Category Archives: Positive Habits

APPs #should not be relied upon

12 Friday Jun 2026

Posted by in Everyday living, Financial Living, health and wellbeing, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, Positive Habits, Summer Project, Weekly posts

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I am not a hypocrite, I find that APPS can be helpful. I like the APPs that measure my steps, I can keep notes on my phone and now got ChatGPT and used it to help me with my radio show. I checked it to find out how to clean my make up brushes, which to some is common knowledge but when I’ve tried they’ve smelled and had to throw the away but books and magazines for information is still good but ChatGPT is quick and can save you time but it is still good to keep things on paper, because all technology in my experience can break down. My laptop broke and lost a lot of my books I had been writing and so now I hand write some of my books and an APP to do this wouldn’t be the same and thankfully got some copy of some of my books on my google docs, but I like using the Youtube APP, the APP for M&S as I have a Sparks card on there and good for shopping as I loved it last Christmas 2025 using my M&S Sparks card as it did save me money on Christmas gifts, but I find it can affect us. APPs can be good for shopping but if you have a spending habit that has gotten out of hand then is it a good idea to have an APP for stores which can make you over consume?

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I worked for a Manufacturer and would deal with complaints when someone was trying to work a Smart TV, a Smart audio device and I found hard in telling them to take it back to the shop and contact the company that they got it from. It is hard for the customer and for me the advisor, to try and resolve their problem and it I felt for them because they’d spent a lot of money and with APPs they can be a scam and be hacked into. With an old tablet often being an old model couldn’t use some of the APPs again and so it can be convenient but also a burden.

Yes the free ones like my fitness one, which came with my phone and I use a Journal APP when I don’t have my physical journal, use Facebook and Instagram to stay in touch with friends, but I stop having Notion because they also can use up your storage and then you start to get messages about it needing an update and not able to send messages and there were many that I would never use on my phone.

I like to visit a store now rather then relying on an APP to support local businesses like the independent and chain coffee shops, charity shops. Not only that I like to go and have walk around the shops not to buy as I am able to now go into a store without buying. I use the bank APPs and that is good and can check my account everyday.

I suppose your wondering what it has to do with Wellbeing, well because we can rely upon them stopping us from seeing the outside world, not cooking and relying on Deliveroo and eating up our money and money is not evil its how is it being used and if you are in debt then having Temu APP for example then is that going to help you? It can be addictive. Spending addiction is real, the same with all addictions. One person I know who I have met in the rugby days had extreme debt and she was level headed, yet she was in debt and I got ruthless with money and so APPs are good if they are purposeful but not to be relied on and I like going out and mooching and window shopping rather than going into the store. I still get the urge to impulse buy but I find going when the stores haven’t opened yet a good way to shop because my enthusiasm to shop and spending money goes and why I don’t have that many shopping acts. I like getting my free coffee from #Costas and the local gym where I can pay as you go, but not in any type of contract and the APP to book is easy to use.

Since unsubscribing getting rid of shopping APPs has helped me save and made me feel better about my relationship with my money and not being on my phone all of the time that can be distracting and lose concentration. The same with shopping on our phone and if you got the money then fine but I had the face the truth. If I don’t spend I can save and pay for a day trip somewhere and I have a few music festivals booked and yes having my wallet APP is good but also especially in London, phones are being stolen right in front of our eyes and scrolling on an APP can cause temptation and why I still carry a purse and not rely on my phone to pay for everything and safety should come first.

I hope you find this blog helpful and if you’d like to share you advice on APPs and not being reliant then please do. You can use the comment section below.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

The Truth About being healthy that can cause us harm via food and other means. Keep reading.

05 Friday Jun 2026

Posted by in Everyday living, health and wellbeing, Inspirational TV, life coaching blog, Living, Medical help, Personal Development, Positive Habits, Summer Project, Weekly posts

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Watching Channel 4 impact about protein on how actually protein foods you buy like Quaker Oats, yogurts and drinks aren’t actually full of protein and are processed even though they appear healthy and can be deceiving. Learning about nutrition and on Channel 4 impact they showed an oat bars for example that looked healthy but actually compared to a Krispy Crème is not that healthy at all and less protein and so needs to be whole foods and it really rang alarm bells and so here are some ideas of being healthy.

