ETTC 27 April

[Music] on today's show a buyer who's hoping to find the rural retreat of her dreams we're on a search for inner calm and wastes no time getting comfortable I want to push her those cushions on you it's just a little snooze try before you buy yeah but she soon starts to lose her cool she's got all dream and before long cool calm collected goes right out the window welcome to escape to the country today we're in Hampshire and this is the Hambledon vineyard the oldest commercial vineyard in the UK which has been producing delicious wine since the 1950s and the county also has some very fine property but at champagne prices I'm afraid because the average price for a detached house in the county is over half a million pounds that's a hundred and fifty eight thousand pounds above the national figure still the landscape like this and a glass of fizz in your hand I'm sure you will agree that it's worth every penny in the South of England Hampshire lies on the English Channel coast three quarters of the county is classified as rural much of it covered by protected landscapes in the West the new forest is home to some 5000 free roaming wild ponies and for those more drawn to four wheels than four legs the world-famous Motor Museum in bewdley has plenty to attract petrol heads the county's pretty market towns and villages include Hambledon known as the cradle of cricket plus colorful coastal towns like Limington one of England's main producers of sea salt in the 18th century today its marina is lined with luxury yachts and fishing boats with such a variety of surroundings on offer be that coast or countryside Hampshire is an outstanding place to drop anchor Hampshire has quite a big population 1.8 million people but it is one of the larger counties in the country the seventh largest in fact it's also blessed with not one but two national parks including the new forest which means there is a preponderance of these lovely things trees which is good news for our buyer this week because she it's fair to say has a thing for them I was born in Sweden and I were raised on the west coast of Sweden in a small village it was on the coast but it was also surrounded by woodland and even from a young age I was drawn more to to the woods then to the water woods and trees make me feel calm and restful keiki moved to the UK when she was 18 years old and now she lives in the large saree town of Woking where she raised her family when we moved into the house 17 years ago it was a bit of a challenge it was a very well laid out but since then I've done a lot of work knocked walls down made it nice bright and airy nice colours I call it's candy retro the way I've done it out in the year she bought her current home kiki also co-founded a successful sauna and steam room company but last year she decided to step down from her role as CEO about five years ago I had a bit of a health scare since then I've really started to think about what is important in life finding time and space for myself including going walking with the dogs as well as my meditation and yoga has become very important to me Kiki juggled the demands of the business with bringing up her two sons but with Dylan now we're at university and Jake working in London she has her sights set on a move not too far away from them in this movie means everything it's my mom to be honest with you and it's gonna give her the space she wants it's gonna give her the peace and quiet that she wants and sort of change our life a little bit it's still not moving too far away which is important because the bike bike mommy's boys are heart helping Kiki on the search will be her friend of 28 years Lisa hello how're you so I asked Lisa to come on this house search with me because she knows me very well well you've been talking about it for a while so I think you know me is the right time yeah it's definitely the right time and I found the right area I think that's hugely important and she would also give a different perspective sometimes I see something and I can decide maybe a little bit too quickly and she will be a balancing thought process for me Kiki can be quite exact in person but I think she will find what she wants she knows what she wants she's determined so she will she'll find the right place this move on a spiritual level it feels like I need to be in a more serene surrounding I feel that I am starting a new part of my life moving away from a place where I lived for 17 years it just feels right at this time this is a very significant move for Kiki she's made some big changes in her life stepping back from her high-powered job her two boys have left the nest and this is time for her to focus on herself so our job is to find her a fabulous home here in Hampshire to make that dream a reality when it comes to her country property wish list Kiki knows just what she wants a detached property with a minimum of two bedrooms a further room for practicing yoga and meditation as well as a large kitchen diner while the garden doesn't have to be huge she wants it to be a relaxing quiet space away from road noise she'd also like access to woodland nearby for walking her dogs we've got some exciting property propositions lined up that I hope will get the positive energy flowing at the end of each visit Kiki and Lisa will have a chance to contemplate the price before I reveal it and for our mystery house we found a property that could conjure up the right feelings providing Kiki can see the wood for the trees [Music] kiki has a preference for countryside over coasts and if possible she'd like to be in or near the South Downs [Music] so welcome to