By Lynn, on January 13th, 2012%
My oh my, the reporting that comes straight to your computer screen from Lynn’s Rose Cottage!
Is it not, my friends, the most up-to-date reporting on the most important things in life?
Alice trees!
The Standing and Staring Club!
Goodwill Shopping reports!
And now…
I have loved these boots! Good granny, have I loved them. They look so cute with bright, just-to-the-knee dresses! But, my friends, they died last week.
Yep, I have walked a hole right through the sole of my boots. It made me think of Pa Ingalls. I remember when Michaela and I were reading On The Banks of Plum Creek. It seems that Pa walked hundreds of miles with a big hole in his boots! Do you remember that?
At this point I am trying to decide (research is in order, Dear Watson) whether to have them re-soled or to go out looking for a “new” 4-dollar pair at G.W. Boutique. What think ye, friends?
Now. In other up-to-date FASHION NEWS, thank you Mama for my new pantaloons. My dear readers know that I nearly wore out my last pair. (Sort of like the boots. Ahem.) It was shortly after begging my mom for new pantaloons on my public blog that she gifted me with a lovely new pair, stitched up her most beautiful handiwork! I love you dearly, Mama!
Of course, the obvious accessory here would be my homemade Japanese fan. Well, partly homemade. I found these plastic frames at The Scrap Exchange (where else?) and am covering them with the papers of my choice, from my stash of all sorts of paper scraps.
These are the first two, and I am trying to get the hang of tracing the papers so they fit perfectly into their designated spaces on the fans!
But they are sweet, no?
And now, in ALICE IN WONDERLAND NEWS!
Yesterday we read CHAPTER 8 (THE QUEEN’S CROQUET GROUND) and today we read CHAPTER 9 (THE MOCK TURTLE’S STORY)! You will have the weekend to catch up, if you are falling behind, and this weekend I will also catch up on ornaments! The coolest one — cannot wait to finish it and show you, dear readers!
For now, I will share with you the miniature board game, a MICHAELA creation.
Love a black and white photo with lights in it!
And of course the BOARD side of this pretty ornament. Pretty and bright!
I am just finishing up a work break, blogging and posting pictures that were taken first thing this morning. It’s back to the work desk now.
It is hard for me to FOCUS myself sometimes on what I MUST do, but I like this quotation:
Besides the noble art of getting things done,
there is the noble art of leaving things undone.
The wisdom of life consists in
the elimination of nonessentials. ~Lin Yutang, author
Enjoy this day!
By Lynn, on January 11th, 2012%
Oh, my, the joys of leading a busy life! Last night, dear friends, I was at another hockey game with coworkers. A girls’ night out! The Carolina Hurricanes played the Philadelphia Flyers, and it was a pretty exciting game! We got to see a fight (not unusual in hockey) that nearly turned into a pile of men on the ice. As well, Canes defenseman Spacek was hit in the chin by a deflected puck. It was painful to even watch!
Ladies, I highly recommend outings, when you can, and I am not saying you have to have ME time away from the kids all the time (although if you need it, that is fine too). What is good about it is the getting away from the house, and all there is to do there. Even a walk in nature WITH the children will change the scenery, help you clear your thoughts and come back with renewed energy! This fun girltime outing was so good for me!
Now, for SHOP news. More pins going into the shop, A Bit of Birdsong, over the course of the day and evening.
Recycled image of Cupidon by Chaplin.
Recycled — or maybe I should say UPCYCLED — image of A Beauty with Doves by Chaplin.
Doves and angel wings, anyone?
Yes, friends, these will make their way into the shop as time permits. It’s not easy some days, running around on breaks, trying to get things done, loving my REAL job working for the hospital and yet knowing I have to be wise and hustle with my time off to keep on top of the other things that make up my busy life.
And now, without another moment’s hesitation, some news on ALICE and THE ALICE TREE!
Yesterday we read chapter 6, today we will read chapter 7, or in other words PIG AND PEPPER and A MAD TEA-PARTY!!
I have some catching up to do on the ornaments, but fear not, that will come! The reading itself has been a good diversion for me. Yesterday I read a chapter right before I took my afternoon nap. Oh, and that TEA PARTY! Poor Alice, being caught in word riddles until she stormed off from the A MAD TEA-PARTY saying it was the most stupid tea party she had ever been to!!