  1. Look at the nutrition on tins, packets and wrappers. A vegetable is the best option and fruit but when I had my diabetic review I was told by the diabetic nurse that fruit is still sugar so minimise it so minus the protein, can affect your blood sugar levels and its not taking foods out but what you can add, example adding a vegetable and frozen vegetables are good for you and now my blood sugar is low. Yet my cholesterol is high and my liver results so been researching and apples, Avocado and Walnuts and seeds are good for you. I eat a lot of Garlic and take a Garlic supplements which I will get on to later and also to eliminate waste and save money I shop less to use up more of what I already have. so use what you have and plan meals and with meals you like and still have and a meal such as a salad or a stew once a week. Salad is more than just lettuce, but can add walnuts, avocado which for me I prefer guacamole so still getting avocado. I know weird but true and has to be something you like. I love carrot sticks and tortilla chips and you can have fun with food. I make chicken, bacon which not so great but we don’t have it all the time in a wrap and I love wraps rather than a loaf of bread.
  2. Dark chocolate is better and since not having so much chocolate I am not getting heartburn as much and I feel less bloated you d along with the bread we eat which is processed. I find it hard to digest bread and so going to try an alternative as we do use processed and so in researching Rye or Sourdough is better. Not keen on rye so I prefer Soya Dough.
  3. Skincare is good, but it depends on the skincare as its not just food, but what we put on our skin that can affect our health as you can get allergic reactions to creams and serums. I have to be away from soap as it causes me to have very dry skin and so I will use non soap products and items that not too fragranced. It all depends on skin type. It is good to seek advice if you are not sure.
  4. Doing yoga and Pilates is good but now there in inflicting information. There are people saying you don’t need to exercise to lose weight. Well has anyone known Rosemary Conley? Now I don’t agree with dieting but I have found myself that exercise and choosing good food can work together and on the news this week on GMB they shared that it has been discovered that doing weights can help reduce the risk of heart disease with cardio. I love to walk and build my steps. I like to do a home workout mixed with weights, along with yoga and Pilates and I felt the benefits, like having more energy, eating less, but not dieting. I love my dinner of the evening and so now I am focusing the types of food I am eating.
  5. Supplement and medication can cause us health defects. Example laxatives, tranquilizers and Collagen. All medications have side effect and I know that because the first medication given to me for psychosis made me lethargic, gain weight, which effected my cholesterol and my blood sugar levels and classed as obese yet I still was active and when it changed I did lose the weight, but again was lethargic. So tried others and finally after trying different ones, I am on a good set of meds and still with side effects so I take another medication that helps counteract against the side effects and thankfully fully recovered from my mental illness.

I hope this is helpful to you and really is bad that we are lead to believe we can trust manufacturers and suppliers of goods only to realise they’re not helping our health at all.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Do Your Own Thing

01 Monday Jun 2026

Posted by in Everyday living, Financial Living, having bad days, health and wellbeing, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, Planning 2026, Positive Habits, Printables, Summer Project, Weekly posts

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I like to be inspired about books, different fashion styles and planning etc but often enough it can have a negative effect.

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Watching Hauls when we are in debt. Feeling paranoid about our health and that we don’t have the perfect lifestyle so we stress over not having the next best pillow for the bed or people moving house and it can be a vicious circle.

You don’t have to follow, do your own thing.

I am no longer interested in Hauls, seeing kids with so many gifts given to them or people moving house.

It is nice to have the house you dreamed of. That is fine but it can often make us feel inadequate because of someone on Youtube for example has a big house, with a gym and don’t get me wrong I like to splurge but not to the point I have no money left and so I will make sure I have the money and have learned to switch off from impulse shopping because sponsored videos and just go into a store buying exactly what I had gone in there for.

