Beautiful barracks from the hands of soldiers When darkness fell in the mountains and forests of the Northeast, the campus in front of the 43rd Regiment headquarters became shimmering by the public lighting system through the lamps of the old European style. In particular, the lights are also cleverly adjusted in many shapes, creating light streams with images of cranes, pigeons or flowers… as if they are flying on the foliage. Lieutenant Colonel Vu Xuan Doan, Deputy Director of Politics, Secretary of the Grassroots Union of the 43rd Regiment, said: “This lighting system is made by the hands of the union members and young people of the unit. This product is both beautiful and has a much cheaper price if you order it or buy it in the market.Not only that, all the bonsai, bonsai, rockery… in the unit’s premises are “made in”. “Army of the 43rd Regiment”. The welding-mechanical team repairs the unit’s fan. (Photo taken before April 27, 2021) That’s right. Products from the skillful hands of soldiers are found almost everywhere, from the barracks to the training ground. All of them are very eye-catching and effective in use, such as: The system of regular and unified billboards contributes to propaganda to promote the spirit of cadres and soldiers; green campus, flower garden combined with rockery, lighting system and tables and chairs to make a place to rest and relax for officers and soldiers in each company; 3-wheel garbage trolley to collect waste, leaves for clean and beautiful units; training rack with a variety of weights equipped for each platoon for soldiers to practice physical strength; Automatic vegetable watering system in the area to increase agencies and units to save time taking care of green vegetables, so that the soldiers have time to participate in entertainment activities, sports… Dedication passion Lieutenant Colonel Vu Xuan Doan shared: “Through understanding the thoughts, aspirations and skills of the young soldiers when they first joined the unit, we found that many young people have the desire to learn some high school trade during their time in the army. , is also a way to prepare for the future… Therefore, the 43rd Regiment’s grassroots Union actively advises party committees and commanders at all levels to set up craft working groups such as: welding team, team electricity, water, carpentry, construction”. On that basis, the Party committees and commanders at all levels shall invest funds to purchase equipment for the craft groups to come into operation; create a useful playground for young people who have needs to both study and practice skills, and contribute to young people to devote their youth to building a unit. The carpentry team repairs and renews beds, counters, and repairs the system of doors and windows; welding-mechanical group organizes production, manufactures garbage trolleys, produces squad-level clothesline racks, repairs and overcomes lightning protection systems and iron and steel mechanical products…; The water and electricity repair team ensures repair when there is a failure of the entire fan system, ceiling fan, water pump station, generator. The construction team performs construction tasks, such as: Building an explosion-proof dock for ammunition storage, building a clean water supply station, a bulletin board to promote the field, making a road to the training field… Over the past time, the general trade groups of the regimental youth have contributed thousands of labor days, produced and repaired hundreds of products of all kinds, etc., helping the unit save hundreds of millions of dong in the procurement of new equipment. equipment and materials to serve the army’s life. Taking us to visit the welding-mechanical team, the unit’s leader said: Recently, the welding-mechanical team has produced 20 3-wheel garbage trolleys, 121 toilet doors, 300 clothesline racks. In particular, the garbage trolley is a difficult and complicated product, but after a period of work and research, the garbage trolley made by the team ensures quality and is certainly not inferior. similar products are being used by environmental companies. Private First Class Pham Quang Thoai, soldier in Battalion 7, 3rd Platoon, Company 1, Battalion 7, shared: “I find participating in a job group brings a lot of benefits. Because when we joined, we just We can learn and practice our skills, so we can make our own favorite products. These will also be jobs so that when we finish our military service tomorrow, we can prepare our luggage for the future.” .

That apartment building is very old, looking up from below, I think I’m in the center of Saigon because the walls are peeling off, revealing the light red brick color, sad; iron color rust, color time coating thick layer; the old, very old color, the color of opaque eyes witnessing many changes, kept secret in the heart and did not tell anyone. Going inside, what impressed me was not the rows of electric meters dotted on either side of the wall or the clotheslines fluttering in the wind, but the covered outdoor-style stairs that I’m sure. that the roof could not block a heavy rain and wind. The old-fashioned staircase, only seen in movies, features French architecture, crossing two blocks but not the main way up, but I don’t think it’s an exit because it only stops to the second floor, and leading up to some houses. This place has a cool breeze, so I guess it might be the stairs to get some fresh air. From here I can take multi-angle pictures of a historic Saigon. Opposite the apartment I am standing in, built in the French period, is a building with 70s architecture, temporarily called the American period, with most of the straight lines, the iron frames have almost no unique patterns. Saigon book, nostalgia roaming. Photo: Chi Books. On a small wall there is a frame of barbed wire reminiscent of a time of war and beyond is the Bitexco tower, a modern icon located in the heart of Saigon. I moved the camera a little and found in the bottom corner a wire clothesline with small clips attached. All in one. In the heart of a modern Saigon, there are things that are a bit messy, messy, lazy, and sloppy. On a patch of red brick, ferns emerge from an empty square. On another wall, in addition to ferns, there are strange trees or huts emerging from between the bricks, which cling tightly as a symbol of strong vitality. I descended the outdoor stairs and entered the main stairway. There are stairs with traces of mosaic tiles, stair handrails with typical patterns of French architecture. The elevator room looks old, the mooring lines are tangled. Everything is too old. More than a hundred years ago, this place was once a place for people with a standard lifestyle like civil servants, for example. The higher I go, the more the past opens up in front of me, an old Saigon in the French colonial period. And it’s surprising that next to the old, bold doorways of that time, there are cafes, colorful clothing stalls. Strolling around the floors of the apartment building, I entered a cafe on the top floor. I walked through a small, cozy space decorated with old objects as reminiscent of such a time. I chose to sit on the balcony overlooking the Bank building on the other side. The river below the boats moved slowly up and down. On a wall with many ventilation holes, sparrows chirped, naughtily dropped in a little and then flew away. That day, at that corner of the shop, I felt time stopped, as if I had left the noisy space below and was busy pursuing my own thoughts…

