Despite my approbations about being able to enjoy my birthday this year and it being overshadowed by my deferred exams this coming week, my friends have been amazing and proved me wrong. I woke up quite early in my friends' spare room to find a birthday rosette outside my door, went downstairs to have breakfast before getting ready and found the kitchen covered with balloons and 'happy birthday' banners, with a card and presents sitting at my place on the table. After worrying about the extremely rainy morning, and the success rate of my planned picnic on the beach with friends after church, we finished to find all the rain had gone and the sun was shining brightly and strongly! Whilst picking up some things together in Tesco's and being serenaded to the tune of 'happy birthday' very loudly in the car-park, we headed towards Falmouth's main beach, Gyllyngvase (or Gylly if you're local enough to know) and eventually found a good spot amongst all the young families and seasonal tourists. Despite our good friend JP running away (he insists he just fancied a brisk walk) from the occasional pesky wasp, we thoroughly enjoyed our sandwiches, crisps, and of course, cake! I was promptly serenaded and embarrassed again as my friends all sang happy birthday a second time, just with a larger audience of confused locals. I could not have asked for a better day, and I'm rather proud of Falmouth, which actually looked tropical in the sunshine, rather than a bucket of rain half of the year ! Photos of my beautiful local beach to follow soon...