I HAD the entire day off work on Monday, not something that happens to me very often.

 

I had planned to lie in bed for the duration snuggled up in my onesie having an Outlander readathon

as I was only 200 pages away from finishing Diana Gabaldon's third instalment in the time travelling, hunky men in kilts running about the Highlands, eight book series.

It had just gone one o'clock in the afternoon however, when the, 'Oh God can I really justify this level of sheer laziness,' guilt set in and I decided to dust off the cobwebs on my nearly new trainers and go for a 5km power walk.

And as the sun was shining and it didn't look too cold outside, I even decided to wear sunglasses to stop the bright springtime sunshine blinding me as I glided so elegantly through Queens Park like a bullet determined to tone up and get fit for the impending glorious summer time that was so obviously just around the corner.

I know, I know at this point in my tale you're all screaming, "Don't you know you're living in Scotland?

A place where summer time is but a dream and the term, taps aff, describes anything over 10 degrees in temperature?"

Fear not dear reader for if I did not know these as facts before, I sure as hell freezing over do now, for you see only 15 minutes into my walk I was what can only be described as assaulted and attacked by gigantic hail stones raining down on me from the stormy heavens, bouncing off my sunglasses and nearly

smashing them into my eyeballs.

Not being blessed with natural athleticism I tried my best to move as fast as my little legs would carry me through the park remaining as dignified as possible while trying not do the Phoebe run from Friends. Within seconds though an almighty wind started to blow as rain and sleet came pouring down blowing the hat I was wearing clean off my head, unleashing the wild Chaka Khan hair do I was sporting underneath, which to be honest had not seen hide nor hair of a brush since Saturday.

I, in vain, chased the hat as far as the duck pond where it slipped in slow motion underneath the murky waters.

Last, but by no means least, came the snow storm that froze my eyelids shut and caused my already drenched body to turn it a massive icicle.

That was it, the final straw and I could take no more, so I side galloped (as that's all my frozen thighs would allow) for dear life out of that park and round to my flat while battling the elements.

It's been a very long time since I've been soaked through to my birthday suit and the hour it took to defrost and dry me was most unpleasant but I knew right there and then that it was a sign that maybe moi and exercise were just destined never to get on.

My week improved dramatically though on Wednesday when I was out and about in Glasgow promoting The Big Lunch campaign, the UK's annual get together for neighbours and an event I've been proudly involved with for the last three years.

The idea came about seven years ago from the Eden Project in Cornwall and is funded by The Big Lottery Fund.

This year's Big Lunch takes place on Sunday June 7 and with over a month to go there is still plenty of time to get registered and get involved.

Part of the promotion yesterday involved me visiting TASK Childcare Services in the city and reading the story of The Gruffalo to a group of parents and children, including my sister Laura and my darling

nephew Sam, organised by Bookbug South.

I gave it my best shot putting on voices and giving it laldy with the acting and thankfully the kids seemed to love it.

It was a wonderful afternoon and I'm so grateful to everyone who made it possible and felt so lucky to think that this was me at my work if I can even call something that was so much fun work.

If you would love to get involved in The Big Lunch then please do as it really is the most fantastic way to get to know your neighbours and make friends within your community and best of all we'll send you

everything you'll need to get started in our free pack.

All you have to do is go online at www.thebiglunch.com to request your pack which includes invites, posters, stickers and recipe ideas.

It's a fantastic day for all the family and let's keep everything crossed that the weather Gods have had their fun and Mr Sunshine will make an appearance on June 7.

Tomorrow is Gaelic or #Gaidhlig day on Twitter and Social Media Alba are hoping it's another roaring success following on from last years event.

It's an opportunity to create even more awareness of this beautiful language as well as Gaelic learners and fluent speakers across the world to converse on Twitter in one big conversation using the

#Gaidhlig hashtag.

I will be down at Coffee and Craic on Elderslie Street, Glasgow's only Gaelic cafe, along with the lovely Carina MacLeod and loads more familiar faces to celebrate the day.

For more information check out @SocialMediaAlba or @CoffeeAndCraic on Twitter.