Fortunately for me, and just in time, Michaela’s ALICE IN WONDERLAND board game came home from school. Lo and behold, this little basket of game pieces and game cards looks adorable tucked into the pink tree branches!
Then the board game itself was photographed and printed as a little MINIATURE board game, with a nice picture of CHESHIRE CAT on the back. Pictures of completed ornaments to come.
Well, dear friends, I must wrap this up. Time flies when we are having fun! There are all manner of things on my TO-DO list for today, including organizing my thoughts about a MAD TEA PARTY for Princess of the Universe and her friends. What do you think? I think they would LOVE it!
Enjoy this day!
By Lynn, on January 10th, 2012%
Dear Friends,
Do you ever cry in your sleep? I did last night. It woke me up. Ah, do not think I am sad, but just understand that sometimes in my dreams I can see what might have been. It is so real, I could touch it. But I know, even in my dreams, that it did not work out that way. So I dry my tears and go back to sleep. It mostly involves my children and a few other dreams that I had for homelife and hearth.
My garden. I cannot say I have cried in dreams over my garden, but I guess my garden will always live in my heart. I also know that God’s creation of fertile North Carolina earth is beautiful where ever it is, and I can plant a garden somewhere new someday. Still I miss my garden and the time I spent poking around in the soil and breathing in the beautiful smell of pure dirt.
So it is that I am appreciating a wonderful gift today. A gift from a friend’s garden. ‘Twas a basketful of harvested herbs, representing another’s work, dreams, and time spent outside laboring away in one of the most beautiful little gardens ever. My children and I will sit down with this mass of thyme and a mass of dried dill. We will strip the leaves and get lost in the smell of a garden again.
When my dear friend handed me the basket, it was so much more than dried herbs. It was a sharing of her own hard work. It was an “I’m sorry that things did not go like you wanted them to.” It was a hug. It was faith and hope. She offered me to come putter around in her potting shed any time I want to. It was friendship.
Drying tears. Drying herbs.
Thankfully I kept the beautiful little glass spice jars with their perfect cork tops, purchased last year for a co-op about medicine in Colonial times.
The pretty “medicine tool box.”
Medicine.  And pretty medicine containers . (I spent hours on those steps. )
Anyway, will be sure and show you the finished product and share some fun pictures of the storing!
Now, as promised, I put a few more ALICE ornaments on THE ALICE TREE to finish up CHAPTER 4.
Nearly bedtime (or way past). Long day spent working, shuttling kids, doing paperwork, making pins and cooking. Tired? Yes. Content? Very.
Yesterday we read Chapter 5. Today we will read Chapter 6. So stay tuned for the next ornaments to go on THE ALICE TREE.
John Tenniel ornament.
Enjoy this day! It will be another busy day here, but I am trying to just pursue JOY. Here’s to JOY.
One joy dispels a hundred cares. ~oriental proverb
Joys are our wings; sorrows our spurs. ~Richter
Men do change, and change comes like a little wind that ruffles the curtains at dawn,
and it comes like the stealthy perfume of wildflowers hidden in the grass. ~John Steinbeck
Here’s also to change.
By Lynn, on December 30th, 2011%
I wondered about a post title, yes I did, in looking for something that made sense. But why should anything make sense, since we are going on an adventure to build an Alice Tree and make January the month of Alice in Wonderland? I figured welcoming someone to the end of a month was every bit as good as welcoming someone to the beginning of a month!
Come closer, friends, and let’s talk about December coming to an end! It has been a beautiful month indeed! We have had lovely weather on many days, making it seem not so winterish, but then other days with evidence of Old Man Winter’s frosty breath on the grass and our windshield. We have had food and warm beds at night and friends nd family. Is there anything else in this present life that a person could want?
Lavender, perhaps?
And lavender we’ve got! I want you to know that my Princess of the Universe bought me the most beautiful Crabtree & Evelyn lavender gift set. It smells delightful! Reminds me of the lavender in my Little Wild Garden.
All items have been lovingly removed from the box and placed in my bathroom. (Hear that? My bathroom? With lots of counter space? New bathroom? Bright, white, and no leaks or hard-to-clean fixtures.) I digress. The box is being used to hold things that will be incorporated into the Alice Tree.
