because I knew he didn't love me anymore. I couldn't bear the thought of him telling me face to face."
"Sounds pretty cowardly."
"Hey, now. Cheating on your wife is what's cowardly. You can't blame the victim."
"Yeah, I guess. I just can't see dad like that. He's not here, so it's not fair to judge."
"Lily… that's bullshit. He is who he is, and he did what he did, whether he's here or not."
"How do I know you're even telling me the truth? All this time you supposedly had no idea where dad is, or why he disappeared, and now I find out that you knew he ran off with that woman."
"I never said that. And if that were true then they would have been discovered by now. People don't just vanish into thin air unless somebody makes them."
"Maybe they got new identities, like on Breaking Bad."
"Honey, that's just a TV show."
"Yeah, but that stuff really happens."
"You need a lot of money for that, sweetie. Your father and I were in debt. Why do you think we lost the house?"
"I just don't understand. Why would he leave without telling us?"
"I don't know, honey. I guess neither of them wanted to deal with divorce."
"What if dad and that woman killed her husband and made it look like a suicide?"
"Okay, that's just ridiculous. Your father is not a murderer."
Lily felt embarrassed, so she stopped with her unfounded theories. Sharon laid on the bed and closed her eyes, not intending to sleep but just to rest. Lily joined her.
"What if they went into the closet?"
"What if who- oh, honey, no. They wouldn't do that."
"Why not?"
"Because that's crazy! We don't even know where the stuff goes. What if it just doesn't exist anymore?"
"I was thinking that, too, but… what if they knew something we don't?"
Sharon took a moment to let that sink in, but she still wasn't on board. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, what if they knew where they would end up if they went in?"
Sharon sat up and turned to Lily. "Don't even joke about that. And why would they know where it goes? There's no way to know."
Lily sat up and turned to Sharon. "You don't know that."
"Well, you don't either."
"You said people don't disappear without a trace, right?"
"They don't!"
"Then where's Mr. Biggins?"
Sharon sighed and dropped her shoulders. "Mr. Biggins is a teddy bear, not a person."
"Well, he's gone. He disappeared without a trace. Just like dad. Just like that woman."
"Honey, stop it."
Lily wasn't sure what else to say to convince her mother, so she got under the covers and turned away from her.
"I'm going to sleep," she muttered.
"Well, we should both get some sleep anyway. You'll feel better in the morning."
"No, I won't."
The night crawled as Lily thought about her father and his mistress. She pictured the closet door opening, their bodies shuffling inside, a hand grabbing the inside knob and pulling the door shut. Is that really where they went? Sharon was snoring, which didn't help. Lily tossed and turned, finally giving up on sleep.
Sharon awoke from a dark dream to notice Lily missing from her side of the bed. Upon further investigation, she was missing from the room entirely. Sharon threw on shoes and a robe and reached for her keys on the table; they were gone.
"Damn it!"
She would have to borrow Jack's car, but she couldn't tell him it was because Lily had stolen hers. Then she took a tip from every paranormal mystery movie and didn't call the police. Granted, her failures as a mother were best left incognito. Lily was just a beginner at the wheel, so Sharon knew she wouldn't drive far. There was only one place she would go.
The lights were off in the house when she pulled up, but the front door was ajar.
"Lily? Are you in here?" There was no answer. Sharon stepped lightly up the stairs, unsure of what she was so afraid of. At the top of the stairs, she saw Lily sitting against the wall near the closet.
"Honey, what are you doing here?"
"I don't know."
Sharon sat down next to her. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you."
"I don't care about that."
They didn't talk for a while. Sharon took Lily's hand, and she didn't pull away.
"I just…" Lily began, "I just wish he said goodbye."
"We don't know why he left. Maybe he couldn't say goodbye. Maybe he didn't have a choice."
"I wish I could just see him again. None of this makes any sense. I thought he loved me. He wouldn't just leave without saying goodbye."
"I know he wouldn't. But he did."
"What if that guy pushed him into the closet? Then he was so guilty he killed himself."
"Honey, stop it. This isn't helping."
"Don't you want to know? Don't you want to know what really happened?"
"It doesn't matter. All that matters is you and me, here and now."
"Well, I want to know. I want to see dad!"
Sharon didn't like what she sensed Lily was driving at. "Honey…"
"The only way to know if he went into the closet… is to go into the closet."
"I want you to stop this right now."
"No. I want to know. I want to know why he left us! Why he left 'me!'"
Lily turned towards the closet and put her hand on the knob.
"Lily, cut it out. This isn't funny!"
"I know it's not funny! Am I laughing?"
"Get your hand off that knob!" Sharon yelled, grabbing Lily's arm and attempting to pull her hand away.
"No! Get off me!"
They struggled violently, neither one giving an inch. Sharon stepped on Lily's foot by mistake, causing Lily to elbow her, and they both fell back. With Lily's hand still on the knob, the door flung open. They looked at each other for a brief instant, then Lily bolted for the closet.
"No!" Sharon yelled, grabbing the back of Lily's shirt.
"Get the hell off me!"
Sharon lost her grip, but managed to catch up to Lily and put her arms around her torso.
"You're not going anywhere! You don't know if he went in there! You don't even know where it goes! What if you die?!"
"I don't care! This is so fucked up! You ruined our lives with this fucking house! I hate you!"
"You said you didn't hate me!"
With that, Lily stomped on her mother's foot as hard as she could. Sharon released her grip, giving Lily the opportunity to grab her hand and bite down on it.
"Shit!" Sharon pulled her hand away and held it tightly. "You're crazy!"
Lily stood before her mother, her chest heaving, her hair stuck to her sweaty face.
"You moved us… into a house… where a man killed himself… because his wife disappeared… who was having an affair with my dad… and "I'M" crazy?"
Sharon couldn't respond. What could she possibly say? Lily started to turn towards the closet again, but Sharon wasn't going to let her go so easily.
"Bite me all you want," she said with steely resolve as she grabbed Lily's arm again, "I'm not letting go this time."
Lily jerked her arm, trying to shake off her mother's grip. "Let go. I'm doing this."
"The hell you are. I'm calling the police."
"Oh, yeah? Where's your phone?"
Sharon felt her pockets with her free hand. They were empty. "Damn it!"
Lily smirked. "Nice one."
"Fine, then," said Sharon, "I'll just drag you to the house phone."
"Like hell you will!"
A tug of war ensued.
"If you won't let go," Lily shouted, "I'll just drag you in with me!"
"Stop this craziness! You'll kill us both!"
"You don't know that!"
"Neither do you! It could go anywhere! It could go to the most horrible place ever imagined! Don't you realize that?!"
Sharon thought she could get through to her daughter, but she only made her more determined.
"I don't care where it goes, as long as it leads to dad!"
"We have no way of knowing if he went in there!" Sharon's feet were sliding slowly towards the closet. "Stop it! You're going to pull me in!"
"That's fine with me!"
Lily was halfway inside as Sharon tried desperately pull back, bracing herself on the door jam.
"Stop! I don't want to go in!"
"Then let go!"
"No! I won't let you go! I love you! You can't leave me!"
"Then come with me!"
"No! It's crazy! You're crazy!"
Sharon couldn't hold on any longer.
"Let go, mom! This is what I want!"
"I can't…" said Sharon, tears running down her face, "You're my daughter… I can't lose you!"
Lily pulled harder. She was completely inside the closet with her mother's arm and head coming through the doorway.
"Let "GO!"" Lily screamed, kicking her mother in the shins.
"Ow!" Sharon exclaimed, falling down on one knee. Lily proceeded to kick her feet out from under her, sending her on her behind.
"That's it! You're coming with me!" Lily growled, and started dragging her mother across the floor by her ankles.
"God, no!" Sharon pleaded. Before she could get free they were both inside the closet. Lily grabbed the knob and tried to pull the door shut, but Sharon cupped her hand over the edge. Lily slammed it over and over as Sharon shrieked in pain.
"Get out then!" Lily kicked the door open and pushed Sharon out onto the floor.
Sharon looked up at her daughter. Lily looked down at her mother.
"Please," Sharon cried, "don't do this."
Lily stood in the closet. Now was her chance to shut the door, but she hesitated.
"Lily… I know you don't really want to do this. You're just upset. We can get past this. He's the one who left us. What's the point in following him?"
Lily didn't respond. She was shaking now, trying not to cry. Sharon stood up slowly, reaching out to her.
"Honey… I love you. Please come out of there."
Lily smirked, gave a halfhearted wave, and shut the door.
== Six months later ==
"Oh, this place is nice!"
"Isn't it? The price is nice as well. Let me show you the kitchen."
"Oh, I like this. Don't you like this, honey?"
"Yeah, it's nice."
"These are all new stainless steel appliances."
"Oh, good. We want stainless steel."
"I wonder who that is? Excuse me a moment."
The real estate broker opened the front door to reveal a disheveled woman who looked as though she hadn't slept in weeks.
"Can I help you?"
The bedraggled woman stood silent for a moment before pushing past the real estate broker and rushing up the stairs.
"Um, excuse me?" said the broker, completely flabbergasted.
"Oh my god," said her lady client. "Did that woman have an axe?"
"What is she doing here?" inquired the lady's husband. "Is she looking at the house as well?"
Loud banging sounds came from the upstairs hallway.
"What the hell is she doing?!"
The broker raced up the stairs with her clients trotting behind. They were shocked to see the mysterious woman wielding her formidable axe, attempting to break through the far wall.
"What in God's name is going on here?!" demanded the broker.
The crazed woman ceased her chopping and turned her head around, her eyes bulging.
"I'm going to find my daughter!" she screamed, and continued to hack desperately at the wall.
"Call the police, honey!" cried the lady to her husband.
"I'll do it," the broker insisted.
Before the police could arrive, the insane woman had already made mince meat out of the poorly constructed barrier.
"Oh my god… is that a door?" the lady asked.
"I had no idea that was there," said the broker.
The strange woman gripped the knob on the door, then stood motionless.
"What is she doing? Isn't she going to open it?"
"Shh, let's just wait and see."
The broker and her clients waited in feverish anticipation as the woman slowly turned the knob and opened the door.
"A closet? She tore through that wall for an empty closet?"
"At least there isn't a dead body."
"Shush, you two."
The woman dropped her axe and turned to the trio who stood with blank faces. She looked so tired; not from breaking through the wall, but from loneliness and remorse. Yet her sadness failed to resonate with her onlookers who were nothing short of befuddled. There was a moment of pure silence before she turned back and entered the closet, pulling the door shut behind her.
"What is she doing?" the husband asked his wife.
"Is she coming out?" the wife asked her husband.
The three crept up to the closet door and the broker put her ear against it.
"I don't hear anything," she said. "Should we open it to see if she's still there?"
"Of course she's still there," said the husband. "Let's just wait for the police."
The cops soon arrived and filed into the second-floor hallway. With guns drawn they opened the door, expecting a madwoman to jump out. All they found was an empty closet.
Credit: Umbrello a.k.a. Umby Pokochan (YouTube • Twitter • Soundcloud • Creepypasta Wiki)
This story was submitted to Creepypasta.com by a fellow reader. To submit your own creepypasta tale for consideration and publication to this site, visit our submissions page today.
🔔 More stories from author: Umbrello (a.k.a. Umby Pokochan)
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text:
Syn.: Convolvulus pes-caprae L., Ipomoea maritima (Desr.) R. Br.
Family: Convolvulaceae Juss.
Distribution: This species occurs in almost all tropical areas of the world – tropical Northern and Southern America, Eastern Africa, Western Africa, India, Southeastern Asia, and Australia.
Ecology: Grows on coastal dunes and sand banks in tropical regions all the world. Flowers from May to November.
Description: Evergreen, perennial herb with creeping stem up to 30 m long. The leaves are alternate, petiolate, fleshy, leathery, elliptical to orbicular, to 10 cm long. The flowers are funnel-shaped, pink to purple, each flower opens only once.
Note: The Caribbean Indians used Railroad Vine in ritual baths. The juice from the leaves has been used in Malaysia as a first aid to treat jellyfish stings.
These images were taken in Oceania, the Samoa Islands, Upolu Island (by Jiří Nevěřil, October 2005), and Mauritius, Trou aux Biches (by Jindřiška Vančurová, 15. 10. 2012).