Hampshire do you actually know how to very well not very well I've been down a few times to have a good look around it's the tranquility of being surrounded by trees that doesn't for me yes I love trees too they have a very soothing effect on you what about you listen do you know the area well I grew up in West Sussex it's next door to Hampshire so I know a little bit and it's a it's a lovely there's a lovely cat lovely County any other things that you are dreaming about when you come here and he new pastimes you're going to take out before well I I did lots of horse riding when I was younger in Sweden I've tried to find a good stables where I live around now we're in Surrey where I live and I haven't really succeeded so if I could find somewhere that would be something I'd take up again but again like everything that I to has to feel right doesn't be a writer our first property is an aunt field just west of the downs in the village itself there is a local pub an 18-hole golf course and a restaurant home to a michelin-starred chef but for greater shopping needs the pretty market town of Romsey is just 3 miles away at the end of a private road surrounded by oak trees we find our first offering it's a little bit Swedish I thought well I haven't mentioned before I don't think but white is my favorite color for a house very good it's got a nice feel to it yeah very very nice it's a great row of ancient oaks here Wow and then open fields this way but like woodland everywhere you look really it's stunning okay so listen look it said this house was built in the 1950s and retains the characteristic steel framed windows typical of English architecture at the time inside I think there's potential for a scandi retro makeover this is the sitting room it's a very simple layout in this house it's quite a good size isn't a tripple aspect triple aspect yeah so these obviously these doors open out into the garden as well and this this you've got this room and then you would have done in room next door so you've got your two reception room yep would this work in terms of size yeah this would work for a living room for me definitely do a good vibe inside yep this room's nice yeah I like it well the kitchen is the course the key space yes please so this is the kitchen as it currently stands okay slightly odd shape quite like the units it's time very nice yeah it's quite modern it's quite modern but on the other side of that wall is a double garage okay so we were thinking that it would be quite a good idea to just knock through there because that's a huge garage and you'd have this sort of like flowing kitchen going out into the background now you're talking that sounds a lot better awesome yeah this will opened up I think it could be but it suit you better I think the large landing on the first floor leads to a modern family bathroom and four bedrooms these include a large dual aspect double and another two benefiting from Eve's storage the bright master lies to the back of the house so we were thinking that you could work your magic here because this is the same place that you would be building the you know the new kitchen in the garage okay so you could also extend out over the top of the carriage right if that's where the garage is you can actually build an ensuite with your steam room that's a lot this is not if we're building it just taking control well the garden is is really a real selling pot insertion home look at that yes so let's it down while the inside of the house might give Kiki and indeed self-appointed project manager Lisa the opportunity to extend the kitchen or even add a steam room I'm pretty sure Kiki won't be yearning for more on outside the wraparound garden occupies around a third of an acre there's a huge deck area for outdoor entertaining but even a summer house which could have sort of potential well might rain any moment but I think the setting is beautiful and that patio is it's I mean I've always tried to have something with that size and it's peaceful I can't hear any main roads it's a lovely outside space it's not quite ticking the hot box what do you think the price tag on this property alright if I have to take a wild guess I would say eight hundred ninety five thousand pounds I think I'm going to say a bit higher nine hundred and ten thousand okay so you both may be pleasantly surprised that this property is on the market for eight hundred and fifty thousand pounds oh wow gosh so you'd have money in your kitty to maybe do that work on the side should you okay definitely worth thinking about I have to say I get the impression that you're sort of like a either I love it or I don't love it but why don't you have a wander around the house and around the garden in the rain and I will see you when you don't nothing go explore thank you well within budget this bright white detached property has four bedrooms space for a comm room for keiki to meditate and the potential to extend into the garage to create her ideal kitchen diner all on a sizeable plot in a serene setting close to woodland when I first saw the house I was really pleased actually I just couldn't wait to get inside time and look Kiki what is someone that works from the heart so if it if it feels right for Kiki then it's the right house and I'm not a hundred percent feeling that at the moment I could probably put the feeling into it as the first property I think I mean it's a great start hello well done yes well done that's our first house tour completed yes well done yes covering over 600 square miles of ancient forest farmland and rolling hills the South Downs provide great terrain for outside pursuits