It occurred to me the other day that with my birthday coming up in two weeks, I’m going to be entering the final year of my twenties.

*cough* *hack*

Sorry, those words stuck in my throat a little bit, as I typed.

But seriously, I’m careering headlong into my thirties and while I’m not overly worried about the ageing process or about having a 3 in front of my age instead of a 2, there are things that I would have liked to have done or achieved before I hit the bit 3-0.

So, I’m compiling a list of things that I want to do in the next year – some are big, others are little, but all of them are things which mean something to me. Also, in the name of reader interaction and to make this even more fun, I’m leaving a space at the end for you guys to fill. There’s not a prize for the winner as such, but I’m going to whittle down the suggestions to my top 6 and then put it to a vote over on the Mum’s the Word Facebook page. Suggestions can be crazy-ish, but do bear in mind that they need to be things that are within reach (i.e. not ridonkulously expensive) as well as SAFE (I’m not chucking myself out of a plane, for instance) and can be achieved within a year.

So here’s my list so far (all fairly self-explanatory, but do ask if you need clarification!):

1. Start writing my novel (and hopefully finish it)

2. Perform stand up in front of an audience

3. Lose weight and get fit

4. Learn to play the Ukulele

5. Start my degree again and decide once and for all what I want to be when I grow up

6. Redesign this blog

7. Go on the London Eye

8. Visit Anfield to watch a match and take a tour of the ground

9. See Foo Fighters in concert again

10. Go for one proper big night out like we did in the days before parenthood

11. Take Sausage on holiday

12. Do a burlesque photo shoot (once number 3 has been achieved)

13. Join a netball team

14. Start sewing again and improve skills

15. Learn to crochet

16. Move house

17. Take Sausage to Bestival

18. Take part in a (peaceful) protest

19. Have something I’ve written published in a magazine or newspaper

20. Work out my ‘style’ (I’m useless at dressing myself and tend to look like a vagrant most of the time)

21. Go somewhere that requires the wearing of a hat or fascinator

22. Reverse or lessen my type 2 diabetes (maybe not entirely achievable, but it COULD happen with lifestyle changes)

23. Start to learn a language

24. Get a LOT better at taking photos

25. Get the three tattoos that I have planned

26. Eat at a restaurant with Michelin stars (preferably Le Gavroche as I’m a little bit bonkers about Michel Roux Jr. Hero-worship, much?!)

27. Overcome my fear of the sea

28. Go to the opera

29. Ride a horse

30.

So, leave a comment with your suggestion below for number 30 and we’ll go from there! This is by no means a comprehensive bucket list, just things that I’d like to do in the next year. The final list would be WAY longer and far more ambitious than this!