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Saturday, October 30, 2010
Thursday, October 28, 2010
The Storm
My mom got a photo of the clouds yesterday swirling overhead with the tendrils reaching down. It was seriously THAT black. There was a ton of wind. I was glad to see that none of the kids were too scared to return to school today. One girl was trying to tell on me to her teacher. She clarified first that she did NOT use the boys bathroom and very indignantly reported, trying to get me in serious trouble, that "Ms. Chrissie teached us in the bathroom!" She was totally not buying into that business either. What a drama queen that little one is!! I love her.
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
A Day in the Bathroom
OK it was only an hour.... but with 21 children, aged 4 to 5, it felt like an entire day. With a tornado warning and my scalp tingling and trying to keep all 21 children entertained while they made use of the single toilet and/or the urinals.... IT FELT LIKE AN ENTIRE DAY LET ME TELL YOU!!!
Yesterday I had to sub for one of the teachers. So I had a sub being me, the Teachers Assistant. I don't know what happened to her during the tornado warning. I suspect that she ended up with her son's class, which is over on the parent's day out building, in another hall bathroom, and that T.A. probably ended up with the screaming babies and every other available teacher it took to hold them all in the women's room next to us. I was amazed that we couldn't hear the screaming in the Men's room, only when I walked outside the bathroom door. Good soundproofing and hopefully a good storm shelter. I'm not thrilled that it is a gym roof, but I haven't come up with a better place for that many kids. Hindsight being what it is, I would have preferred to have another teacher or another adult with us, but we were in ratio and had no problems whatsoever, but I will mention it... maybe in a week or two.
So we read like 4 books and I cracked toilet jokes. Yep, I did what I do best. It all started innocently enough. Someone started getting that seriously worried look on their face. I mean, lunch was interrupted. That's bad enough! We all had to abandon our food and walk single file to the big bathrooms. I took one look into the women's room crowded with screaming babies and decided to head to the men's room where there was peace and quiet. The other Pre-K teacher joined me. So it was just us 2 classes. Why the 3rd Pre-K teacher didn't come with US, I'll never know. What a dodo. We ran back for reinforcement books twice in the hour plus we were trapped and I could hear screaming both times. Yikes. In OUR bathroom, I had those kids LAUGHING!!!
So, back to those seriously worried and hungry kids. I was explaining how we sometimes need to take safety precautions just like at home when it is a thunderstorm and a tornado warning and we have to go to a safe place where there are no windows. We all had to sit criss cross against the cinderblock wall because that was the safest place. No standing or walking around. Bummer, huh?! I asked if anyone could see a window in the boys bathroom. Noooo, of course not silly, then people could watch us doing our bizness, that would not be good. Giggles. So that is what makes it a safer place to be in a storm and we would be there for just a little while until the weatherman tells us the storm has gone over us. Someone started uttering those dreaded words about wanting mommy, I thought maybe a tear might be forming, so I quickly deflected the situation before they all started in... Of course the first thing I thought of was to say "hey who can go the longest without going to the bathroom?! Don't look at the toilets! DON'T LOOK AT THE TOILETS!!!" I turn around and there's a kid using a urinal right in front of everyone! That caused a riot of laughter then and there. I made a "Ooh Noooo!" and crossed my legs and crossed my eyes and more laughter and then someone made a dash for the toilet. After that it was all over - nobody was scared, nobody was asking for mommy. We took turns reading books and holding a kid or two in our laps, we made jokes and every other minute someone told me they were looking at the toilet and I would say "Stop it! Don't look at the toilet!".
By the way, this is a great book if you need 20 minutes of distraction and laughter. I wished I had read it before so I could have been better at it, but it sure did the trick! I had to improvise and edit some of the language (to avoid name calling at school) but otherwise it is an excellent and fun read!
And all's well that ends well. After about 15 minutes of weird scalp tingling, the storm finally blew over us with no touch downs. We were released after an hour in the men's room. I do believe at least 10 children used the toilet and/or urinals. Some twice. All 21 looked at it. And all 21 were forced to wash their hands!!! Oh so gross in there. I can't believe we were forced to breathe Men's Room Air for an hour.
