I've been "alone" since 1998 (when I divorced my now-deceased ex). I dated a bit in the beginning, and was even engaged to be married once, but became so disillusioned with the over-50 dating scene in my geographical area (where the women outnumber the men our age 4:1, and the men know--and try to exploit--it) that I haven't even bothered to look for male companionship since 2001. I also have a very demanding career, and a ridiculous commute (3 or more hours each day) which makes having a social life of any kind a challenge.

I am happily living alone at the moment, but I am still in relatively good health, and able to do (or pay someone else to do) whatever I need done. I have been temporarily knocked out of commission by various things (appendicitis, pneumonia, surgery, etc.) and those times are very challenging for me, as I have no family in the area, and my closest friend is nearly two hours away. I don't have much time for loneliness, but I do miss having someone to come home to (and do things with), and I worry about what would happen if I were incapacitated beyond my ability to invent workarounds. Thus far, I've managed, but it's a major concern, and lately the idea of a "Golden Girls" arrangement sounds more and more appealing. If I could find like-minded housemates with similar values and compatible backgrounds, I think such a plan could work really well!