Scent Diary: 2.9 – 8.9.2019

/ AustralianPerfumeJunkies

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Portia

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Hey there APJ Crew,

HOW did I fit all this into a week? Continuing last weeks theme of Netflix and perfumes. There was a bit of travel, a visit to Chicago the musical, loads of friends, fun and food. It felt like Jin and I really got to see each other quite a lot this week, that’s a win in anyones books. Also, the ankle is improving, YAY!

Scent Diary: 2.9 – 8.9.2019

Monday 2:

I watched Cop Out with Bruce Willis and Falling Inn Love set in New Zealand on Netflix from about 12.30am -5am. What is wrong with me? HA! They were fun.

Woke at 9.30am to a glorious sunshiny spring day.

SOTMorning: Indian Study/Santal +++++ by Miller et Bertaux

Jin and I went around to BFF Kath’s Dad’s place and Jin did some house maintenance for him. Nothing huge in Jin’s hands but for any of us it would have been a half days work with two visits to the hardware and loads of swearing.

When we got home I cleaned the house and did the laundry.

Jin was busy in the kitchen making us lunch. We had creamy bacon pasta with Caesar salad and garlic bread. Seriously, freaking delicious. He even made his own fresh croutons and that garlic bread is so butter filled I could hear my arteries clanging shut like the doors in TVs Get Smart credits!

We had a mate drop around whose partner is going through some mental health issues. He really needed a non judgemental place to vent. Jin took him down to the Dr and got him a script to see a psychologist. We thought it might be a good idea if he got some professional help with some coping mechanisms and some tips on dealing with his partner. In Australia we can go to a Dr and he will prescribe 10 sessions of therapy on our Medicare. Yes, paid for by our Governmental Medicare. If you use up the 10 sessions and need more they can prescribe you another 10. Isn’t that amazing?

Home for a very short moment, I got to have a quick shower and change.

SOTEvening: La Colle Noire by DIOR

We went out to dinner to celebrate BFF Kath getting a new job! Peking Duck! YUMMY! We had two full ducks between 4 people with San Choy Bow as our second course. Some champagne and a bunch of chatter later we are all STUFFED!

Home by 8.30pm. I confess I went straight to the spare bed and had an hours sleep. Then got up and fed & walked the dogs.

TRIVIA Q&A.

SOTTriviaQ&A: Tzora by Anat Fritz

2.53am and I just finished the TRIVIA Q&A and sent them all out to the crew.

My reward for working to this hellish hour is an extra few spritzes of something delicious and a cuppa.

SOTBed: Ylang In Gold by Micallef. SO glam. Why don’t I get this beauty out more often?

DAMNIT! That bloody cuppa led to watching Jason Stratham in The Mechanic. I really like his portrayal of the good bad guy. He seems to do that kind of character a lot. I never noticed him in the Fast & Furious movies, now I’m going to have to go back and rewatch them. So I didn’t finally hit the hay till after 5am.

Tuesday 3:

10.30am and I’m awake. Today is so gorgeous. The sky is that very special blue of Sydney spring. Here’s an untouched pic from the balcony after walking the dogs.

SOTMorning: Five O’Clock au Gingembre by Serge Lutens. So spicy in this weather.

Organised all my Trivia stuff for the week.

Made up a Caesar Salad out of yesterday’s leftovers. Cooked up some boiled eggs because we didn’t have them yesterday. Also, took the bought dressing and made it yummier with some fresh ingredients. It was delicious.

Did some computer stuff.

Watched Journey To The Centre Of The Earth with one of my all time favourite actors Brendan Fraser and The Last With Hunter with Vin Dielel, Elijah Woods and Michael Caine.

Bath time.

Spent an extra lavish amount of time on my face tonight because Anna Maria gave me a brand new MECCA Blush Brush and it got its first usage. SO GLAM! Thanks girl. This is my make up kit tray on my bathroom sink, where the magic happens.

SOTEvening: Vanille by Mona di Orio

Work was really fun. 65 players and loads of laughs. These are the Voodoo Dolls. Excellent name for a Trivia Team eh?

Came home. Jin is watching The Big Bang Theory right from Ep 1 Season 1 through. I’d never really watched it so it’s fun to wander in and have a laugh.

SOTBed: Divine Edp

Watching Journey 2: The Mysterious Island with The Rock!! YAY!

Wednesday 4:

Slept in.

SOTMorning: Vanille Galante by Hermès.

Perfect spring weather.

Went to Physio and am at about 80%. Given some tweaked exercises and going back in three weeks. Very happy. The X Ray did show besides my refractured ankle a bone spur growing on the back of my heel, not a major worry for decades yet. PHEW! It’s growing in response to my chronically tight achilles, need to really get them loosened.

