Simone Reddington

At last, my first blog post of 2024. At this point, most of us have already failed dry Jan miserably and given up on most of our New Years resolutions (mine was to write more regularly, which as you can see has failed so far). Most people hate January, as the weather is atrocious and we’re all recovering financially from Christmas. While both of those may be very true, I am one of the very few who actually like January. I see it as a fresh new start to the year, and its nice to slow down after the busy festive period. Here are some of the things that have brightened up my January 2024. 

1. The Traitors– Another reason that I quite like January is that the TV is always fantastic as the television companies know that most people are staying in as its too cold to do anything else. This year has been no exception and I, like the rest of the country, has been utterly gripped by the return of The Traitors on BBC One. I was late to the party last year but when I finally binged it, the concept of a reality show that is essentially a game of wink murder in a Scottish castle had me hooked. The second series has lived up to the hype and I have been obsessed with the cunning nature of the Traitors. Fantastic viewing.

2. Waterstones Café- Although I didn’t manage to complete dry January, I did manage to last a good three weeks. One of the things that kept me away from booze was treating myself to sweet treats instead. On one Monday evening off work this month, I treated myself to a trip to Waterstones Cafe with my book and enjoyed a divine raspberry doughnut and an equally delicious cinnamon bun hot chocolate. Tasted like a hug in a cup. 

3. Dragged Up Proper – One of my aunt’s former classmates published a memoir last year about growing up in the coal-mining villages around County Durham, where my family and I are from, and I started reading it when I went home for Christmas. The area has faced mass unemployment and poverty since the 1984 Miners Strike and subsequent closure of the pits. It felt very strange to read about my area and its people in a book. The author, Pip Fallow, shares his expeHriences of growing up in a community that has been constantly neglected by the government. I would recommend the book to everyone, not just fellow North-Easterners, as it is a recount of an important piece of British working-class history that is not talked about enough.

4. H&M zebra print trousers- I’ve not actually bought any new clothes this month but I have finally worn these funky pants since for the first time since I bought them in the sale last summer so I’m going to refer to them as ‘new’. I absolutely love animal print and these trousers are so flattering. They go with any plain top to create a statement piece.