text:
STB renews charter of RETAC, schedules Oct. 19 meeting
The Surface Transportation Board has published notices announcing its intent to renew the charter of the Rail Energy Transportation Advisory Committee and scheduling the next meeting of the RETAC for Oct. 19.
According to the STB notice, RETAC was established in September 2007 to provide advice and guidance to the board and provide a forum for the discussion of emerging issues and concerns regarding the rail transportation of energy sources, including coal, ethanol, other biofuels and petroleum.
The committee consists of 25 voting members, excluding governmental representatives. The membership includes no fewer than five representatives from the Class I railroads; three representatives from Class II and Class III railroads; three representatives from coal producers; five representatives from electric utilities; four representatives from biofuel feedstock growers or providers, and biofuel refiners, processors and distributors; two representatives from private car owners, car lessors or car manufacturers; and one representative from the petroleum shipping industry. The committee can also include up to two members with relevant experience that are not necessarily affiliated with these industries or sectors. Representatives from the USDA, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission may be invited to serve in a non-voting advisory capacity. Meetings are held at least twice a year and are open to the public.
According to the STB, the Oct. 19 meeting of the RETAC aims to continue discussions regarding rail performance, capacity constraints, infrastructure planning and development, and effective coordination among suppliers, carriers, and users of energy resources. Potential agenda items for the meeting include a performance measures review, industry segment updates by RETAC members, a presentation on energy transportation logistics and a roundtable discussion.
The meeting is open to the public. Written comments may be submitted to the RETAC at any time. Additional information on the meeting and how to submit written comments can be found on the Federal Register website.


