Ruin was couple's making
MOST of us have a retirement dream: something to mull over while we sit at work twiddling with pencils, photocopiers and holiday rotas.But Peter Thompson, 62, who retired 10 years ago, is living his dream, and has even written a book about it.
Peter, who lives in Stanhope, decided to spend a little of his money on a house in France, having holidayed there for many years with his family.
Peter and his wife Carol duly trotted off to France to find their perfect dwelling and quickly came across a property that seemed ideal.
They gave the agent the nod and returned to the property the next day to find the unfortunate agent sitting with his head in his hands.
The owner¹s had already sold it and the Thompson¹s were left empty handed and fuming.
With just one day left they decided to go back and view an old farmhouse that was on their original list.
The farmhouse was part of a tiny hamlet called Monnet, in Burgundy, and it was love at first sight.
Peter said: ³We fell in love. It was enormous, huge, and practically falling down.
The other plus was that it was very, very cheap so decided to go for it!
Getting an adequate roof on the property was the first job but Peter was dismayed to find that the local builders had a different idea to him.
He said: ³It desperately needed a new roof but there were still lots of lovely oak beams we wanted to save but the builders just wanted to tear it down and put up a completely new roof.
³We didn¹t want a new roof.
³We wanted something more in keeping with the house.² The roof issue proved to be a key point in the Thompson¹s endeavours.
Peter said: ³It made us think: ŒI wonder if our friends would like to help us in return for a stay at the house when finished?¹² Enquiries were made and family friends jumped at the chance to get involved.
A crack team was formed and the roof got built.
Peter said: ³At that point, the adrenaline kicked in and we decided to do the whole house in that way.² Over the following years the house began to take shape and Peter kept notes, records and photographs of the progress.
The logical conclusion was to write a book: a project that proved as monstrous as the house.
Peter said: ³It took a long time to write and a long time to get right.
³Then I had to go through the trials of finding a publisher!² Book Guild Publishing took Peter Thompson¹s writing on and after much hard work Monnet: A Good Impression was born.
So the question is: with the house looking good and the book available on line at Amazon.com and in all good book shops from yesterday, will Mr Thompson be slowing down to enjoy a more leisurely retirement?
The answer is a resounding No.
Peter said: ³I¹ve discovered the ruins of another house in the garden and I¹m looking into the history of the enormous bread oven which we think was used for community baking.² I smell a sequel.