Thursday, June 18, 2009

Thanks to My Darling Thang !

Today, as having a happy family life, I would like to tell you, all my dear friends, about my husband Thang.

After ending my first and unlucky marriage at my young age 26, for a long period of 3-4 years, I was very allergic to almost all men who wanted to make friends with me, particularly I was scared of thinking of re-marriage. But after that, time passed and passed, gradually helping me to forget my unlucky past, and I became more clearly oriented for a future family life. Then I met Thang the first time at the age 30 when I was much more matured and better understood what was good for a marriage, especially for a future child. Both Thang and I shared the same viewpoint that love was essential and important but not enough for a married life. We both highly considered the significance of mutual understanding, sympathy, respect, and most important for both of us then was having a child, preferably a son. In December 2000, our wedding was organised in a quite simple way but cheerful with the attendance by our close friends and colleagues.














My husband Thang, me Nga and my son Tuan enjoying our small party on his 7th birthday 27 April 2007.




Father Thang and son Tuan when Tuan was 1 year old.







I have realised that since the birth of my son Tuan in April 2001, our life has surely become happier. Tuan is a cute, clever and active boy and he is always a flexible and stable bridge between me and my husband. Whenever we have some argument or disagreement on some issues, both my husband and I have always tried to lower our pride of ourselves and think most for the son, so the peace always comes back between us very soon.











Now as we have been living together happily for nearly 10 years, I can proudly say that I am so lucky to have a wonderful husband. I cannot explain why but I never feel shy when any friend asks me about the age difference between me and him. Maybe it is because despite the real difference of 18 years between us, my darling is really still quite young and active in his life style and working manner. As a trained & experienced engineer, he always likes simple, precise and functional things and has a special passion for new high-tech facilities. This is helpful for me and my son to access new modern household facilities and machines, making our living more comfortable. Combined between his intelligence and diligence, he is often thorough, dynamic and creative in everything he does. With his wide and deep knowledge in many fields, especially in technical issues, he can do by himself or supervise workers closely in any required repair-work of our electricity, water systems etc, making sure for our daily living conditions always smooth and sound.

He is a good father, always taking care of our son. Every evening, he often helps and guides Tuan so carefully in learning and revising mathematics exercises at home. Giving birth to our son at his age 50, which is commonly considered late, my husband has been well aware of the necessity of educating the little boy to become independent and self-confident the sooner the better. Now only 8 years old, Tuan has been taught by his father to get used to doing more and more things by himself. Agreeing on this point, I have also guided Tuan to do daily things at home by himself, such as making his bed, helping me in tidying up our home, controlling TV, air-conditioner, typing and using some simple softwares on computer, and so on. This is now good for him as some games for a child to relax his mind after hours of study, and hopefully also good for step by step training him to become a self-confident, dynamic and caring person in the future.

Thang is also a good, generous and sympathetic husband, never hesitant of helping me in troubles. Earlier when I was at work, whenever I complained with him about my work stress, he always encouraged me to make better efforts to overcome challenges, and also advised me to be optimistic for a brighter prospect. Knowing that I was very busy at work, he never complained about me coming home late day by day. He was even willing to be a good cook for me and my son when necessary.

It is his high spirit of determination and continuous efforts that have helped Thang to achieve good results in his business now. He has become Managing Director of our own newly-established company named Thien Phu Machinery JSC in the field of construction machinery hire services, which is very prospective. I must also express another important contributive element to his favourable business is wide, good and long-lasting relationship and friendship with many senior persons in various authorities, both civil and army, who are willing to help him to find contractors if possible. This has made me now quite reassured to stay home as a housewife to have more time for taking care and teaching my only son. Furthermore, Thang also encourages me to find ways, eg. through internet, TV, and other means of media, to maintain my English skills, keep on social communication, and update my background knowledge, in order to keep in touch with the social community and have fun everyday. On the other hand, he also reminds me to have proper diet with more vegetables and fruits, rest enough and avoid any tension. I should be more strict to myself to follow this good advice everyday, which is likely keep me more fresh and young longer.

I can say after my parents, I would like to thank sincerely my darling Thang so much for having helped me to become more grown up in thinking, behaviour, and always see life brighter and more meaningful !

