Affection for Sidaogou during the Famine

After sharpening the flat shovel, Han Zhaozhao set her sights on the plane. She picked up the hammer, threw the plane blade down in a few strokes, and began to sharpen the blade again.

First grind off the rust on the flat surface, then grind the sloped surface. It is best to grind according to the slope of the planer blade, and it will be the sharpest. This also requires skills.

Han Zhaozhao got addicted, and after sharpening the blade of the planer, he started to cut the saw blade. These tools had not been used for a long time and were rusted, which made Han Zhaozhao feel sad.

If her father in her previous life saw this, he would be so heartbroken that he would bleed, and the old man would curse and get angry.

An old craftsman would hate to see his family's tools damaged, so even if they are not used normally, he will maintain them every day to keep them shiny.

"Clang, clang, clang, clang!" Han Zhaozhao was immersed in the cutting of saw blades. She hadn't heard the pleasant sound for many years. Nowadays, she often used electric tools. If the tools were not sharp, she would just replace them with new ones. There was no need for such troublesome cutting of saw blades.

Hearing this rhythmic sound again after so many years reminded her of her childhood when she squatted on the steps and watched her father doing carpentry work.

"Zhao Zhao, open the door, grandma is back!" Han Zhaoshi's loud voice came from outside the door. Han Zhaozhao was startled and quickly dropped the file and went to open the door for grandma.

"Grandma, why did you take so long?"

Han Zhao walked into the room with a smile on her face. "Director Zhang asked me to wait for news in the office. She's out to ask about my job. How can I come back before she gets any definite news?"

"You look so happy, is there any good news?"

"Well, luckily I went there today, because two units needed people."

"What unit do you work in? Is it close to home? Is the work tiring?"

"Not tiring. How can working in the city be more tiring than farming in my hometown? One option is to work as a temporary worker at a scrap collection station. After a year, you can become a regular employee. The salary is 15 yuan a month, and you can also get some coupons.

One is to work as a handyman in a joint-venture restaurant, earning 18 yuan a month, and there is a chance to become a regular employee, receive various tickets, and most importantly, get two meals. "

Han Zhaozhao's eyes lit up when he heard this. A scrap collection station is great. It will be a great place to pick up bargains in a few years!

"Grandma, I think you should choose the scrap purchasing business. It's close to our home, just one street away. Although it's a bit dirty, there are usually fewer people selling scraps, so the work will be easier."

Han Zhao frowned, "Isn't it better to go to a restaurant? Not only can it save three dollars, but it can also save two meals for the family.

In a month, I might save a lot of food! If I don't get a regular job, I'll get three yuan less. If I get a regular job, there will definitely be a difference. I want to work in a restaurant.

When I went out, Widow Wang from the back street also went to pester Director Zhang, wanting the job.

Her family is also a family of military martyrs. I heard that they have been applying for half a year but still haven't found a suitable job. You will see, when two jobs are released at once, there will definitely be many needy families scrambling for them in the next few days.

But I was thinking, since your parents are missing from our family, the neighborhood committee should consider our family first!"

Alas! Han Zhaozhao secretly sighed. Although playing the victim was quite pitiful, now was the time to compete for pity. He had to grit his teeth and play the victim!

There is no way, before lofty sentiments, survival is the most important thing!

"Grandma, do restaurant janitors pick and wash vegetables, knead dough and cut vegetables, wash dishes and clean?"

"Yes! These jobs are just trivial, not difficult or tiring. Don't we women do them every day at home?"

"Grandma, I think you should stop competing with Widow Wang for the restaurant job. For one thing, she has been running for several months and applied earlier than us. At least we should follow the principle of first come first served and let her choose first.

Another thing is that the neighborhood committee takes care of the martyr's family. Her family has three children and it is more difficult to feed them than ours, so we cannot make things difficult for them.

Working in a restaurant is not easy. The more money you make, the more work you have to do. With so many people eating out every day, you have to wash so many dishes and bowls.