Oh, look! The bun-buns are SO excited over being included on the Alice Tree! Thank you to the readers who suggested it! Lily. April. And others, if you thought it and didn’t speak it, or if you said it and my mind has already cleared out and is onto some other bunch of words whirling around in my head (as is so prone to be the case).
These little bun-buns are playing hide and seek behind the roses.
Anyhoo… Where were we?
Oh yes! I am absolutely flattered that Michaela thinks so much of me. Actually, I am humbled.
Thrift store shopping continues. Ah, G.W. Boutique, I love you. In honor of Alice Month, I have pinned on an Alice brooch.
Old Navy dress 4 dollars; striped turtleneck 3 dollars. Black leggings — an old wardrobe staple bought new a few years back.
BEAUTY TIP, ANYONE?
When winter weather gets here, it seems my skin just won’t stay moisturized. Really. I feel that fair, freckled skin is prone to dryness and wrinkles anyway, but the winter cold combined with the dry heat going on inside just wreaks havoc!
Enter the avacado. Every morning, I peel a slice to eat and peel up a slice to put on my face. I mash it up and smoothe it over face and neck, leaving it there until it dries. I then wash it gently away with warm water and pat my face dry. You’ll have to try it to know how good it feels. And eating avacado, well that’s not hard!
Avacado has a strong anti-aging antioxidant called glutathione. Glutathione increases immune cells and breaks down bad fats.
Of late, I have really been trying to snack on healthy things when I am in the mood for something sweet. Sweet potato fries with honey. A smoothie made of yogurt, bananas and frozen strawberries. Yogurt with fruit stirred in. You get the picture.
I have to admit though, I have a weakness this time of year…
Looks like it might be whipped cream on top of hot chocolate, but it is actually whipped cream on top of coffee. Yeah. With cinnamon sprinkled on top. Since I live in WONDERLAND, why not also pretend that I have My own Starbucks right off my office? Actually, I am trying not to do this 10 times a day. Just one. Or two.
Well, dear readers, tag making is in progress. I have cut handmade tags which are currently being readied for the Alice Tree. I think this will be a major learning curve. I do . I am wondering if Michaela’s school would want to see the Alice Tree when it’s done. Maybe I am asking for a lot of work to have to haul this thing to her school.
A girl can dream.
And I say, dream big, or go home!
Here’s to this day. Enjoy this day!
OH, AND PS!! Here is a website with Alice in Wonderland, including illustratrations from various illustrators! It’s a treasure! Alice in Wonderland.
By Lynn, on November 22nd, 2011%
My oh my, have I been horrible again. Every day I think about you all, my dear friends, but then I find myself at quarter to 10, knowing I have to log in and type. The break midday brings errands and trying to cook, pay bills, keep the apartment clean, etc. Life is certainly busy. John has finished driver’s ed and we have taken him to get his permit. He is driving me around. I spend some free time at the old house visiting with Joseph — times when it is just the two of us and I can help him out with things or we can practice karate. Sometimes he comes over here for a night. Here I go again, promising to blog more. And it’s not an empty promise! I mean it! I really do! The days just run together, but I miss you!
Comfortable clothes? Yeah, still dresses. Oh, I love dresses! Nothing like a dress and some sort-of heels with ankle straps to make a person feel happy! When I say comfortable, I think I mean that I am buying things that I might not have brought a year ago. I know that my style is still fundamentally the same — girlie girl, somewhat eccentric, layers, dresses, you know the drill — but now I am enjoying adding some shorter dresses (nothing too short!), different style hats (I have always loved hats, but have you ever seen me in a ball cap?) I am just having fun in the process of healing. It has been a very, very good thing, and I know now that the door I walked out of is closed behind me. The only way I could think to describe it to people I have spoken with is that I fell as far as I could before I opened my parachute. I came to my senses right before I hit the ground. And I cannot go back.
Maybe one of the most healing things I have done was to get back to my karate. Doing regular physical exercise has been good for me. (Now, I just need to get back on the treadmill! It’s been about three weeks! Yikes!) I am now working on knowing all the curriculum to test again around early spring for my next belt. It is a wonderful diversion, and I get to be around others (including Joseph) and the exercise is always good! Not to mention, you just don’t realize how your dominant side rules your body and mind until you take on a sport or artform that requires you use both sides of your body (and thus mind) equally! And that’s all I’m gonna say about that!
