# Tree service, lawn care or property manager?



## debodun (May 17, 2020)

I cut the stems near the ground last fall because I had a huge Boston ivy taking over my house (see photo). Now there are a lot of dead branches clinging to the house - more than I can manage. I called a tree service and they said since it's not really a tree maybe a lawn service could do it. The lawn service tech said he only trims grass and hedges. There a guy in my church who calls himself a "property manager". I sent him an email and as yet have to hear back from him. Who would actually be the better business to do this job - in my locale the choices are very limited.


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## Aunt Marg (May 17, 2020)

What a beautiful home, Deb!


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## debodun (May 17, 2020)

Thank you, Marg. Here are some more exterior pics (before the vine took over).


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## Aunt Marg (May 17, 2020)

Absolutely gorgeous!

I have always loved brick and stone homes, and your home doesn't disappoint! Really, really, really love the front porch! If I owned your home, you would find me on the front porch sipping an ice-cold iced tea with my feet up, sucking in the day at my own speed!

I can't believe how much the vine took over!

I do know with climbing plants, such as the Boston Ivy you have, the pods can damage exterior brick and stone-work if left for too long, and that would be such a shame.

I hope you can find someone to cut it all back, but boy, does your home ever look elegant with the vine!


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## debodun (May 17, 2020)

You can see the Hudson River across the street (in between neighbor's houses). Better put on some bug repellent if you plan on sitting out there in the summer.

View across the street (a composite photo - combine 2 pics to get a panoramic effect):


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## Aunt Marg (May 17, 2020)

Wow! Tat's all I can say!

Location, location, location, you've got it all!

Ugh... bugs, my major summer pet-peeve!


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## debodun (May 17, 2020)

Of course, you could have the porch screened.


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## Aunt Marg (May 17, 2020)

debodun said:


> Of course, you could have the porch screened.


I was just giving thought to that, and what an ideal solution that would be to still maintain the porch openness!

I am so envious of your home, Deb!


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## debodun (May 17, 2020)

Well, I feel that's like envying someone else's husband. Good looking, but could you live with it? LOL


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## Keesha (May 17, 2020)

Lovely house Deb. It’s not what you want to hear (read) but the ivy transforms your house. If it were me, I’d be leaving it just as is. If the ivy isn’t doing serious damage that is. Your house looks plain boring without that beautiful ivy surrounding it.


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## hollydolly (May 17, 2020)

I hate Ivy, I have to say.. it's an insidious weed, and destroys the brickwork. However my o/h loves it and we have a constant light-hearted battle about how much he lets it grow on our brick shed before he trims it back some..or I trim it back a LOT..!! ..and I do if he leaves it too long.  I wouldn't allow it on my brick house, but he gets his way with the shed, and a concrete post we have also in the garden...

However you do have to keep it trimmed all the time, that stuff grows fast... if you let it go , it's a horrible mess...

here's my brick shed... you can see even with all the leaves cut back the branches are really thick and intertwined ..


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## Aunt Marg (May 17, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> I hate Ivy, I have to say.. it's an insidious weed, and destroys the brickwork. However my o/h loves it and we have a constant light-hearted battle about how much he lets it grow on our brick shed before he trims it back some..or I trim it back a LOT..!! ..and I do if he leaves it too long.  I wouldn't allow it on my brick house, but he gets his way with the shed, and a concrete post we have also in the garden...
> 
> However you do have to keep it trimmed all the time, that stuff grows fast... if you let it go , it's a horrible mess...
> 
> here's my brick shed... you can see even with all the leaves cut back the branches are really thick and intertwined ..


Love the picture, Holly! Love that door!

Yes, even lesser than creepers such as Virginia Creeper, can turn into a headache if left to go under it's own freewill.


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## Aunt Marg (May 17, 2020)

Deb and Holly. One thing I wasn't aware of, is how thick the main branches can get.


