“Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.”
– Buddha
Featured Bloggers for the Last Two Weeks
I am super grateful for all of you who visit and post each week. You bring me joy, I learn about the world far and near, and feel close to you and what you are doing in your lives.
- BEACHWALK REFLECTIONS – SENSE OF TOUCH
- EKLASTIC – THE CARESS OF WATER
- KEEP IT ALIVE – THE SENSE WE ARE BORN WITH
- LADY LEE – ““The place where silence had a voice
Where one hears the quiet by choice” - SECOND WIND LEISURE – A TOUCH OF MYSTERY
- SECOND WIND LEISURE – A TOUCH OF FALL ALONG HAPPY TRAILS
- SILLY FROG’S BLOG – THE MAGIC OF TOUCHING A FROG
- THE SKEPTIC’S KADDISH – THE CHILL WE AVOID
- WIDE-EYED WANDERINGS – THE IMPORTANCE OF THE TOUCH OF A HAND
- WIND KISSES – THE GLOW OF ARIZONA IN THE FALL
- EKLASTIC – BIRD TRIPS THAT WILL LEAVE YOU SPEECHLESS.
- KEEP IT ALIVE – A SPECTACULAR JOURNEY AROUND THE OLYMPIC PENINSULA
- LADY LEE – THE JOURNEY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE DESTINATION
- LOVING LIFE – MAKING MEMORIES WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY ALL OVER THE PLACE
- SECOND WIND LEISURE – LEATHER LEISURE
- THE SKEPTIC’S KADDISH – THE SEA – THE AMAZING CURE FOR EVERYTHING!
- TRAVEL WITH ME – SARAH’S AMAZING JOURNEY TO NEPAL THIS OCTOBER WILL LEAVE YOU BREATHLESS
For More Gratitude Visit These Blogs
- KEEP IT ALIVE – THANKS TO THE LOVELY GARDENERS OF OUR SOULS AND MAKE US HAPPY AND CAUSE US TO BLOSSOM.
- LADY LEE – THANKFUL FOR “TENDERNESS WITHOUT FRILLS” AND MUCH MORE.
- SECOND WIND LEISURE – GRATEFUL FOR VIVID MEMORIES OF HOME AND FAMILY
- THE SKEPTIC’S KADDISH – NEW JOB – NEW SECURITY YAY!
- TRAVELS AND TRIFLES – WHERE WOULD YOU TAKE VISITORS WHO HAVEN’T BEEN TO YOUR HOME COUNTRY?
Expressing Gratitude
“At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.”
– Albert Schweitzer
Good morning friends. One day before Thanksgiving, I am challenged to slow down and think about the many things I have to be grateful to have in my life. On Tuesday, I read a wonderful poem on Cindy’s blog, Unique Times with Cindy Here are few of the lines that spoke to me.
“As a child of my culture, I am seldom truly at peace with what I have. … May I know contentment that allows the totality of my energies to come to full flower.”
–Edward Hays
As I meet new people around me, I see how much they accomplished in their lifetimes, and I compare them to mine more often than I should.
We attended a dinner party Saturday and everyone told a lie and two truths about themselves. It was fun. I met someone who had met JFK in the Oval Office in 1963, and another who had played poker with Walter Mondale. Two guests came in second in car races – one male, one female. One woman is an artist and makes lamps out of alcohol bottles and sells them in her sister’s bar. Pretty clever, I thought. One couple gave their house to their kids with the caveat that they did not have to get rid of the life time accumulation of “stuff!”
My two truths: #1 I swam in Peace River with my friends and a rattlesnake at age 13. #2 At age 18 burned my mother’s house after sewing and ironing my good friend’s truseau and leaving the iron plugged in when we left for her wedding. No one was hurt and the house still stands.
My lie: My mother tied me to the porch when I was a toddler so I wouldn’t go visit the neighbors who included my grandparents and great aunt and uncle. No one guessed it. My mother was the one tied to the porch. Neither of us ever lived close enough to walk to grandparents’ houses as toddlers.
Edward Hays, through Cincy, reminds me that I should be content that what I have done in my life has led to some beautiful flowers just as bright and fragrant as others, if a little charred.
My Gratitude List
- Parties – I am grateful that one of my gifts is friendliness and I am invited to go to parties and dinners with new friends in Prescott and beyond. Since my family is so tiny, and not close by, Vince and I would be so lonely without friends.
