Petit à Petit, L'Oiseau Fait son Nid

"Petit à petit, l'oiseau fait son nid." Little by little, the bird makes its nest. This French proverb is akin to "Slow and steady wins the race" or "Rome wasn't built in a day." The idea is to encourage you to continue to persevere when it seems that you are only making a little progress at a time toward your goal. 

Over the past couple of months, our tiny house in Lonlay l'Abbaye has been gradually renovated with all those essential elements that do not necessarily photograph well or provide the immense satisfaction of a big "reveal." The first outside job was to protect the building from the elements by replacing the rain gutters and pipes. Meanwhile, the inside was gutted, the remaining wood was treated against bugs and mold, and our ground floor was recreated and leveled. Framing and insulation came next. Now the electrical wiring has been done, the basic plumbing is in, and we even have some walls there too!

Here are photos of some of the "petit à petit" transformation that help me appreciate all the hard work and planning that goes into making a livable space:

Before: Old pipes and gutters near the street lantern on our house

After: Shiny new zinc gutters and pipes that work!

Before: A year ago, Joseph took this wide angle photo of me in the kitchen area.

The walls were in bad shape. Plumbing and electrical were rudimentary.

As of a few months ago, a big improvement!

The main kitchen wall

Add some lovely blue and red plumbing

Now peeking out from the new walls, along with the electrical. Ready for our kitchen appliances.

Before: In the corner, you could look up and follow the pipes into the bathroom upstairs and the attic.

Now that back corner and the whole ceiling is covered in wallboard.

Before: One year ago, this wide angle photo of the living room shows how much needed to be done.

After gutting and reconstruction

New walls and a ceiling: huzzah! We still want a wood stove in that corner though...

Need to measure this wall for a couch at some point.

In just a few days, we will return to Lonlay l'Abbaye and to Paris. This weekend, we are remembering the tragic terrorist attacks of last year, and the dignity and strength shown by all in the aftermath. We look forward to being a part of the new France - forgiving, embracing, and renewing - but fiercely protective as well.