Truly, the bench is a boon to idlers. Whoever first came up with the idea is a genius: free public resting places where you can take time out from the bustle and brouhaha of the city, and simply sit and watch and reflect.

My idea of childcare at festivals is to sit at a trestle table with an ale while the kids run around and make up their own games.

Whether you live in the city or in the country, creating time for a leisurely ramble is an easy thing to do.

When stuck years ago in a job I hated, my only friend was the public bench. As the tedious mornings dragged on, how I would long for the lunch hour, when I would be able to escape the torture of the office and stroll over to the churchyard and into the comforting wooden embrace of one of its benches.

Surely, anyway, a working day of eight or nine hours which is not split by a nap is simply too much for a human being to take, day in, day out, and particularly so in hot weather.

Laziness works. And the simple way to incorporate its health benefits into your life is simply to take a nap.