growing up in Sweden Kiki was a keen horse rider a hobby she's hoping to revive when she moves to Hampshire so we've arranged for her and Lisa to visit grete equestrian center near Liss for a trial hack across the downs with instructor Krystal Roshan [Music] thank you very much yes we've been here 12 years this year and I felt the business up from scratch both my mom and I and my partner work here full-time well I used to ride a lot okay I'm from Sweden and I used to write every weekend up to the age of about 15 I presume the area around here is gonna be really beautiful to go out riding as it is we're incredibly lucky yeah the hacking is beautiful we can go hours and hours without seeing a car today Kiki you're gonna be riding this horse over here this is echo he is a Connemara he's been with us a couple of years now this is gonna be your horse today Lea so this is onyx onyx is used and for adults and children who are learning to ride but he's a real all-rounder and who really because I'm a complete beginner unlike Kiki who's ridden a lot yes the last time I got on a horse and I was about eight it was a little Shetland pony so yeah Elsie phonics 150 with 30 horses of the stables from miniature Shetland ponies to cobs and show jumpers crystal and the team here are able to cater for all levels of rider make sure you're sat right in the middle of the saddle and they have their pick of 745 miles of bridle ways to explore across the Downs this lovely out here is now around a quarter of the National Park is covered by woodland making it a tree lover's paradise with great examples of ancient you sweet chestnuts beech and oak trees to name just a few Kiki how are you getting on you enjoying it I'm loving it it's so nice yeah it's and thank you for picking this horse for me oh it's really really lovely yeah you're so lucky to have all these and you know this area to go out hacking how about you nice you're enjoying your first time on for a few years yeah well I'm surprised myself I couldn't believe that I would actually be okay and I feel quite relaxed yeah I've enjoyed it really I've enjoyed actually we could go out together sometime when you come and visit me yeah that'd be great today's visit has clearly confirmed Kiki's desire to get back in the saddle when she moves down to Hampshire but when it comes to the house search we're not out of the woods yet [Music] I'm on home turf in Hampshire helping buy a kicky from Surrey find a rural property in a secluded setting on a generous budget of nine hundred and fifty thousand pounds she supported on her journey by her friend Lisa and so far the key to her search has been finding a house with the right vibe still to come our mystery house makes a good first impression and later nervous energy takes hold as I take on one of my most terrifying challenges to date Oh God I'd like to say I'm really enjoying this I'm not really into it yeah [Music] [Applause] day two of our property search here in Hampshire and I'm not sure that our house yesterday blew keke away but that's right because we've got two today including a mystery house and first a very beautiful property which is actually giving me the collywobbles because it has one major drawback that I think might be a step too far for Kiki our next destination is drock's foot on the upper reaches of the river me on a village Kiki has earmarked as being particularly desirable in 1944 the village played host to a decisive meeting where Churchill gathered world leaders to discuss the imminent d-day invasion today holds a country fair once a year and offers a number of shops and pubs for locals including a previous winner of Hampshire's dining pub of the Year award Wow gosh I had a WoW and gosh oh look at the view over there and the view so a few things right off the top you want it to be there drock's would I like to Oxford Oxford in the mean Valley which is the most prestigious area of action and that is the Moon Valley yes but also this is an attached property yeah so it's this corner of this barn development okay and of course we are near a main road you have spotted that as we walked up so those are the kind of not so great but this property is it's pretty unique okay what are your thoughts kind of approach it's beautiful quite a pleasant surprise there's a look inside positive reactions to the exterior and it looks like I got up like me with those disclaimers go through them garden yeah a huge relief because I've got a feeling that the inside could have the potential to really blow kicky away gosh it's lovely actually it is it's very different it's 1848 the barn was built and it's because they were being renovated but there's a lot of original features and beams here and there's some of the beautiful kind of see the sort of diamond air air brick walls are featured and it kind of works on many levels so up here you've got two bedrooms and a shower room in between and there's sort of a bit Jack and Jill so they can be good for the two boys yeah I'm blown away because I love quirkiness laughs I just seen the stairs going up and knowing their bedrooms behind there and yeah I am blown away and it doesn't happen that's wonderful expected well let's look at the kitchen because that's quite special too Oh down to go down it's the most unusual kitchen it's sort of lost in this house but this is a ravine sheep underneath the stairs with a utility room in here for your white goods Oh good size and then it's a very high-end kitchen it sort of feels like a work of art it's so unique that and I've never obviously seen anything like it but I love it what's not to love in this house actually I mean