Woke Up Early Today

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For some reason I woke before 7:00 this morning. It was not a particularly late night but the afternoon and evening yesterday were definitely eventful and pleasant. About mid morning today it began to rain. Not particularly hard but noticeable. The sky is grey and visibility limited. On the 17th floor of an apartment building you tend to notice those things. Here in Chengdu most loose ends have been attended to. I am taking my hosts and work mates out for dinner tonight. It will be a traditional (for me) last meal in Chengdu. I have chosen one of my favourite restaurants where the owner and his wife have been good friends to me for many years. Likely other friends will show up as if by chance.

Tonight or tomorrow morning I will pack. Much of that depends upon the quality of the arak tonight. Arak is a Tibetan beverage and the flavour and quality can vary greatly depending on the region in which it is produced, quality of water and the grain used.

A lot of really good work has been accomplished in the last three weeks. Much of the best ideas and formulas developed by HAR over the past many years have been put to the test - successfully. What has been done here in Chengdu can be used as a model for other art collections moving forward into the future.

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