Hello, CharlesG!
Being at the advanced age of 56 before you cast off the surly bonds of earth is starting late, which means your learning curve will often resemble a plateau.
I started at 50, but I started by flying gliders....which did eventually lead to the PPL. Nobody on this thread has said a word about gliding? o my, you are missing the most fun of all!
Lots of people gain a power license and then don't use it very much, for reasons of cost or boredom. Many of us who learn to become soaring pilots are still enjoying the sport at very advanced ages! Your first solo, yes, your first cross country (if you get it wrong, you visit a farmer!) and
your friends come to get you, and help derig, and you all stop at the pub on the way back to the club.... We fly in Wales, rock polishing in the Black Mountains at Talgarth. We fly in the wave over Scotland, at Aboyne. We fly in competitions, we relish analysing the weather and using the ridge, or the thermals, to float around local soaring, or to try for the silver distance in an open cockpit T-21, now there is a challenge! Vintage gliders, modern 25 meter state of the art, there are syndicates to share the cost and the enjoyment.
But best of all, we help each other.