Let me introduce you to ...

My granddaughter. You know of the boys - but I rarely write about her. She lives closer; I see her regularly, so the world doesn't stop for her visits.

But that doesn't mean you shouldn't know of her wonderfulness.

She's three. And I think this episode will tell you all you need to know:

My daughter and I were driving (I forget where) and the little one wanted to get out to play. No said my daughter, explaining - with extreme patience and clarity - that it was raining, and we had other things we needed to do.

The child asked again, and again. And my daughter explained, explained - there was no question of her changing her mind, so this wasn't a child carrying on in the hope of getting Mum to let her out to play anyway. Rather, she wasn't actually listening - explanations, for her, are not the point. She wanted to get out, discover the rain for herself.

I flashed back to her mother, as a little girl. To my explanations, to the endless questions, to the not listening. To her overwhelming need to explore the world for herself, to make her own mistakes. She needed the rain on her face, not on the windows.

Like daughter, like granddaughter.

She stands up to face the world with the clear expectation it will welcome her. Luck girl: she has a family to cheer her on, and pick her up if the world lets her down.

It's sunny - let's go out to play.

Sorry, I'm going to be a bit British here, and witter about the weather.

I know that anyone in paid employment, with a boss and working hours and people who depend on them - they can't go out to play when the sun shines. And I include the self-employed here - if you don't work, you're not paid. And many of you can't be flexible with your working hours - I don't suppose any householder would be too delighted if the non-appearance of the plumber was due to him fancying a swim.

But there are a lot of us who, for whatever reason, are not working or can be flexible with our working hours. So - what do we do when the sun shines?

Here in the UK sunshine is precious. Take a trip to the nearest park or garden centre next time the sun shines - it will be full of people in light clothes, moving freely, as if they've unfurled after months cuddled in cardies. Children, feet released from the tyranny of wellies, can run at last. Men throw frisbees. Women eat ice cream.

I know - some people need to sit in the shade. Those with hay fever survive only by dripping drops in their eyes and shoving drugs up their noses (you know what I mean - not the Hard Stuff). But even those who struggle with the heat acknowledge that the sunlight brings a wonderful change of mood, smothers the rainy greys with colour. And generally tempts even the most workaholic of us out to play.

So - here's a thought. Once we are out there, in the sunshine, chatting about the general wonderfulness of the weather, why do so many of us have an urge to lie down and go to sleep in it?

And yet, when night falls and we can take to our beds, we toss and turn and complain it is too hot to sleep?

Maybe it doesn't matter. Let's just enjoy the weather anyway, as it is not likely to last long (and may even have broken by the time you read this).