We hoped and we prayed and finally things have taken a turn for the scorchio.

So, cue the moaning.

Admittedly, much as we crave the heat, if summer happens to fall mid-week it can be a tough gig. For those who found themselves office-based yesterday (wed) on the hottest July day in nine years, it's been emotional.

On hot working days such as these, the commute becomes simply the first in a series of hurdles, physical and psychological, to overcome.

In transit, it's business as usual, pressed against your fellow commuters, but with an additional 20 degrees of heat to contend with.

Still your journey affords you time to appreciate the various sartorial responses to hot weather of your fellow travellers.

Many seize the excuse of unusual weather to be set free from the regular workplace uniform by breaking out the emergency sandals while others opt for a full-on beach look.

Then of course there are the sunshine deniers who have stuck rigidly to their usual attire and are now quietly cooking under their collars.

You arrive at your place of employment looking moist and dishevelled, as do most of your co-workers. The avid cyclist in your department is still recovering from heat exhaustion with his head in the communal fridge.

Depending on your workplace air con situation, you will now spend the rest of the working day either shivering in your sun-dress or stewing in your own juices and regretting that choice of top, revealing as it does a rather unfortunate pattern of perspiration.

Whatever you do, however, stay away from the windows. Standing dolefully with your nose pressed against the glass watching strangers outside licking ice cream is not going to enhance your mood.

Also, disconnect yourself from all social media immediately. Watching so-called friends post images of themselves enjoying the weather will only serve to underline the injustice of your situation.

If you are lucky, you can nip out and catch some rays at lunch-time on your speed walk to the sandwich shop, which is practically the same as a day in the park, right?

And there still the whole, long evening to enjoy. Nothing beats walking out of the office into a still warm day reasoning that this is what it must be like to live on the continent.

So sling that jacket over your shoulder and take in the balmy air. Smell the unmistakeable whiff of summer and appreciate the happy, grateful faces around you.

Wait a second. Where has the sun gone? Where did that big grey cloud come from? Is that rain? You cannot be serious.