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POLOKWANE - The South African Police Service in Limpopo acknowledges the elegant priceless duties that members and personnel of the Police in various fields apply daily in this province by giving them accolades of the best executant with certificates during a glamorous event held on the 11th September 2019 at the SAPS Seshego Lapa in the outskirts of Polokwane.
The Provincial Vispol Management spearheaded by the Deputy Provincial Commissioner responsible for this environment, Major General Jan Scheepers, found it proper to give the best performers a token of recognition.
The nominees comprised of the Cluster Commanders, Station Commanders, Unit Commanders, Police Emergency Services (PES), Operational Respond Services (ORS), VISPOL and Police Operational Command Centre (POCC).
In attendance, was the SAPS Deputy Provincial Commissioner responsible for Policing, Major General Jan Scheepers, the SAPS Giyani Cluster Commander Major General Mbazima Ngobeni, the SAPS Polokwane Cluster Commander Major General Mashilo, the SAPS Thohoyadou Cluster Commander Major General Rosina Mulaudzi, the SAPS Seshego Cluster Commander Major General Sam Mokgonyana, SAPS members and personnel from all levels of command across the Province supported by the private sector such as Fidelity, G4S and SBV.
In her welcoming and purpose of the day remarks, the SAPS Provincial Head of Operational Coordination Brigadier Dikeledi Mangena made it clear to the members of the Police that they must maintain their performance standard until crime is stabilized and normalized in the Province.
On the words of support by the private sector, the unconditional partnership Policing was over emphasized until incidents of crime especially the cash in transit heists across the province.
During his inspirational key note address, Major General Scheepers, began with a question, posed to each member present, he said, "Who do you believe you are?" and according to his view, 'You are what you believe You are.' "In this Province we are in desperate need of people who can represent hope, light and those who are role models."
He gave this remark subjecting to crime, hatred and violent situations that are taking place in some parts of the country, were children, women and foreigners falls victims of circumstances." All this happen because we no longer believe who we are." He further commended the level of discipline and hardworking by members of the South African Police Service in the province, encouraging them to keep taking our flag to the highest level for ever.
He further said to the recipients that, "they must return to their respective work places and brag about these tokens, so that other members can be motivated and work harder."
The categorised certificate issued to 117 best performers employees attached to various components and Units under the Visible Policing environment.
Source: South African Police Service


