My husband retired in 97 and I followed in 99. We both worked for the Feds. He took normal retirement working 34 yrs age 55 but I lucked out with Early out any age with mandatory 25 yrs, at that pt I had 26 yrs. I was a bit afraid since I'd worked since age 17 with them, having the type of personality that needs to be doing something all the time. DH said "trust me 10 mins out the door and you won't regret it"...He was right.
For 26 yrs we drove a round trip of 80 per day to work, got up at 5 to leave by 6. He has always been a morning person, me not so much. But now I love the mornings get up at 5 everyday, drink my coffee and relax.
We also bought our dream lake hse in RI as a second home so we spend 2 wks there and 2 wks in our main home every mth.
I took up quilting in 07 when I bought my first embroidery/sewing machine. We enjoy the quiet and are not into going out and abt or having too many visitors and like it that way. So life is good and work seems like a distant memory that you really can't imagine you did for all those yrs. And yes, some Sundays it's PJ's all day...