Simple

The older I get (not that I'm old - yet), the less impressed I am by the trappings of material things. It becomes more about small pleasures. And when you're home with a young baby, it's surprising just how luxurious these little things can feel.

You spend your time being completely switched on - anticipating feeds, nappy changes, entertaining the little one, planning each outing to the nth degree. And despite all the pregnancy/parenting literature telling you to 'sleep when the baby sleeps', that doesn't happen.

When Joe naps (anything from 20 to 40 minutes usually, once in the morning and once in the afternoon) I grab a shower/do the washing up/sort the laundry/pay my credit card bill. All the fun stuff.

So for me, real luxury is about getting a cup of tea in the afternoon. Or reading a few pages of a book or magazine. When J comes home I cook dinner (listening to Radio 4) and it's more relaxing than tiring. 

At the moment my ultimate simple pleasures include:

A hot bath

Painting my nails

A lie-in (although I'm a very light sleeper)

Relaxing under a blanket watching Girls

Eating pomegranates

Walking at the weekends.

Who needs massive shopping sprees anyway?