Retired, kids are on their own, wife retires in 5 years so I go to the beach place alone for weeks at a time with my dog. I see the problem with other people, especially retirees, while at the beach, though. They’ll approach me while I’m walking the dog and start conversations. I don’t mind and I’ll talk to them but don’t need to. I can see that some have to and it’s a little sad. I mostly prefer to just wave and keep moving. Traveling around the world mostly alone for work for the last 30 years got me used to being alone and having few and disconnected relationships. It made me come up with my own diversions and being an engineer, enough technical hobbies to keep me plenty occupied on my own, especially having the Internet for information and finding things, tools and parts to order. I love the solitude and quiet and don’t have to travel in retirement, which I can’t stand now anyway because of what I already did and saw while working.
I've noticed that there are drivers who cannot be alone, even if they are the only one in their car. They can be on a divided highway with two lanes in the direction they are going, and only one other car in sight for half a mile, but they MUST drive right up and tailgate, or drive beside. They could pass the other car, they could drop back to the legal interval of one car length for every 10 miles of speed, but no. They must be WITH another car/driver. It's loony.
I never expected to outlive my wife, and while I used to love having “alone” time, it is different when “alone” time is all the time.