it's not the big open plan sort of family duck kitchen diner because clearly that's that space up there yeah yeah but it is the sort of intimate just are you so again it's extraordinary this house is eliciting some powerful words from Kiki in terms of the place to find her inner calm she could use the downstairs guest wing off the main entrance with its own bedroom and bathroom all she could opt for the cinema room on the lower level the two bedrooms that share the use of a bathroom lie up on the mezzanine floor next on our list to explore is the master suite huh it's like a snail this house you keep on going around odd angles and then you're in another space because here you've got their master bedroom which is some honor on an angle and then you've got shower in there yeah and then you got a mezzanine up here got one amazing use of space she's got everything fits in doesn't it a little bit speechless [Laughter] what do you think um I I love it can't really find a fault with it because it's like everywhere you look it's got everything you need as well it's got the ensuite it's got loads of storage space it's very restful is that yes can I want to push you those cushions of you just have a little snooze try before you buy yeah so you have plenty of time to explore the rest of the rooms but I let the two of you to skirt into the back garden because obviously the bird noise is an issue and then I'll meet you at the front and we can talk about there okay thank you thank you thank goodness we brought them here we were so close to not showing them this house because of the road noise I know nothing about house buying I've been doing the show for years and I never know what people are going to like but that is the reaction we were wanting outside the landscaped gardens offer a number of nooks and crannies to explore including a summer house and spaces to socialize or even meditate whilst soaking up those staggering views [Music] a beautiful garden is lovely and the views I know is not probably the size that I was looking for but you don't necessary need to be that big no because you've got all of this view I don't know if you could get anything quite as perfect for me yeah and unique [Music] ah so come on spill the beans you're out in the garden is it a yes is it a no it's definitely not a no that's great it's very few houses they I get that feeling in and this is one of them she's gone all dream she really likes it she does I can tell well they want to burst your bubble we do have to talk about the price tag but I just would like to say that you are the first people to ever view it oh it's literally just gone on the market - what do you think it's on the market for I would say nine hundred and twenty-five thousand pounds I think it's nine hundred ten thousand pounds so that's very interesting because for this property you're wrong but in the wrong direction it's on at nine hundred and ninety five thousand dollars because of the location but also you know it's not been tested on the market and the owner has said that she would be open to negotiations okay yes why don't you go back into the magic house yeah let it cast its spell on you again and then when you're done I'll be out here waiting for you okay thank you so much thank you I wonder if the price has dented the magic over budget but new to the market and open to offers this grade 2 listed barn conversion has four bedrooms a stylish contemporary kitchen and options for a calm room it boasts beautifully landscaped gardens and views of the Mian Valley [Music] say this is a lovely room mr. haire yes it's a perfect place for a comm room do you think it would work it's it's unusual I don't need natural light from my camera and it has got the right energy in here this house as soon as I walked in I had butterflies in my stomach it's moved me is the road noise gonna put her off I don't know because there's so much about this house that she really loves I mean the comm room that's really important too geeky it's got an energy that that kicky likes so I can see her in this house it's a little bit scary sitting in here now because I don't know if this is going to be a house that I will end up in and I'll be sad if it's not ah still smiling that's very good yes okay we're going to whisk you away right because we got two more to see Wow okay [Laughter] [Music] our mystery house is in the hamlet of Finch Dean right on the county border it's just a mile from the village of Roland's castle known for its large village green a number of long-distance footpaths are found nearby making it a popular pit stop for walkers and cyclists back in quiet Finch Dean the amenities are limited to the local pub and an old village pound used to hold stray sheep or cattle or even petty criminals in days gone by just a stone's throw from the pub and the pound this great two listed character cottage might not be what kicky had in mind but touch wood the setting will be right up her street no that's not what you asked for but it is the mystery look and also quite a lot of trees in it okay wood holding the structure up right okay it's different they're being shown some different houses here well you know you're talking about the feel of the house I'm very interest to see what you think about a field of thistles dating back to around 1620 this mystery cottage is great to listed and would originally have had a thatched roof on the site of a former orchard the ground floor of the house was used to store apples I'd been pleasantly surprised by Kiki's reaction to the different styles we've seen so far so I'm intrigued to see how a slice of 17th century architecture