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## hollydolly (May 17, 2020)

Thanks Aunt Marg... it's a very old brick shed, and old door... but solid as a rock, no leaks or damage even though it's close to 70 years old... but I detest the Ivy.. albeit that I think the bare brick looks better with Ivy on it than it did without, I hate the way it take over and needs constant attention.. *ugh* ..that's why I've never allowed it to grow over my house like some have around here where I live... this is in the next village to me...

..


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## Misti Mae (May 17, 2020)

Your home is beautiful. Doesn't Ivy have branches intertwined through it? I would think since it has some sort of branches within it then the work should be done by tree cutters.


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## Aunt Marg (May 17, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> Thanks Aunt Marg... it's a very old brick shed, and old door... but solid as a rock, no leaks or damage even though it's close to 70 years old... but I detest the Ivy.. albeit that I think the bare brick looks better with Ivy on it than it did without, I hate the way it take over and needs constant attention.. *ugh* ..that's why I've never allowed it to grow over my house like some have around here where I live... this is in the next village to me...
> 
> ..


Oh, wow... I know it's invasive and all, but to me nothing exemplifies grandeur better, than an old brick and stone manor house of castle dressed in ivy! So rich and grand looking, so majestic.

Love the picture, Holly!


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## Aunt Bea (May 17, 2020)

If they are dead I would leave them and let nature take care of them.

You could also try using a rake to gently loosen them and pull them down.


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## hollydolly (May 17, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Oh, wow... I know it's invasive and all, but to me nothing exemplifies grandeur better, than an old brick and stone manor house of castle dressed in ivy! So rich and grand looking, so majestic.
> 
> Love the picture, Holly!


 haha , I'll drop a note through their door telling them they have a Fan....


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## Lewkat (May 17, 2020)

The problem with ivy too is it draws birds.  Tons of starlings seem to gravitate into it from what I see in the buildings with it growing all over them.  It gives me the chills.  Perhaps it reminds me of that awful movie.

I love that front porch though, Deb.  We had one on our family home as well and practically lived on it.  My dad finally had it screened in and that made it better during the summer months in keeping bugs out when we wanted to eat out there.  Near the Hudson, wow, wonderful spot.


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## Keesha (May 17, 2020)

Haha. The Birds


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## Keesha (May 17, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> haha , I'll drop a note through their door telling them they have a Fan....


Two fans. I love it too. It does add a majestic look of character to houses and buildings. We have some at the front and side of our house.


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## debodun (May 18, 2020)

Like an Ivy League college building. I went out this morning and took an updated photo.


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## hollydolly (May 18, 2020)

debodun said:


> Like an Ivy League college building. I went out this morning and took an updated photo.
> 
> View attachment 105097


 where have all the leaves gone?  ..what about a glyphosate weedkiller... ? Just cut through the branches at the bottom and pour the weedkiller in...


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## debodun (May 18, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> where have all the leaves gone?


I cut the stems near the ground last fall. Everything above that is dead now.


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## Keesha (May 18, 2020)

debodun said:


> I cut the stems near the ground last fall. Everything above that is dead now.


So now pull off all those dead vines that are stuck in your bricks. Dead vines look far worse than healthy ones.


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## debodun (May 18, 2020)

I probably could pull them off, but than what would I do with them?


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## hollydolly (May 18, 2020)

debodun said:


> I cut the stems near the ground last fall. Everything above that is dead now.


 so... just get someone.. who is willing to get up a high ladder and pull those dead roots off..


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## hollydolly (May 18, 2020)

debodun said:


> I probably could pull them off, but than what would I do with them?


Burn them...


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## debodun (May 18, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> Burn them...


It's illegal to burn withing town limits here.


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## oldman (May 18, 2020)

Love those older homes. They have so much charm and curb appeal about them.


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## Aunt Marg (May 18, 2020)

oldman said:


> Love those older homes. They have so much charm and curb appeal about them.


I second that!