Decide on where to place the washing machine Usually, the washing machine is placed close to the ground. However, the washing machine placed on high is not unreasonable, depending on the current situation of the laundry room space and the needs of your family. For example, a family washing machine in the UK (pictured) is placed higher than the floor; Just below the washing machine is a protruding base designed to fit the laundry basket. Thus, after the laundry is finished or when the laundry is put into the machine, the washer can take the clothes easily in a position that is just within reach, without having to bend over and not suffer from shoulder and hip fatigue. with washing machine on the floor. Arranging a place to store laundry basket You should consider the convenience when thinking about arranging space for laundry baskets to be laundered. Normally, you should place the main laundry basket near the washing machine to avoid the inconvenience of having to carry a lot of clothes, moving a new distance to the washing machine. Of course, you can put the smaller baskets in the bedroom and gather them in a large basket near the washing machine. You should arrange an empty space under the long table in the laundry room to place dirty laundry baskets; you might also consider using a wheeled basket for ease of portability, for maximum flexibility. Install a clothesline Of course, drying clothes in the natural sun is perfect for drying clothes both dry, fragrant, and energy-saving drying. However, when outdoor conditions are not permissible, you may wish to have a drying line available in your laundry area. You might consider installing some drying lines high above (can be hung from the ceiling), near the window of the laundry area (if any). Sink layout If space allows, a sink will be extremely useful in the home laundry area. The sink can allow you to hand wash certain types of clothes, allowing you to use a separate bleach with certain stains before putting them together in the washing machine or as a washing place, washing certain items or special clothing. You may also want to place the sink near the washing machine, so that you will keep the floor more dry as you move the laundry from the sink to the drum. Optimize the ability to store furniture Usually, the laundry space is also a place where you want to store a lot of other items, not only laundry, for example clothes bridges, vacuum cleaners, buckets, shovels, mop … It is crucial that you calculate to optimize the laundry room space, store more items, not clutter, do not mess, and do not affect the main function of this room is washing clothes./.

Artwork / INT

New sunshine resounded in me a region of distant childhood memories in my beloved hometown. The internal shadow suddenly appeared in the nostalgia that was deeply embedded in the subconscious, just a light touch was sobbing and tearing.

Every time the sun dances, cheers filled the yard, he brought blankets and cold clothes to wash, filled with clothesline, hedge. The vibrant colors of the floral blouses and fragrant soap invite bees and butterflies to fly home.

The paternal body is undulating, undulating, white hat, algae like many women from my hometown. In love, his daughter-in-law struggled in the field early into the night, so she took all the housework to go home. Grandpa was excited and cheerful, so he praised the new sun, but it was golden and fragrant, but he did not let my sisters run and jump in the sun.

I wondered that while my grandfather chewed betel nut, he said “if children do not adapt in time, they easily get heatstroke and headaches”. The Cabinet only allowed us to clean and scrub every corner of the three-room tiled house. The windows that were closed during the monsoon season were suddenly opened to welcome new sunshine into the house like welcoming guests for a long time.

As the grandchildren cleaned up the house one day, the whole house was lit up and had a strange smell. Looking through the window, a clear sky appeared before my eyes. I spread my small hands through the bars to catch the sun. I wish I could fly up like a chili dragonfly out there.

At the end of the day, the cabinet picks all kinds of grass leaves available in the home garden from basil, amnesty, grapefruit leaves, betel grass to bamboo leaves, chrysanthemum … boil a pot of fragrant water to bathe and scrub the children. I splashed the perfume on my face and on my body while inhaling the rich scent, questioning it.

How pleasant and refreshing, it feels like I have been emptied of the dust that has accumulated for days to become pure and pure. My hair is black, shiny, and always in the country thanks to her loving, caring hands.

But then, the new sunny seasons on that childhood day only flicker in nostalgia and are replaced by distant dreams. I left my hometown to do floods, goodbye to the laborious fields of rice and potatoes to go to school in the prosperous city, carrying my own beliefs and hopes for a “life change”.

The chaos and chaos, the hustle and bustle have taken up all the time to return to my hometown. The fascinating fun, the full bustle has kept me from staying in the flashy city. The four seasons passed like a passerby.

I happen to be in front of the changing seasons. I am indifferent before every new sunny season. I forgot the whole pot of water with fragrant leaves in the garden. Only when my mother called to urgently say, “Go home, baby, my grandfather is seriously ill”, I startled.

I returned, rushing into the inner bed like a wind. Holding my bony hand, my gut and intestines tighten. Noi goes as fast as the end of the day. The inner realm of purity, lightness like a fairy left a painful feeling in me.

Thank you very much in the following seasons, no longer paternal grandpa! But since then I always come back, sitting on the steps of the house waiting for the sun, watching the figure of my mother drying clothes and remembering the inner year. Outside, the new sun is burning …