will go down so it's a very different offering a little bit of history yeah and I know that it's got beams yeah lots of beams it's light and bright compared to what you might think from the outside because it's a real cottage yes it is a real cottage the room is a good size well let's look at the kitchen this is the kitchen as it stands okay houses south-facing so you've got this beautiful light all through the day as a kitchen it's big enough isn't it it's just you know where would you want to sit down and eat as a family I suppose well here's the interesting thing it was great to listen which means that you can extend sympathetically we have to do it hand in glove with the planning oh yes so the president owners were already thinking about pushing out into this courtyard so you'd have a huge lovely Sun filled kitchen diner here at the back still known as a winter snug on the north side of the house again you have to have to be sympathetic but there's listed building in their village that's done exactly okay well we can look at the garden later but let's look upstairs first this is the snug up on the first floor is a good-sized family bathroom and three surprisingly roomy bedrooms two doubles enjoying generous ceiling heights and some lovely views plus a single accessed via a separate staircase from the main sitting room and then this is the master yeah you still got the character here don't you you've got a height what's behind that door behind that door is another small bedroom you could make that an ensuite but then you'd still only have two bedrooms okay but did you see what was in the garden when we came no a huge double carriage Wow Wow with space upstairs as well well you could have a bedroom okay so if they're like plumbing no it's good let's go just go out as well as providing guest accommodation the loft room above the detached garage offers potential to create a great calm room in a super serene setting the garden itself is the biggest we've shown kicky and has a large flat lawn to the side of the house which could be good for growing veggies and a sloping lawn to the rear which backs onto surrounding woodland these lovely trees you wanted trees this is it and you get deer that come down in the morning to feed here's the big carriage I was talking about you could definitely do something upstairs there just tranquil it's got trees but it's got the views as well yeah what do you think the price tag is on this one I'm gonna guess it's eight hundred and fifty thousand pounds I'm gonna say little bit higher because of the space so I had to say 875,000 well one of you is spot-on so Dean it's the mr. house it's not what you asked for but it's I think it's a very striking property it's certainly some potential yeah so what are you gonna explore the double garage and then we can wrap things up okay let's do it thank you this mystery character cottage might not be the type of property Kiki would normally be drawn to but it has three bedrooms a kitchen that she could extend into the garden subject to the necessary permissions and a detached garage with a converted loft ready to be transformed into her calm room and coming in a hundred thousand pounds under budget she'd have enough cash left over to create her specific spaces the Mystery House it doesn't grab at my heart as much as maybe another house has you've not been overwhelmed by this house no II have been but there is a huge possibility for me to make it a real house that I would love to live in I have to say I don't think there's anything more beautiful in the world the new flowering wisteria hello hi I was just waxing lyrical about this plant do you know it mysterious hey we're all done with the mystery house I'm gonna whisk you away for more deliberation okay let's go [Music] over the years I've had the privilege of experiencing many different counties in a number of exciting exhilarating and sometimes surprising ways but despite being here in my home county of Hampshire today I'm about to be pushed right out of my comfort zone I've come to the spinnaker tower at the entrance of Portsmouth Harbor just miles from where I grew up Tony summit is the general manager warning Tony warning nice to meet you too thank you it's funny cuz I used to live here is to get across to school on the ferry every day now if I come across myself every morning ah but this wasn't built when I was at school so it was a millennium project was it as I remember it was yeah actually started in 2001 so and then was complete in October of 2005 was a bit unsure about it but now it's sort of the symbol of Portsmouth become the icon of the city in the south coast so it's absolutely stunning and it's in the shape of the sales who hit hence the name spinnaker tower so it's the spinnaker which is a kind of one of those big fat there leads sales it is indeed yes it's an incredible chain isn't it and it must have beautiful views over this historic Portsmouth I know all about it it's the harbour mouth here and then back up the harbor as well yeah actually it's incredible on a clear day like today you should be absolute stunning news I actually have been up to the viewing platform but I believe I'm here today to do something completely terrifying absolutely so you were a 100 meter upsell and that little platform on there little thing there it is indeed have you done it I haven't as of yet turn I'm happy now on the roads but just not actually up sound but first we'll go up to Munich one and you can kind of climate or isn't there some that they wants to see you oh okay well I'll see you at the bottom I see not overly standing 170 meters high the spinnaker