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## debodun (May 19, 2020)

I remembered a man in my church that does odd jobs. I sent him an email and he said he's stop by sometime this week to look at it.


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## debodun (May 22, 2020)

The pastor called to inquire about my well-being and I told him I had contacted the handyman. He said that the handyman is super busy right now as he had taken over doing the church's fiances and not to bother him. 

My cousin gave my name to one of his friend's sons that does yard work. He contacted me by email and asked what I wanted. I told him and sent a photo. He said he's do it and take away the vine. I asked him how much and I am waiting to hear back. All I can see is some teenager taking a header off a ladder.


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## Aunt Marg (May 22, 2020)

debodun said:


> The pastor called to inquire about my well-being and I told him I had contacted the handyman. He said that the handyman is super busy right now as he had taken over doing the church's fiances and not to bother him.
> 
> My cousin gave my name to one of his friend's sons that does yard work. He contacted me by email and asked what I wanted. I told him and sent a photo. He said he's do it and take away the vine. I asked him how much and I am waiting to hear back. All I can see is some teenager taking a header off a ladder.


I am so happy to hear this. Teens are always in need of money, and just tell him to take his time, and that you want a job well done, and reiterate to him before he starts, be careful when you're up on the ladder.


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## hollydolly (May 22, 2020)

debodun said:


> The pastor called to inquire about my well-being and I told him I had contacted the handyman. He said that the handyman is super busy right now as he had taken over doing the church's fiances and not to bother him.
> 
> My cousin gave my name to one of his friend's sons that does yard work. He contacted me by email and asked what I wanted. I told him and sent a photo. He said he's do it and take away the vine. I asked him how much and I am waiting to hear back. All I can see is some teenager taking a header off a ladder.


 very odd that the handyman didn't tell you himself that he was busy doing other things rather than him telling you he'd stop by this week and look at it.. then he gets the pastor to tell you to not bother him...wow!! Anyway let's hope this teen doesn't let you down... but you'll have to ensure his safety a single ladder is too dangerous, he really needs a gantry


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## Aunt Bea (May 22, 2020)

The teenager sounds promising to me.

Start making a list of things that need to be done and double-check your insurance to see if it covers daring young men on ladders.







Good luck!


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## debodun (May 23, 2020)

I did hear back from the young man,. He wants $50 to take the vine. Is that reasonable?


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## Aunt Bea (May 23, 2020)

debodun said:


> I did hear back from the young man,. He wants $50 to take the vine. Is that reasonable?


Today the minimum wage is  $12.50/hour so I think that approx. four hours would be reasonable if he cleans up after himself.

If he does a good job this could solve many of your little problems with the yard, snow, etc...  Even if this young man is not interested I'm sure that he can refer you to another poverty-stricken kid in the area.

I would take a chance for fifty bucks and see what happens.

Good luck!


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## Aunt Marg (May 23, 2020)

debodun said:


> I did hear back from the young man,. He wants $50 to take the vine. Is that reasonable?


$50 is a steal!

His time, the labour involved, the wear-and-tear on his truck, his gas... money well spent, Deb.


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## debodun (May 23, 2020)

hollydolly said:


> very odd that the handyman didn't tell you himself that he was busy doing other things rather than him telling you he'd stop by this week and look at it.. then he gets the pastor to tell you to not bother him...wow!!



I don't think that's what happened. The pastor called me to inquire of my health since we haven't had church service since the middle of March. I just happened to mention to the pastor at that time that I can contacted the property manager. This is when he said the property manager was busy. I don't think the property manager called the pastor and told him to tell me to stand down.


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## debodun (May 26, 2020)

The man from the church I mentioned came over Sunday morning, took one look and said he didn't want to do it. It required climbing on a ladder. I said that I didn't want him to accept any work he wasn't comfortable with, but left me wondering what kind of "property management" business he operates if he can't climb a ladder. This isn't the first time he refused to help me. Two years ago I told him I wanted weather stripping installed on my doors. He came down and looked then said, "You can do that yourself."
Yeah, if you know what you're doing, which I don't.