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If you have just purchased an IPTV subscription from us or elsewhere and you are looking to setup IPTV for your Samsung smart TV then this guide will help you do just that.
First, you will need to make sure your Samsung smart tv is connected to your wifi or via an ethernet cable to your router then make sure you have set up a Samsung account through the TV and are logged in.
Now once you are ready you need to press the home button on the remote to bring the small menu bar up and the bottom of the screen then scroll across to the left and go to search.
Using the remote you will now type in Smart IPTV then it will take you to the app so press OK on the remote then choose install at the top of the screen and let it install which won't take long. Once the app has installed you just need to press ok to open the app
Now, that's the hard bit out the way which to be honest was not hard one bit. So once you first launch the app you will see the screen below
What you will want to do once you have paid for an IPTV subscription is where the code is that looks like this F5:GH:82:S4???? You will need to send us your code which will be different to our example one.
Once we have received your code we will add our IPTV channels in so you will receive the best in IPTV and have great quality channels freeze free and other bonuses too.
After we have added our channels in which normally happens very fast you will just want to turn the TV off for 2 minutes and then turn the TV back on and you will see all our channels and can enjoy our service as we are one of the best IPTV providers out there.
Here is a guide on how to activate smart iptv app so you can ease through the process even though it's very easy to do anyway.
Now you will just need to keep in mind that the company who makes the app called Siptv only give you a 7 day trial of using their app so before the 7 days are up you will need to activate your code with them for a one-off lifetime cost of just $6 which is a bargain and you will then own the app for life and get our amazing IPTV services on it.
If you have any other iptv device and you are wanting to know how to put the smart iptv app on it then check out our guide on how to how to install Smart IPTV on your iptv device


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Stormont is representing the sale of a company that has developed a ground-breaking embedded electricity generator utilizing a variety of patented thermal acoustic technologies. The small device can efficiently generate electric power from any fuel or high-temperature heat source (such as exhaust or waste heat). The technology is inherently rugged and reliable, has no moving parts or wear items, and is simple and inexpensive to manufacture.
Commercial applications for this device include (i) Remote Power for well-sites and telecom, (ii) Micro-CHP (in home micro combined heat and power generation), and (iii) Engine Waste Heat Recovery (vehicle and industrial applications).
This is a unique opportunity for a Strategic Buyer or vertical-specialist Financial Sponsor seeking a class leading technology poised to disrupt incumbent solutions in these markets, supported by world-class technical personnel.
Contact for more information:
Dave Munro


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The deep blue mirror of the water soothes the mental anxiety of the day's sorrows, softly no wind is breeze while lifting the fresh still green lost leaves near the lake. Women walk into the shining lake, comfortable lifting their dresses and with ease resting their feet into the warmth of the water. The heat … Continue reading August warmth [Poem]
Category: Tara
What would you do? [Poem]
What would you do when you woke up one day feeling what is rightfully yours the deep pain and suffering that you endured feeling it fully and being present to embrace your own pain what would you do, that joy that comes from knowing that it is thespian of your own life that you are … Continue reading What would you do? [Poem]
On a samsaric breath [Poem]
Embracing the Tantra of life; the samsara and nirvana. Not turning our eyes or face away from suffering. Allowing our hearts to melt open.
Upon Arrival [Poem]
Feminine heart: flourishes in radiance supporting the shakti the myriad of her flavours colours and moods and styles. Summit of beauty; love is born when in love we initiate a meeting in kindness to mold into a kind heart Past is gone, fleeting time we make a choice with all to bring us insight and … Continue reading Upon Arrival [Poem]
In the bardo of a great master
It is impossible to make everyone happy. I have tried and I have failed at that. I know for sure that teaching students is not just an art of dedicated effort to bettering humanity it is a gruelling task of patience. Chögyal Namkhai Norbu was my Dzogchen master and I am extremely happy that I … Continue reading In the bardo of a great master
News Flash 18.07e
I haven't done a news update in a while. I wanted to really make sure that besides poetry I drop in here and write a few more words for you. until 2015 June, I could tell you with all certainty that I love and enjoy my life. It had its ups and downs and like … Continue reading News Flash 18.07e
Dancing Dakini [Poem]
Dancing to the rhythms of me the playful song and the flute the beat of the drummer and the song's pulse The Echos of the memories carried away on the movements into emptiness the times have called on me to dance Dance into the moments's emptiness these sorrows and these pains these difficulties and these … Continue reading Dancing Dakini [Poem]
A world of Harmony [Poem]
Through these times of big changes through the days of old dying Emerges the time of a New Dawn we stand at our own awakening. For what we will do we don't know yet our abilities are strong within us. Where we have been we know and lessons are plenty moving forward is the way … Continue reading A world of Harmony [Poem]
For a reason [Poem]
For a reason For a reason the Earth is round for a reason there are cultures for a reason there are countries and borders and for a reason there is this Holy Guidance for a reason the seasons change for a reason we develop our minds properly for a reason we have choices and for … Continue reading For a reason [Poem]
A Maveric?
Do not cringe and make yourself small if you are called the black sheep, the maverick, the lone wolf. Those with slow seeing say a nonconformist is a blight on society. But it has been proven over the centuries, that being different means standing at the edge, means one is particularly guaranteed to make an … Continue reading A Maveric?


