Do you for some reason not want to say "retired scientist?" That would seem to both connect to your previous working life and telegraph that you aren't working again. That will, of course, still weird people out. I am 9 months into the adventure myself. Honestly, most of our neighbors take it in just fine--most of those who are around during the day on weekdays are retired, too--although at more traditional ages. They don't even blink. For the professionals who are either working from home or that I see on the weekend, they seem to take it in stride--But perhaps they have questions about it they haven't brought up. Any conversation about it is on them to show interest.
Some in my family had the hardest time accepting it. Of course, they were the first I told, even a few months before doing it. So, maybe I wasn't so smooth communicating it.
For the rest--I don't really care what they think. I thought I might be amused by being able to shock some people, or catching someone nonplussed about the situation. But really--meh. I have no interest, so couldn't tell you if it happened or not. I have far too many things going on that are more interesting that rehashing that story. Now, if someone showed interest in it, and we had a conversation about it, that would be great. It has not happened yet. Of course, we also haven't been going out with a bunch of strangers for long periods of time, either.
I have no idea how much of this experience is about my personality vs. about going through the experience and learning. I was definitely worried about losing my work identity, and having come from IT, was worried about my "skills growing stale." But the more this side of the experience is normal, and that prior life is different from now, the less important that is.
The only advice I can give is to keep some touchstone to your identity as a scientist: teach or assist teaching STEM topics--the country needs it! Or volunteer for a wildlife count, or something else that gets you in the field. Write about it.
It could be a single, annual event or a second career. (I have a very good family friend in HR. She was a long-time Marshall for the local PGA tour event. She continued this into her retirement, and found that she got enough hobnobbing with the bigwigs there to feel "in the know" for as long as she cared)