Life

Marie Louise McConville: Welcome to January - the dullest, dreariest, most boring month of the year

The New Year means January, my least favourite month in the entire calendar
The New Year means January, my least favourite month in the entire calendar The New Year means January, my least favourite month in the entire calendar

It's hard to believe it's 2022.

Somehow we have raced through yet another year and found ourselves at the dreaded January once again.

I know many of us are finding it hard to accept a new year.

Understandably, some of us are still trying to process 2020 and I don't know where 2021 went but it's gone, soon to be forgotten.

I don't know about anybody else but I absolutely hate and detest January. It is just the dullest, dreariest, longest, slowest, greyest month of the year.

And, I'm always broke in January and somehow, everything needs paid.

I feel like my shoulders are heavy from the weight of January and I only find any kind of relief when February 1 raises its prettier head, paving the way for a light and wonderful, colourful Spring.

But it's how we get to that point that is the problem.

As of today, we have 30 more days until we reach February - a long stretch.

And while I said last month that I wasn't going to make any New Year resolutions, I've had a re-think.

I have made it my mission this year to win the lottery - and I mean win big.

I have further decided that when that happens, I will remain anonymous, no photo shoots, no large cheques, no investigative reporters following me around.

The first thing I am going to do with my winnings is book the Christmas, New Year and January period away somewhere else.

I'm going to take my family, my parents and siblings, my in-laws and Darren's sister and her family and we are going to jet off somewhere sunny.

We will fly off around December 20 and we won't return until the end of January.

I see us staying in a really nice, large house, with a pool and staff, of course.

The chef will cook, the housekeeper will keep the place tidy and do the washing and ironing, the driver will take us wherever we want to go and on Boxing Day, all the decorations and Christmas tree will disappear, as if by magic - no fuss, no ripped cardboard boxes, no light tangles.

And we will spend those dreary no-man's-land days between Christmas and the New Year - which I really hate - having massages, going swimming, having boat trips, going to the amusement park, enjoying day trips, going to the cinema, bowling and eating lovely food - and money will be no option (and obviously we will have a teacher on hand for the kids).

And, when we return on February 1, Spring will be on the horizon and we will all be in good form, full of energy, ready to face 2022.

Doesn't that sound wonderful?

So now I'm in survival mode, making careful preparations that will help me get through the rest of this month.

This time next year I'll be sipping cocktails by the pool completely unaware what time of year it is - hopefully.

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While the TV viewing over Christmas wasn't great, there was one drama which made my sofa lounging all the more worthwhile.

Around The World in 80 Days, which stars David Tennant as gentleman adventurer Phileas Fogg, was just brilliant.

The BBC’s adaptation of the Jules Verne novel also stars French actor Ibrahim Koma as Fogg's loyal valet Passepartout, and French actress, Leonie Benesch, cast as aspiring female journalist Abigail ‘Fix’ Fortescue.

In the first two episodes we saw Phileas and his team prevent an assassination attempt on the French president and also save a young boy's life.

Can't wait for the next instalment tomorrow night.

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Competition

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No one even knew they were together.

Now one of them is dead.

56 days ago Ciara and Oliver met in a supermarket queue in Dublin and started dating the same week Covid-19 reached Irish shores.

Then, 35 days ago, when lockdown threatened to keep them apart, Oliver suggested they move in together.

Ciara saw a unique opportunity for a relationship to flourish without the scrutiny of family and friends.

Oliver saw a chance to hide who - and what - he really is.

Now, detectives have arrived at Oliver's apartment to discover a decomposing body inside.

Can they determine what really happened, or has lockdown created an opportunity for someone to commit the perfect crime?

I have 10 copies of 56 Days by Catherine Ryan Howard to give away.

If you would like the chance to win a copy, simply email your name, address and telephone number – along with the answer to the question below – to competitions@irishnews.com.

Closing date for entries is noon on Tuesday, January, 4, 2022.

(Q) Who wrote 56 Days?

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