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Commissioning a pet portrait couldn't be easier. Simply decide what size you would like your painting, submit the form and I'll be in touch to ask for a photograph of your pet.
- 12″ x 12″ – £275
- 16″ x 12″ – £320
- 20″ x 16″ – £400
- 20″ x 20″ – £450
- 24″ x 20″ – £500
- 28″ x 20″ – £600
If you would like your horse painted with a bridle, please add 25 per cent owing to the extra time involved.
What others say
Here is a small sample of what others say about portraits that they have commissioned.
"The moment I saw it I cried tears of joy"
"A fantastic piece of art, capturing the essence of Marnie."
Laura skilfully guided me through the "trauma" of getting Marnie's photo and then choosing the right one. As she shared each days progress, her tremendous skill was revealed. She has produced a fantastic piece of art, capturing the essence of Marnie. A portrait which will have pride of place and will be treasured, thank you.
"I remember seeing the stunned expression on my mum's face when I gave her the painting"
I was looking for a gift for my mum and wanted something special that I knew she would cherish. Laura was highly recommended to me by a work colleague so I had a look on her website before contacting her. I then sent a picture of Buster to Laura and the rest is history. I remember collecting the painting and can only describe my feelings as overwhelming to say the least, she had captured every little detail of Buster's puppy like features. I remember seeing the stunned expression on my mum's face when I gave her the painting of Buster. The painting is now the main focus point that hangs in her living room and I can only thank Laura for taking the time to create such a masterpiece which has made my old mum very happy. Thank you Laura.
"Her expression, interest and sense of fun is just perfect"
I am writing to thank you for the lovely portrait of my miniature schnauzer, Willow. I can't believe how well you have captured her! Her expression, interest and sense of fun is just perfect. I look forward to having our new puppy, Nelson, painted. I will be recommending you to friends and family.
- 12″ x 12″ – N/A
- 16″ x 12″ – £420
- 20″ x 16″ – £520
- 20″ x 20″ – £575
- 24″ x 20″ – £630
- 28″ x 20″ – £750
Commission your pet portrait today
I am always happy to chat about the process and talk through any questions you have. I will share updates (or 'pupdates') of your portrait as it progresses either by email or on Facebook – it's up to you.
Please get in touch and I'll be happy to chat about the process or offer advice.


text: Leasing a vehicle should be a care-free and enjoyable alternative to the responsibilities of auto ownership. Simmons-Rockwell offers you the opportunity to protect your wallet against excess wear and tear claims at the end of your lease. AutoGuard EWT coverage provides peace of mind against things like dents, scratches, chipped glass and interior stains. AutoGuard EWT will cover each single incident up to $1,000 with a total protection of up to $5,000 with a $0 deductible. Please ask a salersperson today how to protect yourself against excess wear and tear charges at the end of your lease.


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Increases in global mean temperature will have substantial impacts on the world's salt marshes. Sea levels rise when high-elevation glaciers and polar ice caps melt and when seawater warms and expands. The impacts of more rapidly rising sea level depend on rates of sedimentation and uplift. If sediment accretion is equal to sea-level rise, the salt marsh remains in place, but when sea-level rise exceeds sediment accretion, the salt marsh moves inland - unless bluffs or development limits salt marsh migration. As sea level rises relative to the land, salt marsh communities will experience increased inundation, such that plant and animal species should shift upslope. However, not all species will be able to disperse or migrate as rapidly as tidal conditions change. In a few cases, for example, Scandinavia, the coast is still rebounding from the pressure of former glaciers, and land is rising faster than sea level. Salt marsh is then lost at the upper end and slowly gained near the water.
Globally, mean sea level has risen 10-25 cm during the last century. Current models predict an additional 5.6-30 cm rise in sea level by 2040. In areas of rapid shifts in sedimentation or high erosion due to wind and waves, salt marshes are destabilized and threatened with compositional changes and/or loss of marsh area. Salt marshes are also threatened by subsidence; if the land settles faster than sediment or roots and rhizomes can accumulate, vegetated areas convert to open water. USA's largest area of salt marsh loss is along the Louisiana coastal plain, where subsidence, decreased sedimentation, canal dredging, levee construction, and other human disturbances eliminate more than 4300 ha yr-1.
Coastal watersheds that experience increased stormi-ness as a result of climate change will discharge water, sediments, nutrients, and contaminants more erratically than at present, with resulting impacts on salt marshes downstream.
Soil salinity might also rise with higher temperatures, increased evaporation, and increased evapotranspiration. With more rainfall and freshwater flooding, however, soil salinity might decrease. The net effect of warming on salt marsh soil salinity is difficult to predict. Increased storminess could translate into more or stronger dune washover events during high tides, and stronger ocean swells would transport seawater further inland. The toxic effect of salt on upland vegetation, coupled with persistent salt in the soil, would favor halophytes over glycophytes in an increasingly broader wetland-upland transition areas (Figure 2). This prediction is most likely for areas of low annual rainfall, such as Mediterranean-type climates.
Climate change is likely to affect species differently, potentially altering competitive relationships. Photosynthesis, transpiration, nutrient cycling, phenology, and decomposition are influenced by temperature. Salt marshes with a mixture of C3 and C4 plants might shift toward C4 plants as mean temperature climbs; however, elevated CO2 might favor C3 species. In subtropical regions, a warming trend and sea-level rise would likely allow mangroves to move northward and displace salt marshes.
Impacts of climate change to plants and animals are difficult to estimate. European ecologists, however, have detailed information on bird use of salt marshes and can predict shifts in invertebrate foods and shorebirds given various scenarios of sea-level rise.
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Learning About 10 Ways Fight Off Cancer Can Have Amazing Benefits For Your Life The Best Tips On How To Keep This Killer At Bay Discovering that you or a loved one has cancer can be utterly terrifying. All the same, once you comprehend the causes of cancer and learn how to reverse those causes, you or your loved one may have more than a fighting chance of beating out cancer.