It can be make up. I rarely do a full face. I sometimes just use face cream and face spray, others days may use a bit of concealer, eye liner and eye shadow it all depends on what I feel like on the day and what my plans are. My mum wears make up everyday and she has done this her whole life, so she will pay for make up regularly because that suits her lifestyle. It not about being trendy but what makes you happy.

I have friends who like a boy band still, a friend that loves rock music and I like all kinds. I am someone who loves many different things and I go through phases and again it all depends on my mood. I don’t read books because its new but is interesting to me and not because its a bestseller and a top read. I like books that take me into the past, crime, non fiction and chick flicks. Again it depends on what I fancy and why I leave the door open to my plans as I will often change my mind and seeing that that is okay. I take notice of my gut, mind and what I want to focus on and I now like to switch off from the noise of having to consume so much and scrolling all the time.

I rarely check Instagram all the time or Facebook. I will send a birthday message and like some posts but not all the time anymore and go for walks in the morning. For some people it can be the worst thing ever for some people and that is okay. Do what suits you and is safe of course but do what you want and not listening to others to decide for you.

Be honest with yourself and go through Youtube of what you are no longer interesting in, unsubscribe and go analogue. I like to write things down, rather than use Notion all the time. I like to use what I have already got. I find it stays in my mind better when I write things down. It helps to have good hand writing skills as they can be affected typing all the time and just listen to nature. I wrote a blog about how listening to the rain or the birds can be so nice and peaceful: https://mystylewayofliving.blogspot.com/2026/05/listening-to-rain-can-be-peaceful.html

I am not saying that you should shut yourself away but not being influenced so much we forgotten about what truly makes us happy. I don’t want the latest trainers. I not interested in upgrading my phone and think about what I truly want to watch, listen to buy and be who I am and what is important.

I like watching writing vlogs. I like to listen to those about finance and like to use Youtube for training my mind but not to see what the latest gadget is. So it up to you and just live. Be happy if not then it is time to change.

Check out this weeks Cheat Sheet:

Managing Your MoneyDownload

I also write book which you can on Amazon in Kindle and paperback under Carrie Challoner and Carrie Holmes.

My new one is called When Mothers Are Real: https://www.amazon.co.uk/When-Mothers-Real-Carrie-Challoner-ebook/dp/B0GTYJS3S1

My Cheat Sheets are are full of tips and information and post every Monday and free to download and print.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Cheat Sheet: Cutting Down On Scrolling

18 Monday May 2026

Posted by in Cheat sheet, Everyday living, health and wellbeing, Personal Development, Positive Habits, Printables, Weekly posts

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I was addicted to scrolling when I would be in a comfortable social situation would scroll and not paying attention. So in this weeks Cheat Sheet is tips on Cutting down on scrolling.

Cutting Down On Scrolling On Your PhoneDownload

It something that I think we all do and I no longer scroll at night and in fact been staying up later to read watch a bit of Youtube or TV series on the TV. I am building my Pinterest at the moment but not doing this all day long and one of my favourite platforms but I not checking Instagram, Facebook or X all the time or Tik Tok continuously as I would at one time pick my phone up every five seconds and was doing subconsciously.

These cheat sheets are free to download and print.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

Life Coaching Blog: Lets get started with having a System

01 Friday May 2026

Posted by in Everyday living, having bad days, health and wellbeing, journal, life coaching blog, Living, Personal Development, Planning 2026, Positive Habits, Printables, Reflecting

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Hello! So it is the beginning of my Life Coaching programme Summer Project 2026 check out previous blog: Summer Project Introduction to My Yearly Programme Summer Project 2026 I included a worksheet which is free to download and print.

So to get started I suggest to create a plan. So I journal every morning and it helps me with my creativity and whilst I listen to an audiobook or music. Develop a playlist. I have one for podcasts, videos about writing as I have books out, for my different books and Parenting videos and so it is good for getting the mood to change and learn.

I train my brain everyday. I like to educate my mind and the first thing in the morning once my son has gone off to school.

