Thx road-runner and nicknack.
My son (who's now 38!) played alto sax in his school jazz band, and they were quite good, and famous locally. He went off to Uni, leaving behind the sax, and never came home (funny that, I seem to recall doing the same many years previously).
I retired in 2016 and knew I needed a mental challenge, and some daily structure, having worked in environmental and civil engineering for 40 years as an engineering geologist. I'd always liked jazz and the sound of the sax in particular, so I had his sax serviced (a Buescher) and found a teacher, who also plays in a Big Band.
I absolutely love it, but I did treat myself to that new Yamaha a few months in. I love practice and I can see myself gradually improving, and I like the cause and effect you get from learning new skills, driven by a brilliant teacher. She says I'm a bit 'mechanical' rather than 'musical', but I'm working on that too - maybe to be expected of an engineering education and career!.
I get a real kick out of playing a duet with her in lessons and hopefully in a few years I'll be good enough to get into a local band. Been working on some Glenn Miller classics, and can do a passable American Patrol, and getting to grips with In the Mood atm.
My only regret is that I didn't start this years ago, as you never know how much time you have left. But I suppose loads of UK and international travel for work, and long periods overseas in hotel rooms would have made practice impossible, and lessons out of the question. So, maybe, it's just that my time has come, and I'm giving it a thorough go.