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On June 16, 2017, Markovits, Stock & DeMarco, LLC filed a lawsuit on behalf of delivery drivers who work or worked for the "It's Only" Papa John's franchisees operating in the Cincinnati, Ohio area—It's Only Downtown Pizza, Inc., It's Only Pizza, Inc., It's Only Downtown Pizza II Inc., and It's Only Papa's Pizza LLC. The plaintiff seeks to represent all delivery drivers who have worked for the "It's Only" Papa John's franchisee over the last three years. The plaintiff alleges that, together, the defendants operate approximately 27 restaurants in the Cincinnati area.
Click here to read the Class Action Complaint.
In the Complaint, the plaintiff-delivery driver alleges that he and his similarly situated co-workers were all paid at or near minimum wage for the hours they worked inside the restaurant, and a "tipped wage" while making deliveries. In addition, the plaintiff alleges that he was denied proper reimbursement for gasoline, auto maintenance, and other expenses. Specifically, he alleges that Papa John's delivery drivers are reimbursed at a flat rate per delivery that is insufficient to cover his out of pocket expenses. The unreimbursed expenses, therefore, amount to an unlawful "kickback" to the company, causing the plaintiff's effective hourly rate to drop below minimum wage. The plaintiff seeks reimbursement of expenses at the IRS mileage reimbursement rate, and additional damages.
In addition to requiring drivers to pay out-of-pocket for gas and auto expenses, the plaintiff alleges the "It's Only" franchisees required their drivers to pay for uniforms and "insurance" (they did not receive health insurance) as a deduction from their paycheck. Like the under-reimbursed expenses, these deductions amount to "kickbacks" to the company, causing the plaintiff's effective hourly rate to drop below minimum wage. The plaintiff seeks reimbursement of these deductions, and additional damages.
Finally, the plaintiff alleges that the defendants were not permitted to take a tip credit from his wages, therefore he is entitled to recovery of full minimum wage for all of the hours he worked. In order to take a tip credit, the law requires that the company provide "notice" of the laws surrounding the taking of a tip credit to their tipped employees. The plaintiff alleges that the company did not provide him or his fellow delivery drivers with proper notice of the tip credit. He seeks full minimum wage for all hours worked, plus additional damages.
Are you a delivery driver? MSD has extensive experience representing delivery drivers. Call us at 513-651-3700 or complete the form below to initiate a free and confidential case evaluation.


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Invicta Men's 9308 Pro Diver Collection Stainless Steel Watch
Invicta Men's 9308 Pro Diver Collection Stainless Steel Watch
This Invicta 9308 Maco Swiss Pro Diver watch exhibits a handsome styling that belies its rugged utility. The shock-resistant stainless-steel, 43-millimeter round case boasts a unidirectional deep-blue bezel that measures elapsed time up to an hour.
Protected by an anti-reflective, hard mineral crystal with magnifier, the matching deep-blue dial features Trinite luminous white hands and hour markers, and a date window in the 3 o'clock position.
This timepiece is showcased on a stainless-steel, 20-millimeter band with a polished-silver finish, and a diver buckle with safety clasp. Simply elegant and supremely resilient, this analog watch is driven by a Swiss quartz movement, and is water resistant to a depth of 660 feet.
Watch main features
Stainless steel "Pro Diver" watch with logo second hand and magnified date window on blue dial
- Swiss Quartz movement with analog display
- Protective mineral crystal dial window
- Features luminosity, unidirectional bezel with blue top ring
- Water resistant to 660 feet (200 M): suitable for recreational scuba diving
- Quartz movement
- Mineral crystal
Pro Diver Collection
Plunge into any horizon using the steadfast guidance of the Invicta Pro Diver. Stylishly classic, internal workings are forged with variations of either Swiss chronograph or 21-jewel automatic movements and willingly navigate in depths up to 300 meters. Built with confident prowess, the fortitude with which these timepieces function makes the Pro Diver the quintessential in performance.
Screw Down Crowns
Many Invicta watches are equipped with a screw down crown to help prevent water infiltration. This is most common on our Diver models. In order to adjust the date and/or time on such a watch, you must first unscrew the crown before you can gently pull it out to its first or second click stop position.
To do this, simply rotate the crown counterclockwise until it springs open. When you have finished setting the watch, the crown must then be pushed in and screwed back in tightly.
Not. doing so will cancel the water resistance of the watch and will void all warranties from the manufacturer. Overall, this process should not require a lot of effort or force.
Where to find a nice deal


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Serviced apartments for rent at Kim Ma Thuong, Cong Vi, Ba Dinh, Hanoi. Apartment building is designed with 6 floors, each floor has 3 apartments. Apartment No. 3 in front and Apartment # 1 in the back has better lighting than Apartment # 2 in the middle. All of these Kim Ma Thuong apartments are fully equipped with luxury furnishings – The tenant just bring the suitcase to stay.
Bills paid included – Premium service package
- 24/7 security; Water: 2 bottles Lavie 19L / month
- Cleaning service 3 times / week: "Laundry 3 times / week excluding dry cleaning")
- Gas station, pillow cover, pillow case once a week
- WIFI internet; 10 channels of Japan Television channel and 50 international channels
- Apartment maintenance fee; Water, Security camera; Hot water heater: 80L
- Backup generator system (elevator, bedroom, light, refrigerator)
- Upscale toilet cover with automatic spray TOTO; Washing machine (with drying function).
Note: Prices exclude housing tax.
Distance to some addresses
- Red Sun Japanese Restaurant, 43 Linh Lang road, Cong Vi, Ba Dinh, Ha Noi: 250 m
- Joma Bakery Cafe, 38 Lieu Giai street, Cong Vi ward, Ba Dinh district: 350 m
- Hanoi International School, 48 Lieu Giai str., Cong Vi, Ba Dinh dist.,: 450 m
- Embassy of The Republic of Korea in Hanoi, Lotte Center building, 54 Lieu Giai, Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh: 600 m
- Embassy of Japan, 27 Lieu Giai, Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh: 850 m
- Vincom Center, 54A Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Lang Thuong District, Dong Da: 1.8 km
- HaNoi Marko Supermarket, 1144 La Thanh, Ngoc Khanh, Ba Dinh: 2.3 km
- Foreign Trade University, 91 Chua Lang, Lang Thuong, Dong Da, Hanoi: 2.2 km
- Noi Bai International Airport, Phu Minh, Soc Son, Hanoi, Vietnam: 23.3 km.


