Older and A Little Bit Wiser

I celebrated my birthday last week. I kind of stopped caring about birthdays after the big three-oh, but I like to take time off work when it comes around and this year was no different. Me and boyfriend spent the day itself seeing things in London that we haven't bothered to look at before. That's the weird thing about living in this city; everyday you're near all this incredibly cool history, art and activities but you rarely bother with it, let alone notice it.

Got to scratch the cow's head - think she was surprised I wanted to.

We started the day in Mudchute Farm and if you haven't been I highly recommend. It's a small working farm with a "pet corner" for your standard rabbits, guinea pigs, chickens and other birds. Oh, and a chipmunk who hid right at the top of his enclosure so he looked like he was trapped against the wooden roof. He was faking though; I saw him move to another section at the back. Chipmunks - can't be trusted.

Horsie coming for a scratch; or food. Either way I win.

They also have cows, a pig, llamas and most importantly, horses. I've had a love for horses all my life, even when they scared me as a kid (seriously, think how huge horses are to an eight-year-old). They're as close as I'm likely to get to a unicorn so I have a strong desire to pet them whenever I see them. I was delighted that two of them came up for a scratch and a nibble at my fingers. The second that came up to me left as soon as he realised I had no food for him. Note to self; take carrots next time for bribery.

Am I the only one who fantasises about climbing the rigging on ships?

Afterwards we went to the Cutty Sark and walked around it for a bit. I love old clippers and ships. In fact boats of any description. Maybe it's something in the blood; allegedly one of my great, great uncles was the cabin boy on the Cutty Sark sometime in the late 1800s. I couldn't see his name on any of the logs though. Mum claims it's because they don't list cabin boys. I wonder if he didn't just live the life of Riley in London at the time he claimed to be on board… WE WILL NEVER KNOW.

It was lovely seeing my gorgeous city from some new angles and kind of mirrored how I'm seeing my life at the moment; looking at the same old thing from new viewpoints and finding much I love that I didn't know was there or didn't appreciate enough before. I have a new job coming up as a merchandiser, and my hobbies are giving me joy again rather than frustration. Can't say there's any great secret to it all; I've just relaxed more and yet become a lot more focused at the same time. I have a life plan (twenty-year-old me is laughing hysterically at this point), I'm a regular gym goer and reaping the physical and health benefits (twenty-year-old me is now shaking her head and calling me a sell-out) and I've finally, after many attempts, got the job I've wanted for years.

Now… bring me that horizon.

I have no doubt there are rocks ahead and shoals I may get beached on. Hopefully with the positive outlook, and a plan I can fall back on if I start to feel lost, I should be able to get myself back out onto the exciting seas, no matter what comes.