I promise that I will soon take some pictures of some thrift stores when I visit, but knowing that you wanted to see some of that, I snapped a picture with my phone, while I was sitting at a stop light, of downtown Durham, on my way to The Scrap Exchange. Love the trees! It was gray and drizzling that day, but something about this intersection made me happy!
And speaking of The Scrap Exchange, I always shop there, want to come home and be creative, but then it is work, work, work. Seems like I get home just to have time to put things away, and then crafting must wait until another day, but so far the days are not coming. I long to make dolls and pins, and make the wildly funky pink skirt that I see in my mind (from scraps), but the days just don’t work out. It’s so busy right now! Soon, though, I will get my mind wrapped around my new life and I’ll settle how to have that time.
Now, don’t get grossed out. I have had comments on this photo and what it looks like, but dear friends, this is a picture of mussels, which I just cooked for the first time. Olive oil, onions, garlic, tomato paste, white wine, and oh my they were SO GOOD! And full of B12, which I desperately need! Symptoms of B12 sometimes plague me — numb foot during exercise, numb or burning tongue, canker sores, depression… Can we say that again? Depression? Anyway, mussels have a ton of B12. It’s amazing how much different I felt the morning after eating my fill of mussels!
And as far as cooking, I tend to eat good because I love salads and vegetables, but John and Michaela are so out of the groove that we lived in at The Old House. There, I cooked for six people and was married to The Hunter-Carpenter. We ate huge crockpots full of venison, dried beans, cornbread, homemade desserts. I drank herbal infusions. Joseph kept gallons of sweet tea made all the time. We drank a gallon of milk a day. I picked fresh greens for our salads. Venison, beans, greens. And lots of it! Get the picture?
But here? I am not cooking for six. Small amounts of meat burn in a great big crockpot. I just could not get my mind settled to cook for us. I was throwing out leftovers, burning stuff, but I have found something that works. A friend kept telling me about how a steamer works, so I bought an electric steamer. It has two trays, and I can cook entire meals for the three of us, and it is so easy!
Last night we had scallops, asparagus and mushrooms in the steamer, and then at a friend’s suggestion, I sprinkled parmesan cheese over the asparagus and mushrooms after cooking! The mussels cooked on the stovetop in the meantime! It feels so good to be getting settled into where I am right now. There are days that I feel so sorrowful over what might have been and over having to walk away from something that in my heart I had bound myself never to walk away from, but…
The other day I was able to spend some time with my three sons. We gathered around Daniel’s new (to him) truck. It was good to be with them all at one time. They laughed and cut up (and argued a little as brothers will do), and I hated to part with some of them again, but all feels well and they are finding their way too right now. (Love Joseph’s hat!)
I cherish this time with John and Michaela, especially knowing how quickly the years fly by and just how “overnight” your children leave the nest.
Annie-wise, absolutely nothing has changed. Unless, of course, she has simply become more rotten. If that was even possible!!
She gets an abundance of attention! She is so spoiled! Yesterday at the thirft store I found her a winter coat. Oh my. Pictures coming soon.
So, here we go again. Work calls. I have spent my break with you this morning, something that has helped me more than anyone here! I need this outlet! It’s such a cleansing thing to write. If only I had more time for it!
Enjoy this day. This very day! Every single minute that is good and “just right” is a minute to keep in your heart and not let go of!
By Lynn, on November 11th, 2011%
So yesterday I was off work, and of course you know I had to hit at least one Goodwill. I found the prettiest combo! Oh my, a brand new Abercrombie shirt that falls off the shoulders (ahem, I will wear a tank under it) and this gorgeous retro-looking pink skirt with netting and faint polka dots! The Abercrombie shirt still had the tags.
I think I will wear it this evening to go out for dinner! Today I will be working and trying to eat good foods and using my breaks to get all of my clothes washed and put away! I love working from home!
In other news, I have another teenage son on the roads.
He is doing very, very well. I mean, he really is.
But I am afraid I still look like this most of the time. Yeah. And I am constantly blurting out “st…” (short for stop, and catching myself just in time, so as not to alarm John).
