Hi Chris,

Congratulations on your decision to retire, I did the same 4 years ago when I hit 60, and I have loved the time since, no plans, but I made sure I kept in contact with my mates and I swim twice a week with them and an over 50 group, it is good but gentle exercise and quite sociable, with tea and a gossip afterwards. As a wife/mother/grandma/greatgrandma I still have everyday domestic jobs to carry out, and I love to bake and I do some crochet, I usually enter a few bits in the twice yearly Flower Show, I read a bit, watch a film now and then and play a lot of poker! So my time gets filled quite happily.

Now my old man has recently retired at 65 and like you he had few if any hobbies other than the internet, but as a retirement present he chose a D SLR camera, and is now going 1 morning a week to adult education classes to learn about photography, which will hopefully become a hobby. He also plays Petanq, which is basically a load of Boules!! 1 afternoon a week, at our local Sports club, again it is a gentle exercise with a social side.  He pops off to Brands Hatch now and then to spectate if an event takes his fancy, such as truck racing,  bike racing, or saloon car racing.

But our main goal for retirement is to sell up and move to the coast, (a cheaper area) and buy a flat (less maintainence) to free up some equity to purchase a Motor Home, and do some travelling around Britain and Europe at our own pace and without the hassle of airports and air travel, which I find tedious these days.

On Saturday we had tea on a steam train, and today we had breakfast at a garden centre (Special offer  lol) and tonight we are going out for dinner for our 42nd wedding anniversary,  , and we are going away Friday to Monday with our son and youngest grand daughter.
 
There are also plenty of organisations who need volunteers if you feel so inclined, your local Day Centre may well welcome someone who can give advice to  Silver Surfers on computer/internet use.
  
I think you will soon find plenty of activities to fill your time and you won't regret retiring, it just takes a bit of adjustment to realise this is for ever and not just a holiday period.
  
So good luck in finding the things that are right for you, we always welcome your input, advice, and games on here too, all the best for retirement.

Jeanie 

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chris you should start swimming at your local swimming pool, all pools these days do an adult swim, and judging by the amount of old ladies plodding up and down my local pool a gentleman of your age would be quite a catch