- Family – Family members can get on your nerves during a move – at least in our family. Yet, in spite of that, I know what my life was like for a brief time without any family to be with or depend on. When my first husband died, I remember being so exhausted, that for the first month, I could hardly drag myself out of bed. I had to deal with EVERYTHING myself, and I remember being ANGRY all the time. Maybe not outwardly, but I was mad because there wasn’t anyone else to blame or turn to when things went wrong! When the washer acted up, I had to deal with it myself and I couldn’t procrastinate or let it slide. If the dogs made a mess in the house while I was working – MY PROBLEM. When I ran into the roof of my garage parking my motor home for the first time by myself, I had to take ownership of it and that was super expensive! I was unsettled because there was no one in the house to say, “I’m home!” We may get upset at our family when things don’t go our way, but that’s much better than not having a family.
- Life itself – Last year at this time I was only one-quarter of the way through the treatments that saved my life when I had deep vein thrombosis. The pulmonary embolisms had already dissolved due to life-saving blood-thinning drugs. My vein doctor also treated pneumonia in my lungs with some powerful anti-biotic drugs. I was able to walk again without a walker. Today, I am thankful to be back to normal, walking, breathing, and living.
- Doctors – I am thankful to Dr. Agha and his staff both in Scottsdale and Prescott for their tireless work and to Dr. Curley in Scottsdale, a hematologist oncologist who made sure that I was on the correct medication.
- Too Much Stuff – I remember a time in my life when my first husband and I had so little. We bought, or were given, used furniture, shared a home with a couple in Colorado Springs to save money, and had very little. My life now is just the opposite. We are trying to pare down since I have four homes worth of furniture to fit into a 1,200-square-foot condo. Maybe someone will be able to benefit from our surplus.
The Condo We Are Selling
Our realtors created a beautiful video of our home. I am very grateful for the opportunity to have lived here for two years. We made some lifelong friends, enjoyed the convenience of being close to shopping, and enjoyed a beautiful view with no yard work.
Upcoming Adventure
Our new home will be just three miles away – a new adventure and more projects for Vince, who claims not to love projects, but always has one. After making two trips to Goodwill Monday and one Tuesday, we can now park both cars in the new garage. YAY!
“What separates privilege from entitlement is gratitude.”
– Brene Brown
Play Along with WQW
I hope you have a privileged week whether or not you celebrate Thanksgiving. If you want to play along with Writer’s Quotes Wednesday, write a post about the topic of gratitude, or find pictures that make you thankful, find a quote that you like, and link the post to my post.
Upcoming on Always Write
WQW Schedule until the end of the year.
- November 30: Abandoned or Artistic Buildings/or Writer’s Choice/ or YOUR WOTY Review
- December 7: Water: Snow/Winter Wonderland – A challenge to design a new logo for WQ – I’m simplifying the name of the challenge to Wednesday Quotes for 2023.
- December 14: Food: Delicious Delights
- December 21: Holiday: Christmas or Winter Solstice
- December 28: Reflections on 2022/Writer’s Choice/ or YOUR WOTY Review Voting for the top design for 2023.
PPAC is now hosted by Natalie the Explorer. You can link your post directly to her Weekend Coffee Share blog post.
Marsha Ingrao - Always Write 
82 responses to “WQW #45: Thanksgiving Gratitude”
Love your post, Marsha. We don’t celebrate Thanksgiving here, but we try to always be thankful and grateful for our lives and what we have experienced. A beautiful list of thankfulness too – we always need to be reminded. All of us. So, Thank You! And good luck in your new home. ♥
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Thank you, Leya. I get grumpy if I don’t remember my blessing often! 🙂
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😄
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Love this post, Marsha! Thank you for reminding us to be thankful through your words, quotes, and photos.
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Thank you, Amy. I know you are thankful every day by the kinds of posts you have on your blog. It is filled with beauty. 🙂
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Thank you, Marsh! I’m motivated by you and our bloggers. I’m thankful for that. 💖💗
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Thanks so much, Amy. I feel the same about you and all our blogging friends.
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Your condo looks so cozy. The “no yard work” in the description made me chuckle
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After caring for over an acre, that was the main attraction for my husband. 🙂
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Excellent. IMO it’s always good to park in the garage, especially here in hail-prone Colorado. 🙂
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Yes, indeed. I lived in Colorado Springs for a while with just a carport. Wrapping pipes was a must!
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😱:)
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brrr indeed!