So to make a change by going through the worksheet:

Good Systems:

Plan, Plan Plan = Have a good set up and create one that will help you focused on and inspire you to make a change. If there are particular things that you are interested in. #so start with developing a plan and do a list, but concentrate on one area or item at a time.

Ask for help, who can help you or what will help you So my husband always cleans the kitchen and the bathroom, so I will do the areas such as the windowsills, put m sons clothes away and my mum has helped with gardening.

Do you have a quiet time of the day or space you can plan? I love to use the sofa or my desk and in the garden.

Drink? Water, tea and Coffee. I am having a glass of juice each day for Vitamin C and especially in the summer life a fizzy drink but only have one and Zero Sugar.

Is there a time where you feel more energized? I like to work in the mornings and then chill in the afternoon and have time off such as the weekend.

I find spending time planning helps to reset, asking for help as we are not built to do everything and my husband loves to clean and only he is allowed to use the vacuum and the iron. This has helped me to function concentrate on other area so I can then move to onto others.

So sit down with a drink and lets make those changes.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

I Got the wrong train

15 Wednesday Apr 2026

Posted by in Everyday living, having bad days, health and wellbeing, Living, People, Personal Development, Positive Habits, Reflecting, Weekly posts

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Writing in my Journal I realised that okay I got on the wrong train, but in the end it was good timing, because if I had got on the right train to Epsom from Wimbledon I would have been waiting a long time to meet my mum and step dad, so it worked out well.

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I thought I’d got lucky getting on the train and realising it was going to Surbiton and not the route to Epsom. I do believe in God and so thought, great thanks god only to realise I should have waited but no, I thought smugly only to be taught a valuable lesson, not everything is about me being lucky as he has to look after others and who am I to be the one that gets lucky all the time?

I had felt that I’d make this mistake, so it was okay “So it was today” and shows that I wasn’t paying attention which when I say to Henry to pay attention, that I need to do so too and that I needed to have a taste of my own medicine.

I feel I have learned some real home truths this month (April 2026) that I can be the person that I dislike. Holding up my guard to much. A guy getting on the train and two boys today, I gave them a dirty look. Yet today I moved over when walking to the train station and the girl gave me a dirty look. So what you put out there you will receive back to see that I prejudged these people not knowing who they are and the images of what they could in some way harmful was just me being irrational and need to get a grip.

My laptop broke trying to download some random software to be able to post a vlog on Youtube. It gave me focus on enjoying my Easter Holidays and not be tied to my laptop. I was rude to someone in Tesco’s, I need to manage my anger and annoyance and today, stop being in a rush. Rushing causes mistakes and the true me is having patience and take my time.

I am polite and hate it when like today, I thought my coffee was ready when it was for someone else and the person who was the one that made the order, didn’t look happy but I didn’t take it and I made a mistake. I think we expect too much and people get things wrong. This is how we learn and I know the difference between a real annoyance to a minor, not on purpose, but a general mistake.

We are human and we should be more acceptable of each other and the mistakes we have made.

No one is perfect and I know I am not alone in getting on the wrong train and now will not worry if I miss a train. I had plenty of time so I needn’t have rushed.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

You Are Always Going To Have Hurdles

10 Friday Apr 2026

Posted by in Celebrating, Everyday living, having bad days, health and wellbeing, Living, Personal Development, Positive Habits, Weekly posts, Youtube videos

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So during the Easter holidays my laptop cut out and so I am using my husbands and I knew I was going to have a problem and I did. I was getting frustrated with a Youtube video Youtube video I had edited crashing using Clipchamp and its causes me so much trouble and so I downloaded some new software and I managed to get the video saved but it went dead and now I may have lostall my work, as I was working on a books and wished I could have undo, but no.

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However it has been a good Easter. One of the best and it made me take a break and focus on taking my son out, going on bus and train rides, played tennis and went to the Cinema twice and saw my niece in a show and its been really so much fun. So I didn’t allow it to ruin the fun and it has felt good not being online for a bit. I have posted on my Instagram which is under carriechalloner.

