When her daughter moved a few blocks from her home in Sainte-Thérèse, Marie-Chantale Rivard felt the urgent need to create a special place in her home for her three grandchildren. Mission accomplished: almost 15 years later, this tiny piece occupies a special place in family history.
“I wanted them to have their own place in my house. A place that would be our meeting point,” says the grandmother in front of the small library that looks like a children’s cabin with its plank walls, its sloping roof pierced by a skylight, its family photos hung up. according to your desires and its shelves topped with a terrestrial globe.
A chalet holiday atmosphere reigns in this magical place where time seems to slow down. The wool rug, found at auction, is an invitation to lie down and play on it. The naive drawings framed on the walls evoke happy afternoons of DIY.
A blackboard-painted wall is covered with tender little words and famous quotes scrawled in chalk, through scribbles, a calculation of the speed of light and an algebraic formula.
And at the top, on the left, are drawn four muffins, topped with the first letter of each child’s first name.
Laughter and games
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
On the wall, framed drawings
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Behind every detail, toy, book or photo hides a chapter of family history.
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
The microscope, one of the many childhood toys strewn around the room
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
The small room is furnished with care.
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Other treasured memories
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PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Each object recalls a memory, like this stained glass window, brought from Quebec.
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It was here that a tradition-like routine was born: every Wednesday, little visitors were welcomed after school with a smoothie prepared by their grandmother who had taken leave from her job as a general practitioner.
The four of them then chatted about school and life around the table, before settling down next door in the small library to take out the school books while waiting for the parents for a family dinner.
“After the meal, the children transformed the library into a Lego village. We even saw an urban sprawl towards the dining room and living room,” laughs Mme Rivard.
“We laughed a lot in this room,” confides Edmond, 15, the youngest of the grandchildren who still comes there regularly to do his homework. His brother Xavier and his sister Frédérique now attend CEGEP. On the menu that day: revision for an important biology exam. A small skeleton, taken from the grandmother’s medical equipment, sits on the small work table.
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Edmond, 15 years old, is the youngest of the grandchildren.
At home, we were each on our own with our iPods. But here, in this room, we were all playing together. It was a good time. Our friends thought we were lucky to have a family dinner every week.
Edmond, 15 years old
Marie-Chantale Rivard, too, feels lucky. “Even today, when Edmond comes to the house, he asks me: “And you, grandmother, how are you?” That’s precious, especially when it comes from a 15-year-old,” she emphasizes, with the feeling of reaping what she has sown.
Shelter
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
Edmond with his grandmother, Marie-Chantale Rivard
We can easily guess that if this piece suits her grandchildren perfectly, it is because it reflects the nature of its owner with her always youthful outlook. Several pretty naive paintings, hung on the walls in a slightly rebellious mess, are signed by his hand.
“The decoration is made to please me, not to look good for the visit,” slips Mme Rivard, his eyes laughing. “It’s my childish side that’s in this room. It’s the little girl in me who has fun on all fours with the kids. It’s my relief, my refuge. »
Behind every detail, toy, book or photo hides a chapter of family history. Like the stained glass window that covers the gable window and which recalls a visit to Quebec, where it was found. The Bruges lace curtain was brought from Montmartre. The small microscope and the wooden car, arranged on small shelves, are childhood toys of Marc, M’s partner.me Rivard. Several photos evoke the sporting successes of the grandchildren.
And on a shelf there is a small model of a house, the same one that M’s parentsme Rivard were built in this same neighborhood at the time of the appearance of the suburbs. “I grew up here, in Sainte-Thérèse. I’ve been there since I was 6 years old. This is my third house in the neighborhood. My family still lives there. »
Fragments of happiness
PHOTO HUGO-SÉBASTIEN AUBERT, THE PRESS
The library is full of treasures, like this old recipe book found at a flea market.
Even recipe books contain a piece of history. “This one was given to me by my daughter,” says this accomplished cook, showing off a heavy book with a cover from another age. “These are American recipes dating from the 1940s or 1950s. She found it in a flea market. »
Each member of the family, near or far, finds their place in this painting. One day, Mme Rivard was surprised to find a porcelain dog there that she did not recognize. “In the hollow of the trinket, I found Gabie’s name. It was my niece who I adore who discreetly placed it on a shelf. She added her presence to the room. »
Today, the little library serves as inspiration for adventure. This is where the couple prepares for their trips. The dog Colette and the three cats have also made it their own. But when evening comes, when only its subdued light peacefully illuminates the house, it evokes for Marie-Chantale Rivard’s family a long series of little joys.