10 Things I've Learnt Since I Turned 30

I've been 30 now for just over a week. In the lead up to my birthday it seemed like quite a big event but, if I'm honest, it was nothing to worry about. Milestone birthdays are only as significant as we want to make them.

That being said we never really manage to live up to our full potential, and any chance to take a step in the right direction must be a good thing. As a teacher, I love to learn new facts and so having my 30th birthday seems to be a good opportunity to start trying to learn a few extra new things.

Here are 10 of the facts/truths that I've discovered in the last 9 days:

1. On the subject of ironing: there can be no doubt that using a steam iron is three times faster and ten times more efficient than using a normal iron.  But they are also a million times more dangerous when they are filled with water and little drops start trickling towards the cord. Also, why are ironing board manufacturers so mean to tall people?  I had to take off my clogs and stand with my knees bent so that I didn't injure my back!
2. Water can work really effectively with oil paints... is that cheating? Soaking the brush before using it makes a fabulous translucent effect.
3. Being 30 is not at all scary until you consider that the next major birthday is your 40th...
4. It is fun being the second eldest in the house, but it never feels quite right! Still, it's great that we never really did grow up and still have our little clubs within the family. Last time the parents went away we concluded the week by buying a collectable Battle of Trafalgar plate to celebrate our watching of Hornblower, this time Clemency made us pendants to celebrate our watching of Arrow. She's a clever cookie!
5. On the subject of Arrow, I've discovered that John Barrowman can act... no, really act! Who knew?!
   
6. In the absence of Dad, Mum and the car - and therefore walking pup around town - I discovered that Orlando (our dog) has a preference for orange bottles, most especially Irn Bru and Lucozade. Is anybody else's dog this picky about colours?
7. Playground fitness is a great thing. Thanks to Wick Gala we now have an amazing playpark that is accommodating to adults as well as children. I'm attempting to better my balance, which has always been poor, and I've realised that you never really outgrow swings and climbing frames. But I hate the zip wire. 
   
8. Peach stones are crucial to making peach jam. Judith left some on the side and I threw them away because I thought they were rubbish. Then she couldn't make her jam. Apparently that is what contains the setting agent - sorry! Still, we got some nice cooked peaches out of it.
9. Crowd funding is not always a waste of money! After giving £150 to someone and never seeing the promised perk in return I had decided not to take part in any crowd funding again, but seeing Duck Egg's project on Facebook I thought it was time to lay the ghost. I know the person who runs it and, as it's a youth arts programme, we're pretty much in the same line of work.
10. Finally, it's never too late to learn something new. People who say that they are too old to try are often just too afraid to fail. I live in a house where the collective age is 252 years, but not one of these six people believes that they have learnt all they are going to learn. I love that about my family and it makes me even more proud of them.

So, to sum up, age makes no difference to discovering new facts. It might change how quickly we can remember them, but never use your age as an excuse for your reluctance to learn. Knowledge is the key to making our corner of the world better and knowledge only comes through the commitment to continue learning.