T HIS week I decided to write my column outdoors sprawled out in Queens Park in Shawlands, on the obligatory tartan blanket, covered head to toe in factor 20 sunscreen.

I was also chomping on a big ice cream cone - well it would be rude not to - as I enjoyed the temperatures of 26 degrees and above.

Yes, this week we welcomed athletes and tourists from all over the world to Glasgow for the start of the Commonwealth Games, and they must have been thinking that they had landed in the wrong country.

I for one am determined not to give the game away weather-wise and pretend that this glorious sunshine is just par for the course here in bonnie Scotland at this time of year, although judging by the reaction I've seen from the locals I'm not sure we will quite get away with it.

For example, yesterday I saw a man walk into a shop and buy a litre bottle of water only to walk outside and pour the entire contents over his head while shouting "Ya beauty".

Sadly ladies, this was not a recreation of the 'Colin Firth walking out of the lake as Mr Darcy' scene but it did make me laugh and the gentlemen in question did seem utterly relieved as he strutted off down Sauchiehall Street soaking wet and without a care in the world.

This unbelievable weather will no doubt add so much to the Games themselves and all the festival events happening across the city over the next two weeks.

The set up is massively impressive with live zones stationed at Kelvingrove Bandstand, the Merchant City and in Glasgow Green, which is where I'll be from 11am today.

I've been given the honour of hosting the first day of what can only be described as an extravaganza at Glasgow Green and, after visiting the site myself on Tuesday, it is simply jaw dropping.

There has been no expense spared and with literally something for everyone all in the one space, this has got to be the place to be throughout the Games.

There are huge screens showing all of the sporting events throughout the day and all of the fantastic live performances on the main stage.

There's a Spiegeltent with comedy performances, a huge kitchen and bar area, children's playgrounds in the back garden with athletes giving live demonstrations and my favourite thing of all, an interactive runway where members of the public are given a chance to race the fastest man on the planet Usain Bolt - after watching some of the on-site volunteers give it their best try all I can say is good luck with that one.

I honestly wasn't really that excited about the Games coming to Glasgow, as athletics just isn't my thing but I'll hold my hands up and say that after my rehearsal on the main stage at the Green on Tuesday followed by the Commonwealth baton coming down my street in Shawlands, where hundreds of ecstatic adults and children lined up just to get a glimpse of it, I am now in full on Games mode.

I'm so excited about today's events in Glasgow Green and hope lots of people come down to join in the fun as it's an absolutely free outdoor event and, in this scorching sunshine, where else would you want to be.

I want to wish all of the athletes competing the best of luck especially to Team Scotland, of course.

For more information about all of the free events happening all over the city, just log onto www.glasgow2014.com

IHAD a fantastic day on Sunday watching the Speedway racing where the Glasgow Tigers beat the Sheffield Tigers on home turf in Possil by impressive 55-40 points.

This was my second trip to see the Tigers and I absolutely loved it.

It's a great family day out with kids under 12-years-old costing just £1 at the gate.

There is also the added bonus of the riders coming into the crowd afterwards to meet and greet all the fans and have their pictures taken which the kids just loved.

The highlight of my day, however, had to be the announcer informing the fans that I was in the crowd and if they couldn't find me, all they had to do was look out for "the bird wearing the dark glasses and drinking a pint of lager".

Yip he was pretty spot on with that description.

For more information on Speedway and the Glasgow Tigers just log onto wwww.glasgow tigers.co