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Hi Marsha, I truly believe that life is sweeter because we take the time to express our thanks. It’s like always looking at the glass half full or finding the silver lining in a difficult moment. An attitude of gratitude makes all the difference. Love the quotes you have used here and the truth and lie game. That is always a fun way to get to know people. Good luck with the sale and move. Busy time.
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Busy time, indeed. I prioritized my to do goal list last night. It gets longer by the second. 🙂
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So much here, Marsha. I love the quotes about thankfulness, and your list of things to be grateful for. We are blessed. Best of luck with your move and settling into your new home. ❤
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Thanks so much Diana.
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[…] Marsha’s Writer’s Quote Wednesday – Gratitude […]
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Marsha, Thank you for your weekend coffee share. Lots to be thankful for, especially you’re in good health. I enjoyed your condo video tour. I hope you’re settling in your new home nicely.
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Still working on it, but it’s going smoothly. Thanks, Natalie. 🙂
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[…] Marsha’s WQW: gratitude. […]
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Hi Marsha – I’m a big fan of gratitude and after having my hip replaced last month, I can relate to what you wrote about your journey through getting better from your blood clots. I also appreciated what you said about family – our ‘kids’ live a couple of hours away and I feel like we don’t see enough of them, but I also know they’d be there for us if we needed them – and what you wrote underlined how important that is.
Loved your little house tour video too and I hope your new place is a wonderful next step in your journey.
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Thanks, Leanne. You are the epitome of gratitude. My first husband had two hip replacement when he was in his twenties, so I know a little bit about what you went through. He was in so much pain before the surgery that he couldn’t stand, sit or lie down comfortably. The only comfortable chair was a recliner. The difference after surgery was night and day. He was up and around having more fun than he’d had in years within two weeks. I hope that’s how it has gone for you as well. It’s all uphill from where you are now! Enjoy the walk. 🙂
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Hi again – just checking in to ask if there’s no PPAC this week?
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Look on Natalie’s website. She took it over for me. I didn’t even check it out because it was Vince’s birthday and we were busy all day.
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Oh, I didn’t know she’d taken over permanently, I thought she just guest hosted last week. Thanks, I’ll check in with her, although I haven’t seen a PPAC post on her site yet this week.
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She didn’t have the post labeled PPAC last week. I’ll have to check back with her to make sure she still wants to do it.
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I’ve left her a comment asking if she’s planning a PPAC post this week 🙂
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Thank you, Sarah.
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Wow Marsha, what a fab house you live in. Thanks for the privilege of walking us through
You’ve created a wonderful home, good job you didn’t burn that one down 😅
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Haha, no the wiring is better in this one, LOL, and I’m not seeing and on the run so much. I’ve slowed down a bit since I was 18!!
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Enjoy the new house 🙂🏠
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Thank you so much, Alison! 🙂
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Hi Marsha, I am glad you are pleased about your move. Thanks for the lovely Thanksgiving quotes.
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You are welcome. Thanks for stopping by, Robbie. Have a great weekend.
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Thanks so much, Marsha ❤
https://skepticskaddish.com/2022/11/25/grateful-for-security/
~David
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I’ll stop by this afternoon or evening when I’m on my computer. 😃😃😃
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hug
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[…] This reflection was written for WQW45. […]
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Enjoyed the view of your former home. Wishing you many happy years in your new home.
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Thanks so much!
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Hi Marsha, here’s my post;
http://lifeafter50forwomen.com/2022/11/24/counting-our-blessings/
Happy thanksgiving
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[…] Written for WQW # 45; Thanksgiving, Gratitude, hosted by Marsha […]
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It’s great that you’re now back to full health and your new home looks lovely. The old one too, although the video made me giddy after a while!
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LOL I’m sorry! I think he tried to make it look bigger! 🤗🤗
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We have a lot to be thankful for! Me firstly for my family and my health! Went through a rough path a while ago. You game sounds like fun, Marsha.
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It was very fun- laughter all around. I’m sorry for your rough path. I hope things are much better now.
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Thanks Marsha. I am well now, thank you.
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Yay! Doesn’t it feel great?
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Happy Thanksgiving to you and Vince. Was that Manny I spotted hanging out in the spare bedroom?
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Yes, he and his horse wanted to be part of the home patrol to keep the place safe- though he sleeps most of the time these days. The other bears mostly wanted to come here, but a few stayed behind in the laundry room to help Manny watch over things.
