We have some of the most changeable weather in the world, that's why the rest of the world thinks we're fascinated with talking about it, which of course we are.

It's simply a case of perception; it's not THAT cold at the moment, 15c-ish during the day, a few c's colder at night on a bad day. MY central heating is never actually 'off' it's run with a thermostat, which hasn't needed to fire up the boiler for a few months now (I'm pretty cold blooded though, I can't recall my setting but it would probably be colder than most peoples). People have funny memories about the seasons and weather, I recall threads last Autumn talking about “when the snow comes” and such, even though to the best of my memory, I remember maybe 4 winters when snow amounted to more than a day or a couple of cm’s of snow, followed by maybe a day of slush. I hear the same thing in the office now, “bloody hell, what’s happened to summer this year” As far as I remember British Summers are mostly blowy, damp with occasional glorious days or weeks of Sunny weather.

To the climate change deniers as people have mentioned, the Gulf Stream, it has more of an effect on our climate that almost any other factor aside from the seasons themselves. We share the 52nd parallel north with parts of Alaska, Northern Canada and Russia, without it, it would be much colder. Whether you choose to accept climate change is a man-made thing or now, it is a fact that it is changing and the gulf stream in recent years hasn't come as far north, and when it does, it doesn't always stay there. That's why our 'summer' comes in fits and starts and doesn't always peak and falls like most places in the world.

I was working at the Isle of Wight Festival last year and managed to get bad sunburn even though it was cold whilst I was sleeping between shifts on my platform. That was the Saturday and when night came the paramedics stationed by me had to lend me clothes to keep me warm. I already had most of my winter gear on.

On the Sunday the rain came in sideways for over 12 hours. All our expensive waterproofs gave up after around 8 hours.

That was also June, I believe.

I've had to re-think my Le Mans packing this year. I am going for layers and a thick fleece with some light waterproofs.

8 degrees c can be a tad chilly overnight in the tent. Not the coldest - I once camped in April at Thruxton where it got to minus 1. I got in my sleeping bag with my coat on and a woolly hat.

Fab weather here for the past two months (with one day's exception). You need to move somewhere sunny

Just as I was switching on the heating I heard an ice cream van outside. Now one of us is wrong.

The ice cream men are selling drugs.

and someone mentioned that it will start getting darker earlier soon. Really cheered me up

This evening (like almost every evening for three months)

Don't tell them!