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From holiday shopping to everyday expenses, people use credit cards for a wide range of things. When it comes to credit card use, there are many mistakes people can fall into. Avoiding credit card mistakes is important, as such missteps could leave a person more likely to face significant financial difficulties, such as crushing debt. Today, we'll go over some common credit card mistakes to watch out for.
Not knowing the terms of your cards
It is critical to be aware of the key terms of the credit cards you use, including interest rates and fees. Not knowing these things could lead to unpleasant surprises on credit card bills. It could also leave you without the information you need to determine if your current credit cards are the right ones for you or if there are better options out there.
It is also important to know and understand the benefits programs and other benefits associated with your cards. Ignoring benefits could lead to you not getting the most out of your card use.
Not having a payoff plan
Having plans for how to tackle credit card balances is important. If you have multiple credit cards, this includes plans regarding what order to prioritize payoffs on. What plan would be best depends on the situation and personal characteristics.
Without a clear plan, you could end up not making much progress on tackling your credit card debt and falling into certain traps. This includes the next common credit card mistake.
Falling into the minimum payment trap
Regularly only making the minimum payments on your credit cards is very risky. It can lead to little to no progress being made in reducing balances and allow significant interest to build up. This can lead to credit card debt hanging around for a very long time.
Missteps in responding to credit card debt problems
Sometimes, despite a person's best efforts to avoid credit card mistakes and engage in sound credit card practices, circumstances lead to him or her facing overwhelming levels of credit card debt. How a person responds to this situation is very important. Mistakes such as ignoring the issue, not picking the right debt relief option or making errors when pursuing an option could greatly endanger a person's future financial goals. So, seeking out quality legal guidance can be important when credit card debt gets overwhelming.


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When choosing a rug, there are so many fun patterns and designs available that look like works of art. These intricate rugs truly are one of a kind. You may come across solid rugs and wonder why anyone would choose them over something with a variety of colors and with an interesting pattern. Solid rugs come in a lot of different textures, shades, and tones to make them far from basic. If you really care about the overall look of your room, think about how a solid rug could contrast well with lots of decor and exotic furniture. Decorating with a solid rug can spotlight your favorite artwork, a beautiful coffee table, and it can be a blank canvas to design a room around. Solid rugs are also great for open floor plans, as they can define an area of a room.
There are five different types of solid rugs that ought to be contenders in your search for the perfect rug. Neutral color rugs bring light into a room, and they put a spotlight on your favorite items surrounding the rug. Natural fiber rugs are gorgeous earth-tone rugs that bring a natural element into the home. Bright-colored solid rugs add a pop of color to a room without going overboard with too much color or design going on. Shag rugs have an inviting texture that they don't need any other colors or patterns, and low pile solid rugs are modern, minimalist and soft on the eyes.
Neutral Colors
Neutral colors are rugs that come in ivory, cream, white, beige, light grey, bone, and other shades of light brown. These are lighter colors and have the ability to brighten up a room. If you have darker walls, like charcoal or navy, a soft ivory rug can bring light to the room. A room with darker wood furniture contrasts beautifully with cream and white rugs. In contrast, a room with white walls will look washed out with a white, cream, or ivory rug, so opt for darker shades like light grey.
With such light colors, texture is your friend. This light grey rug is chunky and hand woven giving it a lot of style while being a simple shade of grey. Tassels are always a beautiful addition to a solid, neutral rug because they add a touch of bohemian flair that is very popular. You can still have a solid rug with a pattern. This cream rug contrasts two different pile heights to create a swirl pattern.
Natural Fiber Rugs
Natural fiber rugs are some of the most beautiful solid rugs available. They are made in colors that are natural, earth-made materials. Their warm hues bring earth elements into the home, like hemp, jute, sisal, seagrass, or bamboo. These high-quality rugs are durable, but it is important to keep them away from moisture.
Borders, tassels, and a variety of shapes create unique elements of style in natural fiber rugs. If you're looking for something more exotic and fun, don't wipe out natural fiber rugs as an option. This oval hemp rug is dyed in brighter colors like yellow, orange, and blue. This jean-colored hemp rug is checkered with tassels, and despite the eccentric pattern and embellishment, it is still quite natural and down to earth. This hand-woven chunky jute rug comes in a long runner shape which looks fitting in front of the kitchen counter or in the center of a hallway. This is the perfect rug to make a room instantly cozier—like a cable knit sweater!
Bright Colors
How do you use a brightly-colored solid rug without it being "too much"? The best way to style a room with a solid rug is to pair it with minimalist furniture. For example, a burnt red (rust) rug can look gorgeous and tasteful underneath a clean, glass coffee table and a white leather couch with silver legs. A yellow rug would pair well with warm wood furniture and lots of plants. If you want a pop of color in your home, but you don't want a lot of clutter or decor in your home, a solid rug is a perfect choice. Decorate with a solid rug to bring in the style and color and keep everything else in the home simple.
Solid rugs with bright colors don't necessarily have to be completely solid. This red rug has a floral pattern to it which would be beautiful in a screened-in porch or breakfast room. This solid orange rug appears to be orange, but when looking closer has a little multi-colored pattern to it that adds texture. This rug is hand woven, which gives it a more natural and less modern style. But it's okay to go with a completely solid, super bright rug too! We love this bright turquoise shag rug because it reminds us of summer and would make a fun, seasonal rug choice.
Solid Shag Rugs
Shag rugs are one of the most sought-after styles to use in designing a room. They are incredibly soft and shags with high piles look utterly luxurious. We love layering shag rugs on top of neutral solid rugs or natural fiber rugs. Shag rugs make beautiful area rugs for smaller areas like underneath a bathroom sink or in a small atrium. They bring a cozy feeling to the home, particularly in rooms that need a little extra softness, like a home office or laundry room.
Shag rugs come in a variety of colors, but we think they look best in natural shades—especially when they are faux fur. Shags also come in different pile heights. A high pile is a super "shaggy" shag rug like flokati wool. A lower pile shag rug is going to look more like a traditional rug in an ultra soft material. Shag rugs also come in irregular shapes to mock a fur rug.
Low Pile Solid Rugs
Low pile rugs are very in-style right now. Their thin shape makes them lighter, which is attractive to anyone wanting a minimalist, modern, boho, or down to earth home. Low-pile rugs are usually made with more durable materials, like natural fibers or wool, and they are easier to clean. Because they are so lightweight, you can simply pick them up and shake them off outside. In a clean, modern home you see less of the thicker, heavier rugs with dark colors, and much more of the lightweight rugs in natural, light colors.
This sand rug has two different (but both low) pile heights to create a bohemian diamond pattern. This solid and completely natural, handwoven rug is very thin but has a really intricate circular pattern. This simple beige rug is bright and has no pattern, but the lace embellishment on the ends gives it just the bit of flare needed to add boho style.


