Totally understandable. HUGE transition. My daughter is about to go to college - in a just a few months. And the reality of this departure, of this next phase ... looms large. Then, there is, as you describe, the prospect of retirement - which for a couple, brings more time together. A relationship that worked under one pattern for so long may struggle or strain in a new one. Transitions and change are the bumps - and can become potholes or pitfalls. Both partners acknowledging this can be a huge step.