I hit the Post Office. There is a package from Jakub full of new Santi Burgas and Olibere samples. Can’t wait to get my sniff on them. and POSTCARDS! Both from Aunty tracey who is doing a whirlwind British Isles tour, seeing family and friends. It sounds like she’s having a ball.

Got home and Jin grabbed us Awafi, Mediterranean Chicken with Chips, Pickles, Bread and garlic Sauce. SO DELICIOUS!! He buys a couple of chooks so I get to have scrumptious leftovers for days. YUM!!

Jin is watching Big Bang Theory on his day off. The couch is his and he is settled in for the long haul.

I spent the day going through postcards, cards and photos. Here are my faves. Top one is a couple of pics of Anna Maria in Paris last year. Bottom one is my first long term partner, this shot taken in 1989 and I’m up the back. That’s over 30 years ago.

Had a beautiful Ylang scented bubble bath with I Love My Planet by Yves Rocher.

SOTEvening: Caravelle Epices by Frapin. I know, it doesn’t have anything to do with ylang from my bath but it smelled absolutely fabulous all night.

Work was busy again at Greystanes Inn. 9 tables and they were raucous. The questions were SO HARD! I didn’t mean to make them so bad but they were.

Home. Jin is off to bed and I’m not tired AT ALL. Going to watch some Netflix. You know, I’ve come back here to put the movies I watched in a can’t bloody remember. Sorry.

SOTBed: La Fille de Berlin by Serge Lutens. I wanted this exact roses experience. It can become a craving.

Thursday 5:

Jin drove me to the airport on his way to work. SWEET! I am happy to arrive a bit earlier and get my holiday vibe going. Even though it’s only for one day.

Wandered the shops and spent a bit of time in AMUSE Beauty. I finally got my sniff on the two new Goldfield & Banks scents. CLEAR winner was Velvet Splendour. I really want to add it to my collection, and may well do.

Plane delayed. GRR! So annoying. I have the whole day planned to the minute. Can’t help the fog though.

Arriving in Melbourne I caught the Airport Shuttle to Southern Cross Station. From there I was a bit lost so I looked around for a handsome young man. James helped me find my way on trams, as he was going in the same direction he took me on two trams all the way to my destination.

Birthday lunch for my buddy Margeaux at the NVG Garden Restaurant. You may remember Margeaux as one of the very first contributors to APJ. We’ve been friends for decades and now that he’s living in Melbourne I get to see him so rarely. It is a treat.

Saw the Chinese Terracotta Warriors. Due to plane delay we missed our tour which was a bummer. Still it was fabulous to go through and see them again, they brought different figures to the NGV than I saw in Sydney 20 years ago. Also there was a modern twist with thousands of terracotta birds flying through the whole exhibition.

Went to Myer Mecca and Designer areas to sniff fragrance with Liam. We had a ball. The SAs were coming around to listen to our commentary on new stuff from Bottega Veneta, Gucci, Elie Saab and others. They err fascinated, asking questions. Liam is now the fragrance curator for Men’s Biz Australia, he also started writing at APJ in the early years.

Coffees. Aren’t they handsome buggers?

Now HERE is the main reason I came to Melbourne. Margeaux has recently got himself a new puppy, meet Ava Rose the Schnauzer. Isn’t she perfection. PLUS she loves me, it was a wonderful win. I too am smitten.

Margeaux took me back to the Southern Cross Bus Terminal.

Flew home 1A. I know it doesn’t count for a 1.5 hour flight in a budget carrier but it was a leather seat and super comfy, plus I had a window. SO HAPPY!

Train & Bus

Watched Suicide Squad again. Never gets old.

SOTBed: Lolita Lempicka EdP

Friday 6:

Fed & walked the dogs.

Steaming bubble bath.

I by CoSTUME NATIONAL. This gets attention every time I wear it. Basically ambroxan with some amber and herbal bells & whistles but it’s a definite crowd pleaser. I also get happy when wafts blow up my nose. It’s an easy wear stunner.

Train

Spent an illuminating 30 minutes in Bulgari. Did you know it is pronounced BULL-ger-re? NOT Bull-GAAHR-ee. Live & learn. Fell madly in love with this handbag, sometimes I wish I could find a use for such things. It has 2 separate open compartments with closed base, 2 zippered compartments and the famous enamel snake clasp. Can be worn as a shoulder or hand bag and ticks all my handbag needs boxes. YUM

Met Eve for coffee. Such a good catch up. You can see how happy we are to steal some time together.

Wandered across the Domain to the AGNSW. It was perfect wandering weather.

