Had a decent birthday today- indeed I can only remember two years when I haven't had a good birthday- it's probably partly because I make such a big thing of it!

Got some new clothes, some sweets, and a set of Tom & Jerry DVDs. I haven't seen T & J for a long time, but I remember I used to watch it regularly at my grandparents' and I regularly tuned in to BBC when they showed it until 2000. According to reviews there are some issues with PC censorship (shame on the PC brigade) but haven't noticed any on my two favourite episodes. It was like putting the clock back when I viewed them- and I still find them as funny as I used to as a child.

Had a good morning going to the local painting club and bringing a nice birthday cake in.

As for the weather, many people might have noticed me complaining about Cleadon's weather today. Ironically, the post in my previous blog...

It makes my blood boil on days when the rest of the country is having sunshine and showers/storms, Cleadon is dry but dull with coastal low cloud and temperatures several degrees lower, and I hear that my area is being very lucky with the weather, because at least it isn't raining. Looks like my birthday on the 22nd could turn out to be one of those days, if the low pressure ends up as far south as the GFS is currently showing.

...turned out to be remarkably accurate, though at least the low cloud stayed off until late evening, giving us a sunny dry day rather than a dull one. And yes, I did hear, much to my angst, about how "lucky" I was to miss the showers.

Yet another example to put with the rest of why, with the exception of its "thundery wintry showers" episodes in winter that inspired my Net-Weather name, I don't like the climate of the north-east coast. Actually, I think much of the North East has quite a reasonable climate; it's just along the coast that gets on my nerves.

Might be doing more stuff this weekend. I feel more content with life; some feedback from UEA also about accommodation though I don't know where I'll be living yet, and probably won't know for a while. Some feedback also about Exeter and the Met Office- the PhD, and opportunity to work for the MetO, are feeling more mouth-watering as I get closer to the time. Meteorology has been my main passion since the age of four, and it's great to be in a position where I supply forecasts for an increasingly well-known, respected website (i.e. this one) and can think realistically in terms of pursuing a career in climate-related fields.