Especially in winter, the hands would be frozen if they were exposed to cold water every day. I think the waste collection station is better. Nowadays, every family lives a frugal life and there is not much waste to collect. Grandpa Yang stays in the house to warm himself by the fire in winter. He has nothing to do every day and is very happy.

You are not young anymore, and you are not as strong as young people. Working at a scrap collection station is like retirement. You can get a salary and take time to take care of the vegetable garden and chickens and rabbits at home. How great is that! "

Han Zhao said nothing, and walked in thoughtfully. Her granddaughter's words made sense. The more you use affection, the thinner it gets. If you make things too difficult for the neighborhood committee this time, the next time something happens at home, they might not care about them anymore.

Living in the city is no different from living in the countryside. It is still very important to have good relations with the people in charge.

Although the old lady was uneducated and didn't know how to manage personal connections, she had experienced turbulent times and knew how to deal with people without any instruction.

"Then let's not say anything for now and let Widow Wang choose first. No matter what, you will definitely have a job in the future.

I want to work in a restaurant, mainly for the two meals. My mother and I only have 40 catties of food a month, which is not enough to fill our stomachs.

Hey, Widow Wang lives in a large compound and doesn’t have a vegetable garden to grow vegetables. It’s indeed more difficult for her to raise three half-grown children than for our family.

Okay, let’s not argue with her. The neighborhood committee will definitely let her work in a restaurant. So that’s it!

I will go to Director Zhang this afternoon to make a reservation at the purchasing station. We must be the first to burn incense so that others can see our humble attitude. "

I have to say, the old lady is really shrewd. She figured it all out in an instant.

Now that she has a job, her life has a purpose. The old lady is in a good mood today. When she sees the quilts drying in the yard, she says, "Hey, Zhaozhao, are you bringing out all the quilts from the west room to dry in the sun?

These quilts are heavy and hard. It's really hard for you. Okay, let's hang them out to dry first!

Let the moisture go, clean up the things in the cupboard later, and help grandma remove this set of patch covers.

Taking advantage of the good weather these few days, I'll wash the quilt and make it again. Oh! This cotton cover has been used for quite a while, and it's hard and heavy. It's time to ask a cotton craftsman to re-stretch it.

Zhaozhao, you should listen carefully at home these days. If someone who is fluffing cotton comes to the alley, stop him and let’s fluff the cotton again this year.

I haven't made your cotton jacket and trousers yet. I'll take them apart tomorrow and then put one piece together for you. You've grown fast this year, so you must be thin and short.

Re-stretch the cotton so you can wear it lightly and warmly in winter."

Han Zhaozhao cleared the tools scattered on the steps and agreed: "I understand, grandma, I'll ask Xiao Sanzi to help me listen for any noise later.

The boys are running around everywhere, so if they see someone beating cotton, call them over, and it won’t delay your making of quilts and cotton jackets.”

Speaking of cotton fluffing, a scene automatically flashed in Han Zhaozhao's mind: a skinny cotton fluffing craftsman carrying a cotton fluffing slingshot on his back and holding a wooden pressure plate that was bigger than a washbasin, walking through the streets.

As they walked they shouted: “It’s time to fluff the cotton! It’s time to make the quilt cover! It’s time to fluff the cotton! It’s time to make the quilt cover!

If there were people who wanted to fluff cotton, they would go out and call them to come in to fluff the cotton.

Watching cotton-fluffing is the most profound childhood memory for almost everyone born in the 1950s and 1960s. Cotton-fluffing seems like magic, and all children are fascinated by it.

The bows used by northerners to play cotton are mostly made of naturally grown curved trees, and the bowstrings are made of ox-wood.

The cotton-fluffing master wears a belt and has an elastic wooden stick or bamboo pole tied behind him. A slingshot is tied to the top of the pole with a rope. He holds the bow in one hand and a wooden hammer in the other, and vibrates the bowstring with the wooden hammer. By hitting the bowstring rhythmically, the bowstring will vibrate evenly up and down, left and right.

Tools used for cotton fluffing in the old days

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