I found so many more things yesterday on my outings! My bill/mail desk is now organized and I will soon share pictures of what I did on that. Found something old and funky yesterday to help in the process.
Off to work and enjoy the day!
You, enjoy this day. xoxo
By Lynn, on November 8th, 2011%
This past weekend was quite busy and most exciting! On Saturday, I awoke and prepared for karate testing.
Hair up with red chopsticks. New white gi on.
Testing went well. It was a long process that included one-time attacks, line drills, and katas. It’s an honor to test and to watch our classmates progress!
At the end, we were all awarded a new rank. Joseph got his black belt, I got my blue belt, and our classmates moved on as well.
And then, sometimes a girl’s gotta leave and stick her toes in the sand.
I drove to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, without any children in tow and just enjoyed the solitude. The beaches are quieter this time of year. The weather was chilly, but the sun came out beautifully and the air felt just right.
I stayed in a beautiful place! One thing. Rates are cheaper this time of year. It was nice to look at what was offered and think about coming back in the summer and bringing my children.
I stayed pretty high up!
Which made for a wonderful view!
I am trying to embrace the ever-changing creatures in my life. Not many beetles, bees, and butterflies anymore, but new things, new sights, new thoughts.
Plants at the beach, growing in the beach sand, are so different from what was in The Little Wild Garden. I think ahead to where I might end up, what might grow, and how life will continue to change.
The plantings around the hotel were lovely. Tropical is something that never appealed to me much as far as gardening goes, but this was very inspiring. The color!
How does it feel to get away by myself and walk off and leave an unmade bed without a thought? Good.
There were lots of things here that the children would enjoy! I can see Joseph and John at the huge chess set!
The pools and water tunnels and hot tubs (right under the hotel!) were things that the children would love. I can see I need to make it a priority to bring them here when the seasons take us to hot weather again.
I walked on the beach and picked up tiny little, perfect shells. I put them in a bag as I walked. Not too many, but enough to remember…
In one of the restaurants I was in, there was an amazing glass wall in the ladies’ bathroom! (Yes, I took a picture of the wall in the bathroom.) I would love to have natural light like this in a future home. (More mental notes for things I would like to do in the future.)
Thinking. Thinking. Thinking. Doing lots of thinking these days. It is no small thing to close a chapter of your life that was a quarter of a century long! It is no small thing to quit reading at the end of a chapter when you had planned to read and love and keep forever the whole book! It is no small thing to have to give up on something that is supposed to last forever. It is no small thing.
But far out across the water — the dark water where we cannot judge depth or know what lies beneath, light dances in the sun. Likewise, I see a light at the end of the tunnel, and it is beautiful.
Enjoy this day!
By Lynn, on November 3rd, 2011%
My dear sweet readers, you might be glad to know that I have come down off of my soapbox. (Ahem.) I’ll try not to call anybody Dude, or do any YELLING in this post. However, I will likely continue to jump and dance around the apartment Rose Cottage, and pick on my children. They were both so tired of hearing me say in a gruffy voice this morning, “Yo mama’s got the swaaaaaag goin on,” that they both cried out, “MAMA!!!!” before we left for school. And it was not a “rootin’ for you” kind of mama, but a “mama we’ve had quite enough!” So I have calmed down, for the moment.
I just had to show you my latest denim skirt find from G.W. Boutique. The belt buckle sold me. Well, that, and also that it is long and fits great and is in excellent shape and goes with just about everything.
Boy do I look like my daddy.
But I digress.
Well, so what. I mean…let’s just do this. (You can click to enlarge, but you gotta prolly hit the back button to come back.)
So, yeah, but I love it. He was a good dad. For sure. Oh, he was not without his faults, but are any of us?
And now I have a son who wears my dad’s dog tags and reminds me so much of my dad. My dad would have loved this boy! Well, he would have loved all of my children. And, sadly, he never really knew them at all.
I named the picture above, “driving around smiling.” That’s what I am trying to do! Life is just too short to frown. I am trying my best to make this my creed. And I have so much to be joyful over!
Enjoy this day! It won’t be back!
By Lynn, on October 24th, 2011%
So I did promise to do Part 2 of my trip to The Scrap Exchange. Here goes!
First, my friend Mr. Mannequin.