Life is not always a bundles of laughs, but humour can help. When I have felt low put something funny on. It can take the wind out of you but as you get older you can become resilient and still have fun. It made sure I wasn’t on my laptop all day and love going for walks and having a coffee out and my son loves the Cinema and I had not been feeling well but that didn’t stop me from having fun either.

I am going to take a break from vlogging and may not continue, I just feel that it is not working for me, but will still do videos but work on building my two Educational Youtube channels instead as I like doing sit down videos rather than vlogs.

It has made me revaluate and I have had to make changes. I’d rather work on my blogs, books and radio. I do a radio show for Epsom Hospital Radio.

That hasn’t been easy doing radio. I have to change the day I did my show because I was doing Sundays but it is now Fridays but they are so understanding and I was told about commitment when I was temping and I found a better job, nearer home and I went to talk to him and wasn’t going to allow the manager to make me feel rubbish and I had not done that before but I was no, your not going to talk to me like that and sometimes you do have to let people down.

I left him to get on with it and I am committed, but I got a better deal and it was a good move. I went to work for the International Tennis Federation and so, changing jobs, changing where you leave and marriage it is all challenging, but its often the universe telling you what is meant to be and what is not.

Hurdles teaches you, check out this blog the perfect day and they are a test to see how we react. I yesterday overacted and told my son “That how I reacted was wrong and so please listen, mummy shouldn’t have overreacted like that”. All that happened is a young guy put his roll on my till and slammed it onto the right one and felt so bad afterwards. I do have to be careful of my actions as I would be shocked and disappointed if Henry did that and if that had been Henry making that mistake and someone reacting like, I would have told that person off. People will make mistakes and so need to look at my own reflection sometimes and if you can recognise your negative behaviour can help you learn well the say “sorry that is the wrong till” and left it at that. He did say sorry but I could see the shock on the young guys face.

Any not the end of Easter just yet. So I hope you have had a good Easter so far and soon my Life Coaching programme Summer Project 2026 will be starting. More to be confirmed.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X

It is Good to have different experiences

24 Tuesday Mar 2026

Posted by in Everyday living, health and wellbeing, Living, Personal Development, Planning 2026, Positive Habits, Weekly posts

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It can be a great to explore and it doesn’t have to be during the school holidays or your lifestyle. I watch the Traitors and in the programme there are a mixture of people and so never allow anything to hold you back.

Yet we do have the Easter Holidays and is a great time to hop on a bus which my son and I have done and we go to London, around Epsom and other places in surrey and last year we went to East Grinstead and stayed in a lodge on a farm and it was a nice trip. It was very hot though but just so good to get away.

This was a walk I did from Kingston to Richmond and love this type of walk and a great experience is going on different walks and good to do during the Spring and Summer or wrap up and still can do during Autumn and winter.

So it doesn’t even have to be far away. I have booked to take Henry to his second music festival as he loves the Proclaimers and experiences like that is a must. As a kid we would go camping near Newbury. The first time was turbulent as I wasn’t well, but then realised how much fun it was and we’d be with other families. They were people we would go to Menorca with and Chertsey in the Summer, on some Sunday’s and swim in the river there and was so much fun.

It is good to be away from the normal routine and have fun.

Get a group of you and do an assort course. It is so much fun. I was a bit of scaredy cat but I did some of it and we had a gathering afterwards and doing a running events. I did Race For Life, The Great North run,, London 10K and when word got around I was doing running and walking events I had people wanting to join me.

Following a sports team can be great fun. I followed the London Broncos from the age 14 and it was was a huge part of my life and was with. great people and great days out. I would travel home and away to matches and can be so much fun. Myself, my husband and Henry have gone to watch Leatherhead, Fulham and AFC Wimbledon play and even Chelsea and my mum and I were Members and I was a season ticket holder for a season and can be a great place to go for new friendships and its something different and I love when we go up to the Epsom Downs and visiting garden centres that often have things going on.

