I totally agree with you Fletch and Jackal.
I used to play in bands when I was younger in the 90s.....
But you know, then you have : job, children, family life....your life and money priorities change and you put your guitar in the closet for many years.
I waited until 35 years old to have my first "real" fender strat. It was in 2006.
I waited for my daughters to grow up a little, and I started to play again, first in my room, and then approximately 5 times per year, with my friend drummer.
We don't have any rehearsal room, so he trigged his drumkit, and we play with headphones !
yes I know, a bit tricky, but we can have fun sometimes (between my job schedules which change all the time).
we don't even have a bass player for now ! So what can we do ? just playing some riff, ideas, and so on.
recently, my daughter has begun to write songs, and I found some fun to arrange, trying sounds, compose song structures.
So I started home recordings. Of course, it's not the same feeling as playing in a band.
But I find that it fit more with my family schedule and life organisation, and I have fun in it.
Maybe one day, I will find the opportunity to play with mates again