Met Wayne & Patrick. We had some lunch, saw the Archibald, Suliman & Wynne prizes with a wonderful tour guide, had some drinks and loads of chatter.

Wandered back to Myer: went to Mecca, MAC and CHANEL there. Got samples of the new Gabrielle Essence (much better and more interesting than the original), bought some new MAC shimmer after running out of mine and might have grabbed a little gift for friend.

Train to Central where I had another coffee and bottle of water.

Went for dumplings with my mate Tim. YUMMY!

Tim and I went to see CHICAGO the musical. It is by far the best version of it I’ve ever seen except Natalie Bassingthwaite’s performance of Roxy is gratuitous and loses the rhythm and message of the song in her wanking around. It’s by far the low point of the production and made me want to stab her. The singing and dancing is so good in every other way I forgive the producers for letting her be a twat.

Train back to Parramatta and then walked home. My telephone was doing some hard core butt dealing as I walked home. Jin and Eve got about a dozen calls each. Poor buggers.

WHAT A DAY!

Coffee and a big spritz of Youth Dew by Estee Lauder.

Saturday 7:

Slept in till 9.30am. HEAVENLY!

Jin is still grumpy about my butt dialling episode. he did make us dumplings for breakfast though so he can’t be too grumpy.

I’m fuzzy around the edges today. Too much excitement over the last couple of days.

SOTDay: Slowdive by Hiram Green

TinaG came over for coffee, chats & sniffs. We had a Caesar Salad for lunch and it was a really good catch up. We got our noses on the newest Jardin range from Olibere Paris. There are four and Madame Chan is our favourite by far. It’s a warm amber. Second is Marie Antoinette, a soft and feminine cologne like scent.

Later in the day I went round to Michael’s place and hung out for a while with him and his partner Hyun (who is also my buddy). We went and had dinner together and then saw Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. LOVED every minute of the film. It was exactly perfect and I may even have come around to not hating Leonardo DiCaprio, maybe. Brad Pitt and Margo Robbie are so amazing it is breathtaking. WOW! 5/5

There was an ad for TARA! I have no idea what it’s about but I had to snap this pic for my boss at A Bottled Rose.

After I met up with Amal and Phil at the Imperial Hotel for a boogie. We hung out in the ground floor bar and danced to the most wonderful, fun music. Phil piked just after midnight, Amal left around 12.40 and I stayed dancing for another hour or so. Just hanging out solo and losing myself in the music. First time I’ve done that in nearly a decade. It was so fun.

SOTBed: Blonde by Versace

Got home and was too wrecked to even watch TV, just fell into bed.

Sunday 8:

Woke up when Jin came home from work around 9.30am.

SOTMorning: Marions Nous by Oriza L Legrande

Met Alice & Kath and Kath’s Dad’s place and we did some gardening and had some chats and catch ups. Beautiful way to spend a morning. Here I am cuddling Ruski groodle, Kath’s husband. She took this shot.

Home. Had about 4 days of Scent Diary to catch up on because I’ve been running around like a blue arsed fly all week.

BUBBLE BATH TIME! I’ve earned a good long soak. Used my Amouage Fate Bath & Shower Gel for bubbles.

SOTEvening: Fate Woman by Amouage. This bottle has been sitting forlorn in my collection for ages. For some reason I didn’t really love it when I wore it. All the sexy white flowers and resins with a zing of fresh cut bell peppers. Better by far than I remember it and in Spring it’s a freaking masterpiece.

The Virgins United team won the CASH JACKPOT second week in a row. It was only $100 sp they got $10 each. YAY!!

Home and watching Netflix. The Circle with Tom Hanks and Emma Watson. Interesting that she gets top billing.

SOTBed: Pichola by Neela Vermeire Creations. I wanted something white floral to go over the remnants of Fate.

 

 

It’s YOUR turn. What’s happening in your world?

Did you do anything Fragrant, Fun, Friends, Family or even had some less than Fabulous news you want to share? Now’s the time, in the comments below.
We love to read what’s happening to YOU.
Portia xx

49 thoughts on “Scent Diary: 2.9 – 8.9.2019”

  1. Beautiful week for you, P!
    I had a week with my Kenzo decants and also received my package from you and enjoyed sampling them at night. 💛💚💙💜

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  4. A man who can fix things and a man who can cook, lucky you! Unfortunately I have sat through every episode of the Big Bang Theory multiple times, I absolutely loathe it now. I was so happy when it ended but nooo, now I still have to deal with all the effing reruns. I wish that show could be erased from the planet. It’s not awful but I am sooo over it. If I never hear that theme song again it would be so wonderful.