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

I enjoyed a re-union meeting with my old friends on New Year holiday 2005











My old classmates incl. some back home from abroad (My Hanh from Singapore, Thang from USA & Vu from Canada), and the others based in Hanoi (Hong Hanh, Bich Hanh and Ha Tron). All smiling together cheerfully after years of distance.










All of us surrounding our former teacher-in-charge Mrs Thu Phuong. Our re-union took place in Lan Vien Restaurant based in Hanoi near Christmas holiday in 2005.










Some old friends incl. Minh Phuong (our former monitor - now working for Hanoi Dept of Judisciary), Thang (coming back from USA), Ha Tron (Round Ha - teacher of English at home), My Hanh (working & based in Singapore), Bich Hanh (working for Vietnam Airlines in Hanoi), Hong Hanh (working in British Council based in Hanoi, Bang Tam (working in ABN-Amro Bank based in Hanoi), together with myself (Nga - second from right in front - then working for a Singaporean medical equip. trading company in Hanoi). All of us have grown up and been doing business well.











Mrs Phuong happily hearing our stories of our achieved success and prospects in work and life.





Cheers !!!

My living space before and after renovation









You can see my apartment looked very small and a bit untidy in these images.









The old attic (semi-floor) looked heavy with the unhidden iron-made supporting beams.










The staircase made of wood and of dark brown colour looked very dark and heavy. The entertainment corner, not yet organised, looked untidy.






The old French-architectured wooden windows were very wide, making us difficult to arrange the furniture inside.
















But now these images have been replaced with the new and bright look of our recent renovation. The change of material of the stairs from wood into inox has made the room look brighter, larger and more modern.




Things have changed apparently after the recent renovation we made. Hereunder I post some images of our living space now.















Here is one of the new windows with its simple style and look. It has replaced the old heavy-looking one. The best we have achieved is that we can fit so nicely the bookshelf for my son.


The new attic (semi-floor) now looks much better with the bright color of the banister made of stainless steel. And the iron beams under the attic foundation have been hidden,so now appears to our eye is a new white-painted smooth plane which has become the ceiling for our bed. We have intentionally selected the light green for paving the vertical side of the attic foundation so that now when entering the room, our eyes always catch a fresh cool feeling.




To avoid a too cool feeling of the steel material, I put right in between the banister a vase of artistic hand-made flowers of combined pink, yellow and mint-green shades.




Our new staircase now, despite its stainless steel material, looks quite light and soft with its open risers and simple stripes at its rails. With this major change, our room looks much more spacious.


I am also happy that I have applied some of my basic knowledge of decoration to making each corner fresher with some accessories: some pillows at the bench, some silk flowers at the staircase, a silver statue of dolphins beside the mirror, some paintings on the wall, all and each has made my living space more lively. A gallery of our photos has also become a friendly welcome for the sitting area. And among our focal points I would pay special attention to the portrait of myself painted by Mr Jon Akerman, my former boss and friend too who comes from Australia and loves Vietnam very much. This artwork now hangs proudly on my wall as remembrance of my best workimg period with friendship with many impressive and friendly foreign colleagues.



















We always say the kitchen is the heart of a house. The same for us, we have paid special attention to our kitchen, both its look and its convenience, how its things are placed for our most effective use. We have chosen the red-brown color for the kitchen cabinetry, a color symbolizing for stability and prosperity.















We are quite happy now as we have completed this work quite well after long and careful preparation. Now we like to stay home better than before, we love our home than before.





Monday, June 8, 2009

Some images of my family's summer holidays in 2005-2006










My husband Thang and my little son Tuan (5 old years then) playing at Cua Lo seaside in Nghe An province, central region of Vietnam.










Tuan standing in front of the lake in Ecological Resort in Thai Nguyen province.










My son not at all afraid but playing with the waves at the beach in Quang Ninh province. With his mother (me) as a supervisor behind him.










Eating an ice-cream after some hours playing in the sea.










Relaxing & smiling happily after a swim in Hoa Binh Ecological Resort, Hoa Binh province.











The scenery in Hoa Binh province is very fresh and bright with wild green trees as background for wooden houses on stilts lived by locals.











Having dinner, enjoying carp of Nui Coc Lake as a well-known speciality of Thai Nguyen.











I and my son refreshing, relaxing our mind in the middle of the cool water of the lake in Thai Nguyen Ecological Resort.












My husband guiding and encouraging my son to swim without fear.