Isn’t he glorious in his new headgear? I mean, I’d hang out with him. I can’t imagine that we’d get anything but positive feedback. My favorite thing about him is that he keeps one eye on me and one eye out for the waiter. Can you imagine all that Mr. Mannequin and I would have to discuss over dinner since he LIVES at The Scrap Exchange??
Now, for some treasures. I did end up tearing myself away from Mr. Mannequin to shop a bit.
They have a HUGE bin of all sorts of papers. Since I like to make and decorate my own creative journals, these sorts of papers are perfect for cutting up and pasting.
And can anyone say lightweight WHITE TIGHTS? Yeah. For 20 cents a pair, or something in that range. I think I found five good pairs! Woo hoo. Cannot beat that!
Now onto the fabric, which I intend to use to make a funky skirt to wear with my cowboy boots this winter.
And…
One thing that jumped out at me was this really cool clock decanter which I will use to keep change in, and then when it is full it means it is TIME for John and Michaela and me to do something FUN. How about that?
There we are, just a few of the amazingly cool things I found at The Scrap Exchange!
Outside with my treasures. I am standing in front of a green truck (that is not mine, but you know what they say about positive thinking), because I think I want a truck. Or something like that. Not that I do not totally appreciate my van, but I think people born under the Thrifting Star, better known as the Standing and Staring Constellation, need a truck!!!
One more thing to share. And it’s really fun! When I got to the register, the cashier asked me my name, to which I said Lynn, of course. (I started to say Sandra Lynn the Big Fat Hen, but that meant a long story from first grade about my favorite teacher in the world, so I just said Lynn.) She asked me if I had a blog. I said, yes. As it turns out, I was recognized! How cool is that! It was Ruth Warren who does marketing for The Scrap Exchange. Ruth, once again, it was a pleasure to put your face with your name! See you soon!
Enjoy this day!
By Lynn, on October 10th, 2011%
Oh, my Dear Readers, I received the sweetest gift in my mailbox on Saturday! My dear friend Marqueta from Sweete Felicity painted something special, just for me!
Marqueta, I love it! Michaela and I have looked at it and looked at it. It is just perfect! I love all the detail! The little bun-bun! The birds! The blue morning glories! The arbor and the definition! It is my garden. Thank you so, so much!
It is true that I left something of my heart in the Wild Little Garden, but that garden gave to me and gave to me and gave to me, without measure, on days when tears were falling. Sometimes I think that garden and this blog kept me sane. Spiritually, of course, there was grace and mercy that can only come from one place, but naturally speaking, this garden did so much for my well being.
Just wanted to share this friendship offering with everyone. Love you, Marqueta!
Enjoy this day!
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About Lynn 
Approaching-50 mother of four. Thrifter. Content with lots of clothes bought for very little money. Loves retro. (That could be styles from the 40s and 50s. And sometimes stuff even older than that. And sometimes stuff from all time, all mixed up together!) Bluffs about decluttering but secretly loves STUFF. Goes through stages. Has standing and staring spells before rearranging the entire home. Just because. Tune in each day to see what new outfit comes home from G.W. Boutique next. (That's Goodwill, by the way.) Oh, and she owns a spoiled beagle named Annie. And this blog.
Grab A Button <div align="center"><a href="http://www.amothersjournal.com" title="A Mother's Journal ~ A Bit of Birdsong"><img src="http://www.innatelygray.com/images/abitofbirdsong_120_200.jpg" alt="A Mother's Journal ~ A Bit of Birdsong" style="border:none;" /></a></div> The Players
Lil Ol' Me
Son Daniel, 23
Son, Big Joe, 21
Son, John, 17
Daughter, Michaela, 13
Annie Fatso Beagle
My Symphony
To live content with small means; to seek elegance rather than luxury, and refinement rather than fashion; to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich; to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly; to listen to stars and birds, to babes and sages, with open heart; to bear all cheerfully, do all bravely, await occasions, hurry never. In a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious, grow up through the common. This is to be my symphony.
William Henry Channing
1810-1884
What You Do Sow a thought, reap an action.
Sow an action, reap a habit.
Sow a habit, reap a character.
Sow a character, reap a destiny.
Contact Me 
I would  for you to leave a comment, but you can also e-mail me at lynn AT thehealthyhomeschool.com
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