    Glad you finally got to smell Velvet Splendour, told you it was good! 🙂 Love Amouage Fate too.

    Ava is super adorable. But is Ruski groodle really Kath’s husband? ;-). Seriously, I could be very happy married to a dog after the week I’ve had with my husband.

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    • Send your husband to my house and Mr Marzipan will train him right LOL 🤣 😂
      He will even learn how to appropriately wash your bras 🤣
      Please give us some updates on SSS as I don’t have Facebook and refuse to get it because I don’t care for the man who founded it via theft. I thought the purpose of signing up for the SSS emails was to get information. LOL 😆

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      • Thanks for the kind offer but at nearly 68 I think he is beyond training. ;-). I will forward any SSS info I see on FB and remind her to send email out to her newsletter subscribers.

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        • Thank you, my friend . I think other APJers also want to know the status of SSS 😀

          And never too late to teach an old 🐕 new tricks 🙃

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      • I signed up for emails from SSS also but haven’t heard a squeak yet. And not on FB either, and that’s the way it’s gonna stay!

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    • Hey TaraC,
      Oh yes, Jin is a wonder. He enjoys both too.
      HA! Poor you on BBT, Fortunately for me it’s all new and hilarious.
      Oh yes, Velvet Splendour is a good one. It’s on the list.
      HA HA HA HA! Yes, Ruski is her partner in everything. Maybe they’re not legally wed but he’s the next best thing (BETTER really) and they are the happiest codependents I ever saw.
      Portia x

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  5. Your week was amazing, and you smell amazing! I am inspired by your perfume choices. Amouage Fate always makes me happy. Ava Rose and Ruski are love bugs! Puppy loves are the best. And I also give Once Upon a Time in Hollywood a 5/5, loved it!
    I have had almost 2 weeks of vacation, visited Dallas and Breckenridge in CO. City and mountains. I also sampled Gabrielle Essence in the Chanel boutique in Dallas, and it is better than the original Gabrielle. I purchased La Pausa EDP while there. I wore Hermes Rouge and Dame Duality while in Breckenridge, and fragranced my rented condo with Brigitte’s tangerine, patchouli, and vanilla bean fragrance oil spray, heaven!
    I returned home yesterday and received my ordered Papillon Bengal Rouge and a winner’s package from you Portia! A beautiful selection of perfume samples that I am so excited to explore. Infini, love!
    Yay for the improvement of your ankle! xx

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    • Yay!!! So glad you got the La Pausa instead of the Cuir de Russie!! I see LP as a better match for you.
      I think I am going to have to send you that bottle …. it’s great aromatherapy, right? I used it to scent the room during my mindfulness training at work in the spring.

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      • Gorgeous aromatherapy Brigitte! I’ve fragranced my pillows at home now.
        I really did prefer La Pausa and will enjoy this addition to my collection. Agreed, Cuir de Russie was too leathery for my taste but a well-done fragrance in that genre.

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    • Hi Kathleen,
      Puppy love IS always the best.
      V A C A TION! La Pausa! What an elegant choice.
      PHEW! I’m always so relieved to read that packs have arrived. the state of the worlds postal services gives me the heebee jeebies. WHOA! Bengal Rouge! Well jel.
      Portia xx

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  6. Over here in Ohio, USA I binge watched the entire first season of Carnival Row and loved it. I also went to Yankee Peddler, a Colonial craft show and enjoyed a beer and watching a Scottish band with some bagpipes. Today, I am going on a trail ride with my horse and a friend. Perfect weather here. Hugs around to all you fragrant friends.

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  7. Well aren’t you just the busy bee all week. You’ve crammed in loads. My own week in comparison was relatively quiet and sane. Busy at work. We have a fully packed season from here on in and I won’t have time for gadding about as much. I’ve been a tad naughty on the perfume buying front – a couple of decants, and two unsniffed bottles😮 You have to take the blame for one of them. Got nosing after last week’s scent diary and ended up buying Courtesan. It was the mention of pineapple that pricked up my ears, so to speak.
    I just have to share a funny story, not perfume related at all, but I’m still laughing. A friend of a friend was dog sitting for her son in his house and while she was there she picked up a packet of Haribo jellies that were on the countertop. She grabbed a handful and filled her gob. A while later she started to feel all weird and she rang her sister to come over quickly. By the time her sister got there poor Ann was a gibbering wreck and making no sense at all. Turns out that the ‘Haribos’ weren’t that at all but were cannabis jellies and Ann was stoned out of her tree🤣 She had to go to bed for the evening. When she looked at the packet this morning – wearing her specs this time – she could clearly see her mistake. The packaging is similar but wording is of course different. So don’t eat any of your grown-up kids’ Sweeties.
    Have a good week everybody.