Yesterday I had to sub for one of the teachers. So I had a sub being me, the Teachers Assistant. I don't know what happened to her during the tornado warning. I suspect that she ended up with her son's class, which is over on the parent's day out building, in another hall bathroom, and that T.A. probably ended up with the screaming babies and every other available teacher it took to hold them all in the women's room next to us. I was amazed that we couldn't hear the screaming in the Men's room, only when I walked outside the bathroom door. Good soundproofing and hopefully a good storm shelter. I'm not thrilled that it is a gym roof, but I haven't come up with a better place for that many kids. Hindsight being what it is, I would have preferred to have another teacher or another adult with us, but we were in ratio and had no problems whatsoever, but I will mention it... maybe in a week or two.
So we read like 4 books and I cracked toilet jokes. Yep, I did what I do best. It all started innocently enough. Someone started getting that seriously worried look on their face. I mean, lunch was interrupted. That's bad enough! We all had to abandon our food and walk single file to the big bathrooms. I took one look into the women's room crowded with screaming babies and decided to head to the men's room where there was peace and quiet. The other Pre-K teacher joined me. So it was just us 2 classes. Why the 3rd Pre-K teacher didn't come with US, I'll never know. What a dodo. We ran back for reinforcement books twice in the hour plus we were trapped and I could hear screaming both times. Yikes. In OUR bathroom, I had those kids LAUGHING!!!
So, back to those seriously worried and hungry kids. I was explaining how we sometimes need to take safety precautions just like at home when it is a thunderstorm and a tornado warning and we have to go to a safe place where there are no windows. We all had to sit criss cross against the cinderblock wall because that was the safest place. No standing or walking around. Bummer, huh?! I asked if anyone could see a window in the boys bathroom. Noooo, of course not silly, then people could watch us doing our bizness, that would not be good. Giggles. So that is what makes it a safer place to be in a storm and we would be there for just a little while until the weatherman tells us the storm has gone over us. Someone started uttering those dreaded words about wanting mommy, I thought maybe a tear might be forming, so I quickly deflected the situation before they all started in... Of course the first thing I thought of was to say "hey who can go the longest without going to the bathroom?! Don't look at the toilets! DON'T LOOK AT THE TOILETS!!!" I turn around and there's a kid using a urinal right in front of everyone! That caused a riot of laughter then and there. I made a "Ooh Noooo!" and crossed my legs and crossed my eyes and more laughter and then someone made a dash for the toilet. After that it was all over - nobody was scared, nobody was asking for mommy. We took turns reading books and holding a kid or two in our laps, we made jokes and every other minute someone told me they were looking at the toilet and I would say "Stop it! Don't look at the toilet!".
By the way, this is a great book if you need 20 minutes of distraction and laughter. I wished I had read it before so I could have been better at it, but it sure did the trick! I had to improvise and edit some of the language (to avoid name calling at school) but otherwise it is an excellent and fun read!
And all's well that ends well. After about 15 minutes of weird scalp tingling, the storm finally blew over us with no touch downs. We were released after an hour in the men's room. I do believe at least 10 children used the toilet and/or urinals. Some twice. All 21 looked at it. And all 21 were forced to wash their hands!!! Oh so gross in there. I can't believe we were forced to breathe Men's Room Air for an hour.
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Pumpkins Not Feelin' It
Hicklen Farms 2010 was a quiet year. Not much excitement at the ol' farm. Could be that we went later in October. Could definitely be that we were missing half the family: Indy and Taryn weren't with us and Mike was in Utah on business. Could be that we were still a little wiped out from the wisdom tooth ordeal. Could be it was a Monday, but whatever, even the pumpkins weren't feelin' it! I think we all kinda felt like we shoulda just gone to the grocery store for pumpkins. How pitiful is that?! Later on Gib and I saw bigger pumpkins at the grocery store and I know we both thought the same thing! Sacrilege!!!
So yeah, it wasn't a great crop this year. Not one pumpkin butt joke was cracked, Mike. Can you believe it?! We were forced to get green pumpkins for character and that is just so predictable. Oh well, you do what you can with what you've got. I was afraid there wouldn't be a 2010 Attack Pumpkin photo scene with such a boring group of pumpkins but as we were getting ready to pay I found inspiration.