It is good to have something to look forward to. It good to have that time to just hang out and we would travel, by coach, train and even plane. I flew to France to watch a rugby match and took the ferry to Paris to see the London Broncos play. It is good to travel along the English Thames. I love going on the UberBoat to North Greenwich or there is a boat you can take from Richmond, Kingston to Hampton court. We are off to see the Red Roses again this year at Twickenham. They are the ladies England Rugby Union Team and even gone to watch American Football when we there was the London Monarchs and going to the races.

As a child I was a bit of a cry baby and was bullied and not saying that is an excuse to be bullied but I would cry a lot. I remember staying at one of my friends houses and I would cry because I needed the toilet. It was because I was scared of the dark but it nearly stopped me from staying at somebody else’s house because that would have driven me mad. I was a scaredy cat and frustrated my friend. Being terribly shy when at a birthday party and my son has been scared and cried when I took him to the library but this would be at 10 years old and yet when I went to Florida for the first time did a lot of rollercoasters and so I had to change because I didn’t want to be scared all of the time and enjoy different experiences.

Having different experiences helped. I love dancing school and was super shy and it built up my confidence. I was glad that I began to play football at school and have a hobby. Doing my radio show is an experience. A friend I know went to Vietnam on her own and my step sister did the walk along the Great Wall of China and a lady I worked with at an Advertising Agency left her well paid job to travel around the world. Going to work at a holiday camp was a great experience and after I got over my home sickness I stayed down there for about 5 years and met my husband and it is amazing what will come your way by doing different experiences and life is about building memories and just take on different opportunities.

I hope you find this blog helpful. I post all my blogs, vlogs and books on my Pinterest, X and Facebook:

Link for my Pinterest:

Social media:

https://www.facebook.com/typicallondongal/

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie

Celebrating You and Your Life/Being in a Good place

17 Tuesday Mar 2026

Posted by in Celebrating, empowerment, Everyday living, health and wellbeing, Living, Personal Development, Positive Habits, Weekly posts

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I an not saying not to grow as this is my word this year, but I have really focused now on what is around me and letting life surprise me. Yes I do still plan but I use my lists more of a guide rather than a to do list and I am doing what I plan and have habits that work for me each week but am realistic. I can’t deal with set plans. So I have in mind of what I want to do best on how I feel and know what won’t make me avoid tasks.

As a kid I couldn’t wait to be older and thought my fears would stop but that was not the case.

I had a good times when I was a kid. We would go with other families on holiday, we would go camping and no matter what we’ always had a holiday and they were brilliant. So I had a lot to be grateful for. I feel I wasted time wishing for adulthood and feel I took those times for granted.

Now watching the sun rise I feel that I am in a good place and it has been a long road to feel good about myself and my life. Becoming a mum has changed me as time goes so fast and I have decided to slow down. When working people would comment on my rushing and didn’t realise I was doing that. So I take my time and I feel that I take in more of what is around me and not daydreaming of an alternative life and I feel a lot better in my mind.

I’d switch off even walking down the street I would go into my own world. I love looking at flowers in my local park. I like to watch the birds and like to watch trains with my son and go on bus rides and visiting different places in the UK. I’d like to go abroad again but I want to embrace Britain as there are so many places I’d like to visit. I have booked a trip to the Isle of Wight and for my birthday have a weekend in London.

I handle myself well now by if I get a trigger of fear I can put it to right. If something not working then I will evaluate why and how I feel when something. Like my radio show I was stressing about it because my son has his sports club and getting back and so now I changed it and feel so much better. I was I feel we can get fear with and nerves mixed up.

I was fearing it because also I never slept well Sunday night and now my son is at school I want to focus on getting my son ready for school and I hate rushing around now and have plenty of time as I like to be on time and sleep is priority to me now. I feel good now I sleep well. I had very bad Insomnia and it affect my mood and energy.

So I celebrate that I am a mum, I celebrate I have a home and money for food and for being generous and polite.

Celebrate who you are and your life. If your not in a good place then evaluate and write down why.

If you like my blogs on this site then please subscribe and you will be notified when I post. I share all my content on Pinterest, X and Facebook:

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Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X