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Wajib: Palestinian film stars father and son in a charming, poignant tale of intergenerational healing
In the town of Nazareth, a young man returns home for his sister's wedding after living in Italy for several years. Together with his father, driving the family's boxy 1980s Volvo through the narrow, ancient streets, he goes hand-delivering the invitations — a not insignificant task, given there are more than 300 guests.
So begins the charming, poignant Palestinian comedy drama Wajib, in which the duo (played by real life father/son actors Mohammad and Saleh Bakri) often find themselves in harsh disagreement behind the wheel — over everything from politics to cigarettes — but display a united front to the world as they are ushered in to the front rooms and kitchens of various relatives and friends. (Wajib is an Arabic word meaning duty.)
Bethlehem-born writer-director Annemarie Jacir, whose producer husband was born in Nazareth, displays a keen instinct, in her third feature, for how the line between public and private lives can become blurred in small towns, where everyone knows each other's business.
The result is often very funny, but the premise is also a way in to deeper themes of identity, exile, idealism and compromise.
What does Palestine mean to both men?
For son Shadi, his homeland inspires love and hate. He finds the townsfolks' gossip and obsession with keeping up appearances hard to bear, especially after living away from home for so long.
He is also disappointed by what he views as his father's willingness to live in a state of permanent compromise. He wonders why the old man doesn't mind that Israeli soldiers in full uniform eat at a neighbourhood café, or that one of the wedding guests is his father's boss, a man who informs to the government.
Nazareth, as we are reminded by a huge flag and Star of David sculpture in the middle of a freeway roundabout that the father and son pass a number of times in the film, is a town situated in Israel, despite the fact that its population is overwhelmingly Palestinian.
This fact brings an unmistakable tension and edge to the film.
But if the son bristles at how much his father seems resigned to life's compromises in Nazareth, the older man in return criticises his son for being unrealistic, and reserves a few jibes — delivered with hilarious understatement — for the younger man's taste in Italian pastel shirts.
Jacir's achievement is that she manages to straddle comedy and drama with such a lightness of touch.
She also manages something more: to underpin her film with a deep, thoughtful exploration of masculinity. This is very much a father-son story — the bride-to-be appears only briefly, and the mother is completely absent for reasons that become clear later on.
As the day unfolds, Shadi begins to understand that his father has needed to step in to fill the breach left by his wife, and this slowly inspires respect.
In a pivotal scene in a wedding boutique, the old man's expanded role becomes clear when he offers moral support to his daughter as she tries on various dresses and struggles to make a decision.
It's the kind of scene that's normally about establishing the bond between mothers and daughters, but Jacir's twist makes it even more significant.
It's an example that typifies the whole film — and how Jacir is able to tweak genre convention to show us something new.
Topics: film-movies, arts-and-entertainment, relationships, unrest-conflict-and-war, palestinian-territory-occupied, australia


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Marine Le Pen has voiced her support for Donald Trump, warning that his rival Hillary Clinton would bring war and devastation to the world.
Asked by CNN which U.S. candidate she supports, the Front National leader remarked that "everything but Hillary" would be better for France.
"As far as France's best interest is concerned it's, 'Everything but Hillary Clinton'.
"It's everything but Hillary Clinton because I believe Hillary Clinton means war, Hillary Clinton means devastation, destabilizing the world, economic choices that would be devastating for my people, geostrategic choices that would lead to global conflicts," Ms. Le Pen said.