Gib and Mariah
and I would say "and a sea of pumpkins"
Slim pickin's
usually you can barely walk between rows of pumpkins! Poor Farmer Hicklen!
Gib found two pumpkins that were very similar and we decided that one would be his and the other would be Mike's. Since Gib is now taller than his dad,
it was only natural that the BIG one is his.
Grammy is determined NOT to have her carved pumpkin be pitiful and bullied this year
she tried to pick one that said "Not your Average Jack. Battle Scarred Gourd looking to squash the competition"
Farmer Hicklen took our picture. After I showed him the "shiny button" and how to push it.
I think his dentures were about to fall out or something because I look like I'm trying to pass the secret chipmunk chomp code that means "hey shut yo mouth afore your teeth fall out!"
Mariah looks like a dink in this photo! Haha.
This is my Bowl of Inspiration:
I am going to carve a pumpkin patch being consumed by a giant pumpkin aka the Jello Jiggler Monster! I got 15 little wanna be pumpkins. Aren't they cute?! I like the one with mud. Sure, I could've washed it, but it might be good for special effects.
Here's our pumpkins and our pumpkin Guard Kitty.
It's OK that he's on the table Mike. He's On Duty.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Warmth Blessed Warmth
We all know I have a fondness for HEAT, even when it's not really cold. I adore my space heater blowing on my feet.
Late last night our consumption of crushed ice exceeded the icemakers ability to produce. I gave Gib some frozen ice packs to tide him over. He had a good day; doing so much better than Indy or Taryn on the recovery. Poor girls. One painkiller in the early a.m. with ibuprofin the rest of the day. Before he went to bed we discussed the options and decided to go with another painkiller in hopes for a solid 8 hrs of uninterrupted sleep. I was surprised he woke up in significant pain at 2 a.m. The jaw bone throbbing pain kind - owww. Since his pain was increasing not decreasing, the swelling surely has done its worst, and the ice was pretty much kaput and all, and decided to make the switch to heat a little early. Indy and Taryn so loved that moment, and Gib was no exception.
6 am is never my finest hour especially on Day 2 of little sleep and I do believe I am getting a cold (oooh nooo!). When I went to reheat the sponges in the plastic bags, I forgot how long the optimum time in the microwave was and just decided to push the 2 minute button. 1:30 would be the maximum before plastic bag melt. You would think since Taryn just had this done I would remember all this. Good thing for quart sized ziploc bags! Gib is asking for heat every hour on the hour too. I think he is a bigger Heat Miser than I am!!
Click here to watch a you tube of my favorite Heat Miser song. I sing it as I try not to burn my fingers putting the hot sponges in Gib's face wrap! Sometimes I use tongs! :)
Late last night our consumption of crushed ice exceeded the icemakers ability to produce. I gave Gib some frozen ice packs to tide him over. He had a good day; doing so much better than Indy or Taryn on the recovery. Poor girls. One painkiller in the early a.m. with ibuprofin the rest of the day. Before he went to bed we discussed the options and decided to go with another painkiller in hopes for a solid 8 hrs of uninterrupted sleep. I was surprised he woke up in significant pain at 2 a.m. The jaw bone throbbing pain kind - owww. Since his pain was increasing not decreasing, the swelling surely has done its worst, and the ice was pretty much kaput and all, and decided to make the switch to heat a little early. Indy and Taryn so loved that moment, and Gib was no exception.
6 am is never my finest hour especially on Day 2 of little sleep and I do believe I am getting a cold (oooh nooo!). When I went to reheat the sponges in the plastic bags, I forgot how long the optimum time in the microwave was and just decided to push the 2 minute button. 1:30 would be the maximum before plastic bag melt. You would think since Taryn just had this done I would remember all this. Good thing for quart sized ziploc bags! Gib is asking for heat every hour on the hour too. I think he is a bigger Heat Miser than I am!!
Click here to watch a you tube of my favorite Heat Miser song. I sing it as I try not to burn my fingers putting the hot sponges in Gib's face wrap! Sometimes I use tongs! :)
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Doing Well
Gib is doing well and recovering quickly. He's hungry but doesn't really want to eat. Luckily, Smoothie King makes yummy smoothies and you can have them add all sorts of stuff to them like protein powder, fiber, vitamin enhancement, stress relievers, stuff for muscles, joints and nerves... all sorts of things!!
