You sound like you are going about this in the right way Gary...it is a big step, and the more prepared you are for the life changes it will bring, the better.

Personally, I slipped into retirement quite easily, probably because I'm naturally very lazy, and also because I've always kept my lifestyle relatively simple, and, more importantly, I've always played my keyboard firstly for my own enjoyment, with playing for others a secondary (and often profitable) consideration.

That's probably why I don't miss gigging steady that much, although I will take a job if it suits me. I'm presently getting set up to do a lot of recording over the winter (and I certainly don't miss gigging at that time of year) and archiving all the tunes I loved playing over the years. I'll probably organize them into several CDs which I'll either give away to friends, or maybe even sell some to cover the cost of materials.

Retirement may seem daunting at first, but try to take it one day at a time, and don't miss out on your present life by being worried, or overly concerned, about the future.

That's all the advice I feel I'm qualified to give, and I hope your changeover goes smoothly.

Ian