When retirement awaits, you realize that you can basically do anything. With a retirement fund, some people finally travel to their dream destinations, build a workshop, save up their retirement fund for necessities, and the like. Unfortunately, old age can hinder some extreme activities which lead to bland retirement plans. But, Greg Flint chose to make something as ordinary as an old bus and make it extraordinary. 70-year-old Greg Flint took a beat-up bus and turned it into a fairytale home. His financial condition contributed to his creativity to create a new home, earning the nickname, “Papa Smurf.” He turned a rusty old bus into a cozy and adorable home that earns a spot in any Disney movie. Greg and his friends, an adventurous couple, bought the 1965 Chevy bus that was 30 feet long, and they named him “Buster.”
Papa Smurf, as his friends call him, is a skillful woodworker and artisan. As a retired stonemason and builder, his skills would come in handy for a new project. Greg knew that the money in his bank account wouldn’t last long; he could barely afford to pay to live in his house. Although he knew he couldn’t keep living in his apartment due to lack of funds, he needed to find a solution, fast. Flint asked his friends if he could renovate the bus before they drove to Mexico. Unfortunately, the couple broke up before Flint got to work. With the trip being canceled, the bus had no use and remained in its spot. Suddenly, Flint came up with the idea to renovate the bus and turn it into his new home. He worked tirelessly until the model fit the image in his head. He successfully found an activity to keep him on his feet, and a new home. Buster was breathtaking after all the work. Buster transformed into a small, beautiful, and cozy home. Greg designed the interior with an old twisted, cedar tree. He used the logs for the major corners’ structural support. He used similar materials for building the tables, chairs, shelves, cabinets, and dressers. The materials gave the bus a nature-inspired look filled with organic light.
Greg can prepare food in the modern-day kitchen complete with its own stove, dishwasher, oven, and cooker. He used an older cedar chest his daughter gave him to build the kitchen table, countertop, and bench backs. To maximize space, the stove-top is covered with copper that is also used as the table’s extension. He also used copper over the stove to direct the fumes outside the window. He hangs kitchen utensils on the carved wooden poles. The bus carries soft features and looks like it’s made entirely of wooden logs. There’s even a little library that pays homage to the Mad Hatter’s home in Alice in Wonderland. To keep the place cozy during winter, he replaced the old wood stone with a soapstone fireplace that holds fire for a few hours without overheating the place. Even in retirement, Greg Flint used his skills to create a beautiful and habitable space like a real-life Papa Smurf. Papa Greg proves that with patience, skill, and determination, you can channel your creativity into something that can help you in the future. Greg did an amazing job building his dream retirement home.