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a lot to be thankful for, Marsha 🙂
https://ladyleemanilablog.wordpress.com/2022/11/24/thankfulness-is-the-beginning-of-gratitude/
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SO MANY THINGS TO BE GRATEFUL FOR MARSHA. You have LOTS going on. Love your condo.. Have a great Thanksgiving my friend!! 🍁
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Thanks, Cindy. You have a wonderful family-filled Thanksgiving as well. 🙂
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You’re so welcome Marsha. Thanks so much💗
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WIshing you a Happy Thanksgiving and wonderful times in your new place!
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Thank you, Donna. 🙂 Do you celebrate Thanksgiving?
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Our Canadian Thanksgiving takes place the second Monday in October so we have already had it. 😀
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I feel like I should have known that, but good to know. Do you have the same traditional meal that we do in the US?
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Yes – Turkey, Potatoes, Gravy, Stuffing, Cranberry Sauce, Pumpkin Pie! 🙂
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Sounds very traditional. Yum. Since I married Vince, he prefers lasagna. Since his birthday is tomorrow he’s getting that dish tomorrow.
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Lots to be grateful for, including a new adventure. I knew you were moving but don’t remember if you ever shared why.
Wishing you a warm and wonderful Thanksgiving!
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We have a rental that Vince’s sister lives in. She is looking for housing of her own. Then we won’t need two condos. The reason for selling ours instead of hers is the tax hit we would take if we sell hers. We love our place, but we won’t be so far away as we can’t stay friends with all those who live there. 🙂
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I am so going to miss your condo, Marsha. You and Vince made it so inviting and the decor is gorgeous. I’m sure it will sell very quickly to a great family. I have a lot to be grateful for as well, but I’ll post some this coming Sunday. Happy Thanksgiving to you, Cindy and Vince!
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Happy Thanksgiving to you and Hans. We are starting to get excited. Did you see the video? He did such a great job. I’d buy it in a heartbeat. I bought new towels, bath mat, waste baskets, and soap things for it today. Randall showed it yesterday and today. We’ll see. 🙂
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I did see the video and was bragging about your condo to my step-dot!
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It was so long, but he did such a great job, I didn’t mind watching it, but it’s my house! LOL Thanks for taking the time. I do love it, but this one will be super nice when Vince finishes everything he wants to do. We got both cars in the garage last night. LOL
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I feel privileged to have looked round your home. Hope it sells soon. Why are you moving, Marsha? Wishing you a wonderful Thanksgiving.
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Wishing you a great Thanksgiving, too. Do you celebrate it? It’s one of my favorite holidays. When we moved here, we bought a place for Cindy and one for us. She is looking for a new place, and for tax reasons, we can’t sell hers for a couple of years. They are identical in value, so we are just moving. It’s so close that we will still be close to our good friends over there. Some of them have moved already anyway, and Prescott’s fairly small. We will miss the place, but our new place will be just as nice when we are done with fixing it up. 🙂
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No, Thanksgiving isn’t a thing in Europe, Marsha, though we do have a couple of American neighbours who I expect will celebrate. Thanks for the explanation, hon 🤗💗
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Thanks for asking. You are such a sweetie. I hope you have a wonderful week. Vince would love to be an expat over there. I told him if he wasn’t going to be 76 on his birthday on Friday, I’d think about it, but I’m not moving again!!! Realtor on the move!
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Enjoy your new place 😀 😀
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Thanks, Cee. I treated myself to a new monitor and keyboard today. Cindy had a sit-down, stand-up desk, so I’m feeling really professional. 🙂
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Dang, you are busy. I love looking over our thankfulness and how fun to read your two facts and a lie.
XOXO
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
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Thanks Jodie. If I ever play that game again, I’ll have to come up with something different. 🙂
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Thank you, Marsha – what a truly rotten time you’ve had! Thank goodness, the doctors have looked after you…Buddha was one wise guy! We used to play a truth/lie game at birthday parties and Christmas when my Dad was alive, bless him. Mum was blessed for her delicious Christmas pudding, petit fours and iced cake. Great memories. Good luck in your new home, and take care of yourself! Hugs xx
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We all have things we go through, don’t we. That’s just my most recent ones! I didn’t want to write a book. LOL Yet, the important thing is that I’m great, in spite of it all. 🙂
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Love your 2 truths/1 lie game! And most of us have a lot of things to be thankful about if we start thinking about it.
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We do have lots of things to be thankful about. I had to work on it at first because I was a bit grumpy, but after doing that, I felt so much better and the feeling has lasted. 🙂 Have a great week, Elke. 🙂
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Thank you. And you, too. (Normal working week for me, of course.)
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Of course!
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