To see a video or two of the dude when we left the surgery center, go to my facebook. It was the only way it would upload. I don't know why. I had several cute short ones, but those were the only 2 I was really willing to wait over 10 minutes for! Gib was not amused that I was taking the videos but in his typical laid back manner, he put up with it. He was bummed that his playlist stopped 10 songs in, which meant someone turned off his music! (shades of Indy, there!) and he didn't see any pretty colors when he went under... I think that's caused by different drugs, son.
So far, so good. So much better than poor Taryn! I made them switch things up considering how badly she did with things. He's on Demoral. But I think I'm going to scale back this afternoon and see if he can go until bedtime on ibuprofin because I don't think he is having all that much pain that 400-800 mg at a time won't handle. We'll see. He said he almost passed out last night walking back to his bed, so I'm a little cautious about the side effects of it. By the third child I guess you know better. So thanks for your suffering girls... you're not really freaks, just experiments so Gib can sail through his wisdom teeth operation, have 3 different kind of giant sized smoothies for 2 days worth of recovery waiting in the car for when he gets released, not barf - but if he does we had the prescription to stop it, and we have all the right stuff to make recovery as comfy as possible; and the biggie - I checked the ice machine the night before to make sure that for the 2nd time in a row, Murphy didn't flip the dang switch and turn that sucker off just when we needed it most! Mariah will be golden... unless I forget it all by then!!!
To see a video or two of the dude when we left the surgery center, go to my facebook. It was the only way it would upload. I don't know why. I had several cute short ones, but those were the only 2 I was really willing to wait over 10 minutes for! Gib was not amused that I was taking the videos but in his typical laid back manner, he put up with it. He was bummed that his playlist stopped 10 songs in, which meant someone turned off his music! (shades of Indy, there!) and he didn't see any pretty colors when he went under... I think that's caused by different drugs, son.
So far, so good. So much better than poor Taryn! I made them switch things up considering how badly she did with things. He's on Demoral. But I think I'm going to scale back this afternoon and see if he can go until bedtime on ibuprofin because I don't think he is having all that much pain that 400-800 mg at a time won't handle. We'll see. He said he almost passed out last night walking back to his bed, so I'm a little cautious about the side effects of it. By the third child I guess you know better. So thanks for your suffering girls... you're not really freaks, just experiments so Gib can sail through his wisdom teeth operation, have 3 different kind of giant sized smoothies for 2 days worth of recovery waiting in the car for when he gets released, not barf - but if he does we had the prescription to stop it, and we have all the right stuff to make recovery as comfy as possible; and the biggie - I checked the ice machine the night before to make sure that for the 2nd time in a row, Murphy didn't flip the dang switch and turn that sucker off just when we needed it most! Mariah will be golden... unless I forget it all by then!!!
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Wednesday the 13th
We just got back from Outback where Gib had "one last steak supper"....
Gib is dreading tomorrow, Wednesday the 13th. He's getting his wisdom teeth out. Luckily, it didn't work out the way it did for Mike when I scheduled his wisdom teeth surgery on Friday the 13th! I have to say, the waiting room was really empty that day.
The timing is good; our fall break is on Monday and Tuesday, 1st semester grading just ended, Homecoming was on Friday, and there isn't much going on this week that will be difficult to make up. There is just that newly stitched scar on his upper lip that I hope doesn't get pulled too much. But the way it looks now, after the stitches came out Friday, a visit to the plastic surgeon might be needed anyway. The hospital did not do a very good job unless the goal was to resemble a hockey player. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
So, I'm off to go get the wisdom teeth surgery essentials. At least this time the list is all still fresh in my head! We are hoping that Gib will be more fun hopped up on meds coming home than Taryn was. She was just so normal that it was funny she wasn't funny! Maybe they didn't give her enough! Poor Taryn!!! Yeah, that's it. We'll ask for extra for Gibbie.
Gib is dreading tomorrow, Wednesday the 13th. He's getting his wisdom teeth out. Luckily, it didn't work out the way it did for Mike when I scheduled his wisdom teeth surgery on Friday the 13th! I have to say, the waiting room was really empty that day.
