I, too, love those simple pleasures, and the ability to take enough time to bring creative ideas to fruition. In fact, I fear that I could retire too late to really use my creativity. Eyes and hands deteriorate, and mine have seen their best days in an employer's service.
As I age, I find another concern about retirement emerging. It has to do with socializing. I am gregarious and can easily chit-chat and small-talk to get the ball rolling, but I can't stand small talk for very long. I need more substantive conversation. At work, there is always WORK to be discussed. Everyone has something to contribute.
When they aren't discussing work, though, people always seem to slide into those middle-aged standbys, "kids," "property values/property taxes," "petty gossip," and "politics." All good subjects for a little while, but please...can't there be a little variation?
And after trying once or twice to turn the conversation to something more entertaining (to me), I have to find an excuse to leave the room. The same thing happens when I join "interest groups." You'd think people would discuss the hobby or interest at hand, but no, there they are talking kids and property taxes.
As one ages, the standbys seemingly evolve to "grandkids," "the organ recital,"** "cost of living," and "what's the world coming to; wasn't like this when we were young." And there I will be again, running from the room.
I don't like that the alternative to social boredom seems to be hermit-dom, and I don't know what to do about it.
Amethyst
**Organ recital: My knee, my kidneys, my heart, my spleen, etc. etc.
etc. I relish the time spent just sitting in a lawn chair in the backyard listening to the birds. I even enjoy hanging clothes on the line in the backyard when the weather is good. Simple pleasures. . .