At the age of 56 I am still ridiculously excited by a....

[Catname]

Travelator at the airport.

Especially when, as happened this morning, there is no one else on it because I love walking as fast I can and feeling like some kind of superhero striding out.

Conversely, I am most disappointed when there are lots of people and my childish glee has to be contained - and when someone has the temerity to block both lanes so I can't get past I feel deflated.

What childish things do you still get excited by as an adult?

Rollercoasters

The Waltzer

Spring in the UK

Being the first to walk in virgin snow

The aroma hit when opening a new jar of instant coffee

The power of music

A really good storm

Very recently, walking along the seafront at Lee-on-the-Solent in a Force 7. It was wild, with crashing waves and the howling wind (and far enough from the water to be safe). Walking west we were propelled by the wind; coming back every step was like resistance training. I was on such a high and DH, who'd been my very reluctant companion ("You're mad, woman!") admitted he'd really enjoyed it.

I don't think we ever really grow up; just learn to behave with dignity when people are watching.

Yes yes yes to the travelators at the airport. Why would anyone want to stand on them when you can zooooom?

I also like balancing on logs and also stepping stones. In my head I sing 'we're following the leader' from Peter Pan. Every time.

Easter eggs
I gave up chocolate and sweets for Lent so really looking forward to tucking in.

Nature things 😁Daffodils in the spring. Pussy willow, catkins. And last week I sent DP a text that went along the lines of OMG!!! I saw a kingfisher!! And two ducks mating!! And a shag! BEST WALK EVER.

And at the opposite end of the spectrum- next year we have a family trip to Disney World and Universal planned. Every now and then I remember and get a bit giddy with excitement. Fortunately ds2 (who's usually the one on the receiving end of these outbursts) humours me very nicely 😁

I have this amazing duvet and pillowcase set made from a soft cuddly velour type material. I only use it in winter, but every night, I mean EVERY night, I get into bed and say to myself it's like sleeping in a cloud. I love it beyond reason.

As above: rock pools, snow, thunder and lightning, animals of all kinds, birds (especially hawks), Advent calendars, supermarket trolley riding...

And if there's one of those boards where there's an image on the front, like clowns or funny people on the beach, and you stick your head through the hole and take a picture? You can bet Imma stick my head through that...

I'm nearly 59.

Front seat on the top deck of a bus never fails to excite me. I’m 59. I also quite like a low wall to walk along.

Feeding an animal! Just yesterday I was waiting for DH to leave the house on our way out and watched a young woman on horseback ride up our street. She saw me watching, came over and asked if I wanted to pat the horse, then pulled a carrot from her pocket and asked if I wanted to feed him, so I did. I'm 59 not 9. But it made my day.

OP I totally get that 'I'm superhuman' fast travelator walk.

So many of these…

The first view of the sea when driving to the coast on holiday or a day trip
Steam trains (PP mentioned the National Railway Museum - I didn’t know how steam trains worked until I visited there as an adult)
The top front seat of a double decker bus, or the front seat on the DLR
Crossing rivers on a car journey and looking to see how full they are

I'm 58 and if there is a pile of leaves or grass cuttings I will kick it.

This is a great thread.

I also love loads of PPs pleasures: leaning into the wind, walking on virgin snow, rockpools, sighting a kingfisher (did the other day and was so excited).

Every Christmas we go to a nearby lake where a flock of white doves nest and I feed them. They line up on my arms and eat from my hands. I get a feeling of absolute bliss from it and it's a highlight of Christmas for me.

This is me! I call it my superhero walk and when nobody is around I really swagger! Best place for this is universal parks in Florida - they have miles of them (okay not miles but a lot) my adult DD also loves to do this!

The front seat on the top deck of a double decker bus. Big rolling waves when swimming in the sea. Lying on my back in the sun and looking at the shapes of clouds. Puppies.

@VenetiaHallisWellPosh

There is a button near the toilets at work. Its a big red button and I have no clue what it does.

But I have to control myself everytime I walk by it

Finding a pound that someone has left in a locker at the swimming pool.

Ooh yes, front seat of double decker and secretly pretending that I'm driving it.
And with a new jar of instant coffee, doing a little drum tune with a spoon before bashing it through the seal

@Shodan @AmaryllisChorus Kingfishers are absolutely top-tier bird spotting. I always feel like seeing one is like seeing something a bit magical from another world…

The dawn chorus.

Bridges, especially looking along a river and seeing bridges across it. On a clear day I can see both the Runcorn bridges from fairly near where I live and that’s really exciting. DH thinks I’m off my rocker.

Seeds germinating.

Watching a robin build a nest in my clematis.

Rockpooling, especially if I find hermit crabs, and paddling in the sea.

Dogs that say Hi back to me in the woods.

Sometimes I let my bantam chickens sit on their eggs and hatch them (I also have a rooster) and dear God the excitement of a chick hatching is absolutely off the scale. The egg cheeps for a bit and then they poke a little hole then suddenly there’s this LITTLE TINY CHICK and it’s just absolutely magical and I can never quite get over it.

Jumping/walking in puddles with wellies - I never had a pair as a child.

Racing people through airport security.
Choose someone in a different queue and see who gets out and all belongings sorted first. Usually "the man in the orange jumper" or "the woman with the velvet suitcase."
I've even been known to accidentally say hello to said person if I meet them later on in another part of the airport.

I’m 56 and Iove autumn purely because of dry leaves. Yes, I do go out of my way to step on a dry leaf for that satisfying crunch 🤣

I was in Devon last year and was in a souvenir shop that sold postcards, so I sent a few out. DB phoned me and said 'but NO-ONE sends postcards these days!' and I told him someone must because the shop was selling them!

Travelator at the airport

Walking to beat the people not using the travelator and taking a big stride at the end. Same on escalators.

Building a dam. (Streams not actual rivers!)

Watching a murmuration.

Newborn lambs. Lots here at this time of year.

Growing something from a cutting.

Sitting on the front seat top deck of a double decker bus over the driver and then imagining/pretending I’m driving. Sometimes get so into it I (silently) tell myself that was a great manoeuvre - almost completely forgetting that I’m actually a passenger.