The timing is good; our fall break is on Monday and Tuesday, 1st semester grading just ended, Homecoming was on Friday, and there isn't much going on this week that will be difficult to make up. There is just that newly stitched scar on his upper lip that I hope doesn't get pulled too much. But the way it looks now, after the stitches came out Friday, a visit to the plastic surgeon might be needed anyway. The hospital did not do a very good job unless the goal was to resemble a hockey player. Not that there's anything wrong with that.
So, I'm off to go get the wisdom teeth surgery essentials. At least this time the list is all still fresh in my head! We are hoping that Gib will be more fun hopped up on meds coming home than Taryn was. She was just so normal that it was funny she wasn't funny! Maybe they didn't give her enough! Poor Taryn!!! Yeah, that's it. We'll ask for extra for Gibbie.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
What Are You Gonna Be?
A favorite topic of conversation this time of year at preschool is what everyone is gonna be for Halloween. Mariah, oddly enough, has refused to join in our great family costume idea of being Crash Test Dummies. Actually, she pretty much tries to refuse to ride in the car when Gib is at the wheel, but we are trying to break it to her gently that she doesn't get a choice. It's my opportunity to roll my eyes at her and say "get over it, get in & buckle up". Can you believe she politely declined such a wonderful opportunity to poke fun at Gib and slap a sticker on her forehead to be a Crash Test Dummie?!
Friday, October 8, 2010
Happy Birthday Indy!
Indy turns 20 today! I can't believe my first baby is 20 years old. I remember some special moments frozen time - here are a couple caught in photographs (the old fashioned kind!) that I could access quickly. Indy and Taryn always had each other to play with and I loved how cute they were together! (And yes, I am spelling Indy the old way, just for today) :)) We all had great times together when everyone was young and before the girls grew up and left us for college! Now we enter a new phase of family get-togethers when we have a Full House once more!
Indy and Taryn in their favorite place of all
This is one of my favorites! Indy is singing away and dancing in the street :)
The girls had a blast playing in tutu's & tennis shoes!
Happy 20th Birthday Indy!
We love you! We are so proud of the woman you have become and grateful for all the wonderful memories you have filled our hearts and home with!
Indy and Taryn in their favorite place of allBop & Grammy's Backyard, aka "The Park"
Indy christened those stairs when she was about 1 yr old. She fell down them while Mike was video taping her! Mike had to explain she didn't really get hurt before I watched the replay! I still screamed.
This is one of my favorites! Indy is singing away and dancing in the street :)The girls had a blast playing in tutu's & tennis shoes!
Happy 20th Birthday Indy!
We love you! We are so proud of the woman you have become and grateful for all the wonderful memories you have filled our hearts and home with!
Monday, October 4, 2010
Not Stymied
Those of you who follow facebook know that Gib went in for stitches last night. He has a cut on his upper lip, near his nose that got 5 stitches. Since we gave Taryn and her beau a bad time recently on something similarly embarassing, I thought I'd put it out there for all of you to come up with your most creative, funny, slightly embarrassing stories of how it happened. Or perhaps you'd like to offer Gib a new story since he doesn't really want to tell anyone exactly HOW it happened, or more to the point, WHO took him out!! But, the dude forgot to STYMIE me! What was he thinkin'?! So here are your ingredients for a great story/excuse:
Gib & Nerf Machine Gun
10 yr old kid next door & Wooden gun (shoots rubber bands I think)
1 innocent witness/bystander (aka an Older Sister)
Gib & Nerf Machine Gun
10 yr old kid next door & Wooden gun (shoots rubber bands I think)
1 innocent witness/bystander (aka an Older Sister)
Saturday, October 2, 2010
No worries.....
I posted a status on facebook that I need to explain. The status is a quote from "Criminal Minds" this last Wednesday that I felt hit home. The full quote is as follows:
"I am thankful for my years spent with this family, for everything we shared, every chance
we had to grow. I will take the best of them with me, and lead by their example where ever I
go. A friend once told me to be honest with you. So here it goes. This isn't what I want,
but I will take the high road. Maybe it's because I look at everything as a lesson. Or I
don't want to walk around angry. Or maybe it's because I finally understand. There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go."