tower has three different viewing platforms which include a cafe and an open top garden I'm heading up to the first which is 100 meters high to get acclimatized before I take the plunge [Music] surprise surprise next we're coming for moral support [Music] because we're both natives here I grew up here and you certainly did how many times did you come across that very this little green and white fairy took me to school every day and you live still down there are you at all nervous about your son dropping a hundred meters on the outside of it Oh cyan and flamming now because I'm a bit nervous so I better go and do my job okay now look I bought you an extra sweater because I think it would be a bit calm down it's very sweet and I'm gonna go downstairs and watch come down good maybe I don't have it on too fast thank you after a pep talk from mum instructor Matt gives me a safety briefing before I get harnessed up toast first into that one excellent and then I in the nine years they've been abseiling here Matt assures me that an incredible 15,000 people have successfully and safely completed the 100 meter descent I'm pleased to find out he'll be guiding me every step of the way I okay there now it's there take a few steps out here for me out to here and if you to stop about that welcome to throw up here the view reaches for 23 miles to Bognor Regis in the East Southampton to the West and even across to the Isle of Wight we will swap places now okay if you can just stepping out put your left foot over there for me okay accident I'd like to bring that left foot forward to your toes oh by the side of my phone let's have you defeat on the wall on that little bolts excellent there we go to descend we're gonna lift the rope towards the figure of eight okay and then a little bit higher and now slide your right lift and I see I'm going down yeah what's your next next one oh there we go okay I do remember to have a good look around at the view I will hi Oh God holy moly that looks high Sickler stomach the tower was built to allow around three inches of movement in each direction in high wind even from a safety of the viewing platforms it can feel somewhat like you're on a boat but all I'm able to focus on right now is getting down as quickly as possible oh I think you're scanning a bit of confidence now it seems to be moving a bit quicker I'd like to say I'm really enjoying this it just feels a little bit foolish I could have been cheese-making for sampling something you haven't your wine stood up something down a tall building it's regulation [Music] oh thank goodness oh oh three oh don't ever make me do that again yeah look how high it is had to come down there on a row fee crazy oh dear I don't want to go through that again no neither do i that was a terrible idea they're much nicer ways of seeing capture [Music] the end of our property search here in Hampshire let's find out which one has stolen Kiki's heart well here we are we got to the end of our Hampshire tour did you enjoy it yeah laughter yeah did you make any decisions I don't think I made any decisions but I do know which house I like the best right it's probably not a big surprise it's the barn the bath yeah yeah I thought you'd say that I'd love to go back and see it again just to see how much I'm prepared to compromise to get a house that gave me that lovely warm feeling inside so you did Warner's at the beginning of the talk I feel it with my heart and I was like yeah everybody says that but when you walk to the plant look like you're having a seizure you're kind of crying and I couldn't speak so you really did fit with your heart but you also said you have to check that it lasts yes that's very important did you say a bit more about that um I will go back and visit the house when I get home and do a little bit of meditation visit in your mind yes and it will tell me and if feeling said and I have to go back and see it again I would like to show the houses to my two sons and to see what they think and the area around there and bring my dogs down for a walk they get a casting vote they get a cast well I really hope that it works out I mean it would be fantastic for us if you bought the bottom yeah but wherever you land I have bits really blessed for you okay thank you so much Lisa for coming with it's been so great having your your kind of friendly presence I've enjoyed it actually thank you it's been lovely well all the best and here's some local wine schools that we say skull what a lovely week when I have to say I'm very grateful to Kiki for two things one for bringing me back to Hampshire my home county which was very nice and two for providing perhaps the most dramatic role reversal for a property I can remember from at least in my mind an unmitigated disaster to a full-bodied triumph with the barn it was very exciting so I'm very grateful to Kiki and of course to Lisa and I'm also very grateful to you as always for watching so do join us next time for more escape to the country if you're looking to escape to the country or even your perfect town in England Wales Scotland or Northern Ireland why not apply online at BBC Cote UK part secret affairs young and in love new drama BBC Three's normal-people begins tonight on BBC born with a double bill at 9:00 and killing a verse goes all hooked again get you a villanelle fix this afternoon on BBC iPlayer now [Music] eight famous bases I never seen anything like it in my life

Channel: Dutch Boy

Views: 60,970

Rating: 4.8612247 out of 5

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Id: uk0Co5oC74A

Length: 43min 48sec (2628 seconds)

Published: Mon Apr 27 2020