French renovations, day 1:

12,315 steps 

16 bags of trash + 1 armful

So...I am calling my updates by a new title since our life for the next 18 months will be dominated by renovations. 

We tore down the false ceiling in the back half of the apartment. It was filthy. Imagine 60+ years of dirt and debris falling down on your head.

 

Inga and Ivy had so much fun helping. They took down the pieces of trim that held up the ceiling panels.

Then we adults tore the panels down. In the process, we dislodged the fluorescent lightbulb and broke it...so the remainder of the morning we were in a very dark room with just one small lightbulb up in the corner.

Then it was cleanup time. We hauled away 16 trash bags of debris plus one armful of larger items. 

Inga was a total machine at snapping the ceiling panels into small pieces. She was breaking them faster than I could bag them! 

We finished in time for a late lunch. But first--we all had to shower! I washed myself several times with soap and still didn't get everything off. My eyes still look like they have eyeliner, but it's sticky black dust.  

Bodies clean, clothes in the wash, and bellies full, we went to the park to play with friends. I stayed behind to switch the electricity into our name, then Zari and I braved the crowds at the big Carrefour to buy new lightbulbs and a few other supplies. Ugh, I HATE shopping there!