The other man the pastor suggested is supposed to come late tomorrow morning to look at the job.


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## Aunt Marg (May 26, 2020)

debodun said:


> The man from the church I mentioned came over Sunday morning, took one look and said he didn't want to do it. It required climbing on a ladder. I said that I didn't want him to accept any work he wasn't comfortable with, but left me wonder in what kind of "property management" business he operates if he can't climb a ladder.
> 
> The other man the pastor suggested is supposed to come late tomorrow morning to look at the job.


Gee-whiz... I hope the other guy pans-out for you.

I can't help but think there's a measure of laziness attached to the property management guy.


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## debodun (May 26, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> Gee-whiz... I hope the other guy pans-out for you.
> 
> I can't help but think there's a measure of laziness attached to the property management guy.



He 's not a young man and I understand he has ankle and knee problems. I can understand why he wouldn't want to climb a ladder, but not why he would be in that business. He did point out that I have carpenter bees under the eaves. I thought thay were bumblebees. He said they do look like bumblebees, but don't sting.


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## Aunt Marg (May 26, 2020)

debodun said:


> He 's not a young man and I understand he has ankle and knee problems. I can understand why he wouldn't want to climb a ladder, but not why he would be in that business. He did point out that I have carpenter bees under the eaves. I thought thay were bumblebees. He said they do look like bumblebees, but don't sting.


Well... I understand now why the gent isn't keen on getting up on a ladder, poor guy.


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## Aunt Bea (May 26, 2020)

It's better that the man was honest and walked away instead of starting the job and not being able to complete it to your satisfaction.


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## debodun (May 27, 2020)

Now I've been stood up twice by the other guy. The first time he said he "got busy", today his email said he was having car problems.


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## Aunt Marg (May 27, 2020)

debodun said:


> Now I've been stood up twice by the other guy. The first time he said he "got busy", today his email said he was having car problems.


I only extend grace once and once only to individuals like that.

Put an ad in the paper, or look up landscapers/gardeners, and treat yourself to someone that takes pride in their work and shows professionalism.


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## AprilSun (May 27, 2020)

debodun said:


> Now I've been stood up twice by the other guy. The first time he said he "got busy", today his email said he was having car problems.



That would be the last time for me. I would find someone else to do the job and I wouldn't ask him to do another job. It's obvious, he's not dependable.


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## debodun (May 27, 2020)

Received another email. He said his vehicle is beyond repair. He IS starting to sound like a loser. What handyman wouldn't have a dependable vehicle or get so busy they forget another appointment. I hazzard a guess that the trouble started when I asked if he accepted a personal check for payment. He could have just said "No" if he didn't like that arrangement. Maybe I shouldn't fight fate. What if he fell off a ladder working for me? Things sometimes have a mysterious way of working out.


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## Aunt Marg (May 27, 2020)

debodun said:


> Received another email. He said his vehicle is beyond repair. He IS starting to sound like a loser. What handyman wouldn't have a dependable vehicle or get so busy they forget another appointment. I hazzard a guess that the trouble started when I asked if he accepted a personal check for payment. He could have just said "No" if he didn't like that arrangement. Maybe I shouldn't fight fate. What if he fell off a ladder working for me? Things sometimes have a mysterious way of working out.


The nice part about going through qualified and licensed people, is they're fully insured in the event of an accident (at least legit ones are), and you'll get what you pay for.

I showed my husband the picture and he said if we were neighbours he'd do it for you for nothing, then again hubby is old-school.


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## debodun (May 27, 2020)

Aunt Marg said:


> I showed my husband the picture and he said if we were neighbours he'd do it for you for nothing.



Send him right over! If he's handy, I have a thousand jobs for him. LOL


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## Aunt Marg (May 27, 2020)

debodun said:


> Send him right over! If he's handy, I have a thousand jobs for him. LOL


Isn't that the truth! I know it!


