Things I could have been better at. #03

We have a set of good dishes.

My mum had them, my gran well hers were real china.

I’m sure you have a set stuffed away somewhere.

Stuff that only sees the light of day once or twice a year for special occasions.

Ours only saw the light of day twice in 4 years when we moved

We used to be better at cracking them out, but since kids, the meal is typically half over before we think dam, shoulda used the good dishes.

I had another reminder of this at the weekend when Hana and I had a wee date wine tasting. You see we are fortunate enough to live on the same slopes as some of the best wineries in North America. So it would be a shame not to take advantage of this.

Our sommelier was telling us all about the special bottles of M he keeps.

My wife does the same too BTW.

I reminded them that every day is special, that you never know what’s around the corner.

So if you love it and enjoy it.

Then enjoy it now.

Save the memory, not the wine.

Then today I was in a conversation today with a military buddy of mine I’ve known for years.

The thing about the military is, sometimes you click with a person.

Doesn’t matter whether you served together for weeks, month even years, you just click.

This thing of keeping in touch and not waiting too long came up again.

Stevie Mac was his name.

I hung out with Stevie while stationed in RAF Gibraltar, he was at my first wedding where my brothers by the same mother gave him his first taste of Buckfast Tonic Wine. its a bit of a West of Scotland traditions and nothing like the wine I had at the weekend.

Stevie is one of the guys I lost touch with over the years.

There was always something more important pushing it back to next week, next month.

I did hear Stevie is no longer with us

I’m not sure when it happened, I think I know how, but not sure why.

Look, don’t wait for a special occasion.

Make the occasion special and use the dishes.

Wear your good watch every day and look at it knowing that every day is special.

Enjoy the wine the day you want and keep the memory.

Don’t wait too long to reach out to your buddies.

Because one day it might be too late and you might never to get to say all the stuff you wanted.

To all the friends I haven’t been in touch with over the last few years.

I apologise.

I will try to do better because you re important to me.

Like I ended my speech on RAF Mount Kent,

you know who the good guys are. The rest of you can fuck off.

Golf Delta 69 Out