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  8. Portia, glad to hear your ankle has improved that much! Loved the blue sky pictures! Beautiful and relaxing! What an adorable puppy! It melted my heart!🐶❤

    Quiet week for me, especially at work, which was very appreciated.
    Yesterday, I had a full resting day in bed, since my body just collapsed and refused to move a bit. I will blame it to the change of temps. Feeling much better today and already doing things at home. Kept thunking summer samples and almost ready to start wearing my Fall fumes in 3 weeks, when the season officially starts.

    Wishing you all a nice and productive week!

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  9. You’re a veritable whirling dervish, Portia. I got dizzy just reading that post. It sounds like you had a great week! Good to hear that your ankle is improving.
    I loved Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, but then, Quentin Tarantino can do no wrong in my book. Pulp Fiction is classic Tarantino.
    I envy your weather. Here we have 193 days left till spring and I can guarantee you most of those days will be abominable weather. Summer is truly done here.
    I was the happy recipient of a perfume package from our own Brigitte. I wore 60’s Shalimar EdC and it was beyond stunning. I bloody love Shalimar in vintage form but the prices are unreal. And Brigitte made me my very own custom blend! Bergamot, Jasmine, rose, benzoin and vanilla. Unusual and really quite lovely. I was touched with her thoughtfulness and generosity.
    Glad everything is well with you and Jin. See you next week!

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  10. Oh ffs! My comment is floating out in the ether again😡🤬 This happens every flippin week when I write my essay. WordPress is definitely trying to tell me something!

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  11. I am envious of all the interesting things you do. I just went to work, spent time cooking and yesterday i made a new dress. SOTD is Calligraphy Saffron.

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  12. Sounds like a whirlwind week, Portia! Jin is adorable. I want a man who makes me dumplings – they and noodles are tied for first place in my heart.

    Good work improving the ankle. I write from North America so it’s a little sad hearing you talk enthusiastically about spring, knowing that the darkness is increasing and the cold is coming. I will put away my sleeveless dresses and take out my warm boots, while you put the jumpers in storage and put the sunscreen back on the washstand.

    I never can remember what I did – I’ve begun teaching again and been to several welcome back receptions – but I wore Dilettante and Mito extrait.

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    • Hi there Empliau,
      Can I tell you a secret? There are always two bags of bought pork & chive dumplings in our freezer. Jin only has to open the pack and fry them up. It takes the same time as scrambled eggs. Breakfast is traditional dumpling time so it happens maybe once a month around here.
      Good luck with prep for the deep freeze. Yeah, I’m slowly washing the jumpers and putting them away.
      OOOH Dilettante and Mito extrait! So glamorous.
      Portia xx

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  13. Yay for the ankle getting better, Portia!

    Not much happening in my world, apart from work and exercise. Still pondering exactly how to vote in local elections, it is the last of two days Monday.

    I may just have put in a sample order at StC now at the end of the week, in need of some variety by now. Also started on a soap bar from Crabtree and Evelyn, supposed to be iris, but it has been stored for too long I’m afraid, little else than a clean smell left.

    It feels cold outside (now one digit numbers for the night temperatures) and the central heating is not yet switched on, so had to find some thick pullovers. It’s the season for plums and the best season for crabs, so there is that at least. Wishing everyone a good start to the week!

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    • We’re going into the single digits as well beginning tonight. I won’t be turning on the heat for a while though. Too stubborn. I made a plum and cardamom crisp last weekend. It was fabulous and the plums were fantastic.

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      • So do you put the cardamom with the plums or in the dough? Love cardamom, but haven’t seen it used with plums, so I’m just curious.

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    • Hi there Ingeborg,
      Thank goodness for Surrender To Chance. I’d be lost without them.
      Bummer about your soap, I bet about 5 days of use in it will start to smell iris-y. Just the outside scent will have faded.
      Plums and crabs! That sounds like a reason to celebrate.
      Portia xx

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  14. I had a crush on Christina Milan during college years and had almost forgotten about her. On the other hand, I don’t like Tracy Morgan because from what I have read about him, he is quite a jacka** in his private life. Also cannot wait for Suicide Squad 2 to be released. I think they are taking too much time, given how sequels of other hit films come so soon.

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  15. We were in San Francisco, my first time there, had researched a good perfume shop in advance, so dragged hubby to Tigerlily and bought DSH’s Ma Plus Belle. Wonderful shop with such a knowledge and helpful owner (I think that’s what she was). Lucky it was within walking distance of our equally wonderful B&B in the Castro.

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