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## debodun (May 28, 2020)

The cable guy was here this morning to take down the old cable line in which the vines had entangled themselves. Took him over an hour, but he didn't move very qucikly. Of course, I didn't want him to rush and do a slap-dash job. He had to check to make sure there was no "juice" the the lines, then several trips up and down the electric pole on the corner where the lines originated. The he got talking to the neighbor for a while. Then they both came over and the cable guy said the wires should never have been installed that way. He called it "aerial trespass", because the lines crossed over the neighbors property (see my crude diagram). Maybe the law was different 35 years ago.


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## Aunt Marg (May 28, 2020)

debodun said:


> The cable guy was here this morning to take down the old cable line in which the vines had entangled themselves. Took him over an hour, but he didn't move very qucikly. Of course, I didn't want him to rush and do a slap-dash job. He had to check to make sure there was no "juice" the the lines, then several trips up and down the electric pole on the corner where the lines originated. The he got talking to the neighbor for a while. Then they both came over and the cable guy said the wires should never have been installed that way. He called it "aerial trespass", because the lines crossed over the neighbors property (see my crude diagram). Maybe the law was different 35 years ago.
> 
> View attachment 107215


That's crazy the way your lines cross your neighbours lot. Can't say I've ever seen that before.


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## debodun (May 30, 2020)

I went out this morning. now that yesterday's storms cooled it off a bit. I pulled down what I could reach and dragged it out to the end of the driveway. Now all I need is someone to haul it away.


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## Aunt Marg (May 30, 2020)

Looks great, Deb!

Gosh, so jealous I am about your brick house! I have always dreamed of owning a brick house. 

Would be nice to see the remainder of the gnarly-looking vines removed from the face of your home.

Are there no general handymen in your area that do yard-waste removal, etc?


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## debodun (May 30, 2020)

I pulled down what I could reach from the ground. Otherwise I'd have to get up on a ladder and I am not confident about my skills with that. What's left is probably not too evident from the street anyway.


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## Aunt Marg (May 30, 2020)

It looks miles better. What I was thinking, was if you could find a general handyman that tackles yard-waste, etc, quite possibly, he could set a ladder up and fine-tune the job to a finish for you.

At any rate, looks great!


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## debodun (May 31, 2020)

I emailed the first guy and told him I had pulled down the vine and put it at the end of the driveway so he didn't have to climb up on a ladder and he could just come over and take it away. He came this morning and hauled the pile away and wouldn't even take any money.


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## gennie (May 31, 2020)

debodun said:


> I emailed the first guy and told him I had pulled down the vine and put it at the end of the driveway so he didn't have to climb up on a ladder and he could just come over and take it away. He came this morning and hauled the pile away and wouldn't even take any money.


Proof that there are still good people in your world


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## MickaC (Jun 3, 2020)

The spring season is always great to look forward to..... but some things have to go through a messy stage before beauty.
First is the sticky seeds from Maple trees.....daily picking off of 12 paws and shoes daily, then the ones i miss, find them all over the house, my guys hate them just as much as me.

Next is the Elm trees, beautiful trees when trimmed, taken care of and managed......then the seeds from them.....have one in the front yard.....actually belongs to the town, on their boulevard, i swear every seed grows. 

Next to look forward to.....is all the fluff from Cottonwood and some Popular trees, quite a few populars on the neighbours at the back lane.

And as it warms up theirs those pesky spider webs.....on everything....amazing something so small, can be so productive....but not in a nice way, but the webs do catch a lot of mosquitoes.....remove webs from deck railing everyday, weekly in other parts of the yard.

Aside from all the complaining........Summer is so good......wish for it 12 months of the year.


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## MickaC (Jun 4, 2020)

Another bumper crop of Elm seeds blew down yesterday, makes such a mess, have to clean up again. Is anyone wanting Elm seeds....free, guaranteed germination, free shipping.


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