John,
I'm 18 months in. So far, so good.
I do not miss airports and airliners one bit.
I don't miss most of the people I worked with, but I did begin to miss the intellectual challenges.
I startend helping at a local museum, but came to realise that it came with the sort of baggage (politics, incompetence and favouritism) that I hated at work, so I may well stop that.
Then 8 months in I started doing some consulting: working 3 to 6 days a month it is rewarding, both intellectually and financially. The money means I can afford to buy things I want, but don't need, like HiFi upgrades.
I've also started to get a lot more exercise, mainly through hard labour in the garden and helping Caroline with the horse. In the spring I'm going to have lessons and see if I can learn to ride.
We travel more in the UK, mostly indulgent short breaks, buy better wine and generally enjoy life together.
I figure we have another 15 years of enjoying life before we get properly old.....
Talking of fun, I get Tarka back tomorrow, so now it has turned cold and wet I can get out and enjoy life!
