I spent this weekend with a friend I only see every few years. She’s been retired a few years now, and the number of activities/hobbies she’s involved in had me exhausted. She bakes, sews, does photography, paints artisitically, does other crafts. She started all these things while she was still working, but now she has more time for them. I feel like a slacker when I hear all that she’s doing, but she was impressed that I could manage downsizing and decluttering.
Small (or large) DIY accomplishments go a long way, so congratulation on your roofing job @musicmom.
I’ve been a full-time stay home dad since my two boys (now in college) were young, and my wife just recently retired at age 54 due to health issues compounded by the ever increasing stress level at work. Her work situations were fast deteriorating with benefits being eliminated systematically, and that most certainly helped in making her retirement decision. While we’re not rich, either, we did save enough for our retirement years.
We both enjoy gardening, hiking and just about everything outdoors. As soon as I turned 62 this year, I purchased a Senior life-time pass at a bargain price to all national parks so we can visit them anytime by just flashing the card at the gate. Sure beats paying $20 (or has it gone up?) each visit. She took up drawing flowers, while I continue to pursue bird/wildlife photography, which I’ve been doing for the past 3 decades or so. Took lots of photos of hummingbirds this summer in the backyard under the shade of 13x13 pergola that I built atop our deck in May. It was a hard work building it all by myself but also very enjoyable and rewarding. I also made several cabin-style bird houses as well as hummingbird feeders with ant moats, too. Feeling a bit “empty nest” now that the backyard hummers have all migrated south. But at least I have blue jays, northern flickers, black-capped chickadees and house finches posing for me still on a regular basis… all in my backyard. It’s funny come to think of it… I don’t suffer any empty nest syndrome with my boys in college, but I do when there are no birds visiting me in the yard…
Even in retirement years, I still feel like I don’t have enough hours in a day to do all the things I want to pursue. I’m not an anti-social person, but I’ve always treasured solitude all throughout my adult life. Nothing makes me happier than when I’m out in the woods all by myself for hours with just my camera in communion with nature. It took my wife awhile to understand why I need to disappear for a whole day with my camera once in awhile. Retirement years are great in getting to know yourself better.
@TiggerDad, stay-at-home dads are a rarity, even nowadays. Congratulations on bucking the trend.
Thank you @VeryHappy. Especially as an Asian male, I paid a steep price for that decision, but I never regretted it for a moment.
@TiggerDad, my favorite part of the day is having morning coffee on my front porch while watching the birds at the feeder. I grow a lot of tall native plants around the porch that they seem to like, too, and have large pots of annuals beside my rocking chair that attract hummingbirds (Black-and-blue Salvia seems to be their current favorite). That lets me be practically eye-to eye with the critters. I still see a hummingbird there every morning…hope that doesn’t mean trouble for it catching up with the others! I admit I don’t know all the different species but I sure love communing with them! My cats love them too (from the other side of the window).
I second that recognition for @TiggerDad. Not easy at all.
My DH was not a full time caregiver for our two but he put in many many more hours than I did.
He has always been self employed so he booked work around the kids schedules especially till age 5.
He gave up some career paths that could not be picked back up later.
I am grateful for the freedom I had in my career because of our arrangement. And I know our kids absorbed so much from their time with Dad. Much of it wonderful and only a tiny bit awful!
But I’m happily out of the workplace and trying to wiggle my way into his domain at home.
I think the reason why I don’t suffer the empty nest syndrome as much as what other parents are reporting here on CC is that I think I got burnt out. Enjoying my solitude is a way for me to rejuvenate myself.
Like @inthegarden, nothing like drinking my favorite Starbucks coffee at 6 a.m. under the pergola and watching (and photographing) the hummers. They love my petunias because I injected them with delicious nectar. I give them nectar, and they pose for me 
If you’re still seeing hummers hanging around, what you’re seeing are most likely female or juvenile. Males migrate first, followed later by female and then juvenile which needs more time to develop enough muscle power and energy needed to fly a long distance.
Only half retired right now. I am not sure what I will do when I am fully retired. Reading is my only real hobby. I am not crafty and got over gardening and volunteering when I did so much when the kids were young. DH has been retired and has taken over the yard anyhow. Maybe the residual burnout from earlier will pass and when there are no clients to schedule around I can find something that interests me again. We do enjoy traveling and I guess my other hobby is getting us to places with points and miles and the least expense possible.
^^ I hope to never get over volunteering! So many opportunities! You may have felt more obligated to volunteer for kids schools/sports. But now you can choose to volunteer somewhere that is just gratifying for YOU!