Simone Reddington

Hello there! April seems to have flown over this month, as we’ve had the long Easter Bank Holiday weekend. I’ve still been very busy

• Driving- This month I have finally started driving lessons, which has been very exciting. I really regret not making an effort to learn to drive when I was younger, but I suppose it’s better late than never. It’s been really difficult to find an available driving instructor recently, due to the back log caused by pandemic; I was on a waiting list for nearly 5 months before I eventually had my first lesson. I am learning to drive on an automatic car as I know that I would struggle on a manual and I just want to pass my test as soon as I can. So far, I feel that my lessons are going well and I have been driving on the main road in my local town.
• Tia Maria and coke- This month I have discovered a new favourite tipple, which is Tia Maria and coke, after my friend recommended it on a night out. I initially thought it sounded disgusting, but when I tried it, I found that it actually does work! It’s really nice to sip in bed or on the sofa after one of those days when you finish work and REALLY need a drink.
• The Thief, His Wife and the Canoe– I was so excited to watch the ITV drama series about the infamous con-man John Darwin who faked his own death while canoeing on the North East coast as I live very close to Hartlepool, where the Darwins lived and where the programme was filmed. It was a major talking point in my area when it was revealed that an ordinary middle-aged couple had swindled thousands of pounds from his life insurance and had lied to their own family and friends, only for him to be living in the house next door. The drama series really does capture the craziness of the story and was very entertaining to watch.

The Age of Innocence– This month I have been reading Edith Wharton’s classic American novel, The Age of Innocence. I have wanted to read it since watching the episode of Gossip Girl where it is referenced and I am really enjoying it. It tells the story of a young man in upper-class New York society who falls in love with his cousin’s fiancé who has arrived back from Europe after her marriage falls apart. It’s really interesting to notice how the characters each have their flaws and don’t always behave the way that society would expects them to, which is quite unusual for novel written in the early 20th century.