If you watch the show you know the quote refers specifically to an employment situation and the team associated with that employment.
My employment with Novell for the last 12 years has been in an on site customer service role. Each January brings a contract renewal process that secures my employment for next year. Let there be no mistake, I love my work. Each challenge brings the opportunity to showcase an individual talent and/or skill possessed by an employee/team within the organization. My success is based on the success of the IT staff tasked with the deployment and maintenance of the Novell products within the organization.
This last January proved to be a most a challenging renewal. Novell chose to take a hard line stance on a contractual point with CHS that forced them to pay more maintenance money than they had budgeted for. This severely strained the relationship between Novell and CHS. In order to stay in budget, my contract was discontinued by CHS. This left me without a customer to support and potentially without a job as there were no contracts at that time that were unfilled. For six weeks I was on the bench and expecting to be let go at any time. The only reason I lasted that long was the fact that the termination of the service contract forced Novell to reassess how the renewal was handled. Novell agreed to use the extra contractual maintenance money to fund the service contract for the 2010 year.
I have continued my work at CHS, but realize that it is going to come to an end. They have no intention of renewing the service contract for 2011. The need is there, they recognize the value I bring to their IT staff, but CHS will not pay Novell any more than their required software maintenance. A seven year long win/win situation that had every chance of continuing for many more years will most likely be terminated as of December 31. This is why the quote struck me.
This isn't what I want....
Now don't worry just yet, there are opportunities on the horizon. To me, it doesn't appear as bleak as it did last year.
"I am thankful for my years spent with this family, for everything we shared, every chance
we had to grow. I will take the best of them with me, and lead by their example where ever I
go. A friend once told me to be honest with you. So here it goes. This isn't what I want,
but I will take the high road. Maybe it's because I look at everything as a lesson. Or I
don't want to walk around angry. Or maybe it's because I finally understand. There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go."
If you watch the show you know the quote refers specifically to an employment situation and the team associated with that employment.
My employment with Novell for the last 12 years has been in an on site customer service role. Each January brings a contract renewal process that secures my employment for next year. Let there be no mistake, I love my work. Each challenge brings the opportunity to showcase an individual talent and/or skill possessed by an employee/team within the organization. My success is based on the success of the IT staff tasked with the deployment and maintenance of the Novell products within the organization.
This last January proved to be a most a challenging renewal. Novell chose to take a hard line stance on a contractual point with CHS that forced them to pay more maintenance money than they had budgeted for. This severely strained the relationship between Novell and CHS. In order to stay in budget, my contract was discontinued by CHS. This left me without a customer to support and potentially without a job as there were no contracts at that time that were unfilled. For six weeks I was on the bench and expecting to be let go at any time. The only reason I lasted that long was the fact that the termination of the service contract forced Novell to reassess how the renewal was handled. Novell agreed to use the extra contractual maintenance money to fund the service contract for the 2010 year.
I have continued my work at CHS, but realize that it is going to come to an end. They have no intention of renewing the service contract for 2011. The need is there, they recognize the value I bring to their IT staff, but CHS will not pay Novell any more than their required software maintenance. A seven year long win/win situation that had every chance of continuing for many more years will most likely be terminated as of December 31. This is why the quote struck me.
This isn't what I want....
Now don't worry just yet, there are opportunities on the horizon. To me, it doesn't appear as bleak as it did last year.
Friday, October 1, 2010
3D Cell Project
The ol' 7th grade science 3D cell project reared its ugly head again. Mariah was very creative and received a 103! We went to Michael's and stopped outside the store and shopped in their bargain bins for most of items used to replicate cell structures. We used football and baseketball charms and filled them with paint, floam, push pins, beads, ribbon, and even our two kinds of glue came from the there! Other than that, we bought paint, lots of styrofoam, a .59 cent glittery thingy we cut up, and the best 3D item used - a dog collar for the cell membrane (you know the frisbee thing that goes around the dog's neck? the styrofoam is resting in one!). The teacher said nobody had ever come up with that before! I think Mariah's coup d'grace was the rotating plate (so you can read the description without craning your neck). It was all her idea, I just helped her figure out how to display it on another piece of styrofoam board, supported by 2 styrofoam cones like an easel. The science teacher kept hers for future display.
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