Food, Memories & Our Glorious Decade

Sometimes the best conversations aren’t about business or money. They’re about the simple things that make life enjoyable.

Welcome to this weekend’s conversation.

Sharon and I are now into our third week exploring England’s beautiful East Coast. It’s been part holiday, part research trip for Ropho and, perhaps most importantly, a reminder that some of the best discoveries happen when you slow down.

We’ve enjoyed stunning scenery, stayed in some lovely hotels, uncovered a few hidden gems for future weekend breaks and, above all, met some genuinely interesting people. I’ll be sharing plenty of those experiences over the coming weeks.

But after this week’s conversations about business and personal finance, I thought we’d do what weekends are for.

Pour yourself a glass of something you enjoy, settle into your favourite chair and join me for three conversations that have been on my mind this week.

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1. Wine, Scallops and the Unwritten Rules of Hospitality

One evening this week we enjoyed an outstanding plate of Oriental scallops. As often happens, the meal became more than just dinner. It turned into a conversation with the chef about seafood, wine pairings and what actually makes a good bottle of wine these days.

My own view has always been wonderfully uncomplicated.

Red wine goes with almost everything.

Although, even I’ll admit that pairing a full-bodied red with delicate scallops may be stretching the friendship a little.

During the meal I mentioned to Sharon that I’d invited a couple of new people we’d met on our travels over for dinner when we return home. They’re interesting people who may even become part of the wider Ropho journey.

That simple conversation led to another question.

When you’re hosting friends, do you open your very best bottle, or do you quietly keep the special one tucked away for another occasion?

Is hospitality about sharing your finest, or simply making people feel welcome?

And while we’re on the subject, what do you think represents good value these days?

Has the price of a decent bottle quietly crept beyond what most of us consider reasonable, or can you still find excellent wines without spending a fortune?

Over to you…

• Do you bring out the best bottle when guests visit?
• What’s your favourite everyday wine that tastes far more expensive than it actually is?

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2. Long Summers, County Cricket and Village Life

Driving through the countryside of Essex, Suffolk and Norfolk this last couple of weeks, brought back memories I hadn’t thought about for years.

Summer feels different now.

Perhaps it’s because we appreciate it more. Perhaps it’s because we know just how precious those warm evenings really are.

Growing up in a small Hampshire village, summer seemed to last forever.

I remember tractors humming across nearby fields, afternoons spent beside the village cricket ground with my grandfather and uncle, and those wonderful “special occasion” trips that felt like grand adventures.

One of my favourites was visiting Hampshire’s old County Ground, where I watched legends such as Gordon Greenidge, Andy Roberts and Barry Richards from the boundary rope. I even remember being quietly smuggled into the Members’ Enclosure on one unforgettable afternoon.

There were family picnics on Old Winchester Hill, walks through the beautiful Meon Valley and Sundays when visitors would call after church. Our bungalow stood next door to the parish church, and I can still picture my grandmother and mum sitting in the garden enjoying a gin and tonic while conversation drifted lazily into the evening sunshine.

Funny how summer itself hasn’t really changed.

Perhaps it’s simply our perspective that has.

Over to you…

When you think of summer, what’s the very first memory that comes flooding back?

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3. Our Glorious Decade

One subject seems to come up more and more as we move through our sixties.

The bucket list.

Some people love the idea because it gives them purpose and direction.

Others dislike the phrase altogether, believing it creates unnecessary pressure and turns life into a checklist.

Personally, I think the answer lies somewhere in the middle.

I don’t believe we need fifty grand ambitions scribbled onto a list.

But I do believe we all need something exciting to look forward to.

It might be travelling somewhere you’ve always dreamed about. Japan remains high on my own list.

It might be learning a new skill, writing a book, starting a small business, volunteering, getting fitter than you’ve ever been or finally creating something you’ve talked about for years.

For me, that’s exactly what Ropho represents.

It’s proof that new ideas don’t have an expiry date.

If anything, our sixties can become the decade when experience, freedom and confidence finally come together.

I’ve started calling this our Glorious Decade, because I genuinely believe that’s what it can be.

Not a time to slow down.

A time to choose what really matters.

Over to you…

If there was one dream, one adventure or one personal goal you’d still love to achieve, what would it be?

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Final Thoughts

One of the unexpected pleasures of writing Ropho has been the conversations that follow. Every week people share memories, opinions and experiences that often become the inspiration for future articles.

So wherever this weekend finds you, I hope you find time to enjoy good food, good company and perhaps spend a few moments thinking about the adventures that still lie ahead.

Life after sixty isn’t about looking backwards.

It’s about making the years ahead every bit as interesting as those we’ve already enjoyed.

Have a wonderful weekend.

Steve