What kind of response does "ready-to-retire" expect? A better question is "how do I deal with my friends about ER?"
"I did things my way and can afford to retire now, so why can't my friends keep their mouths shut and let me enjoy what I have worked for?"
I thought this came off as more of a rant, using an advice column to chastise his friends , and that he was not really looking for an answer.