Order, please!

Once upon the time, when I was gainfully employed outside the home and hadn't yet had kids, I used to think that working part-time from home while looking after a baby would be a doddle. Having now done it for four months, I have come to the conclusion that it isn't, unless a) you 're Wonderwoman, or b) you have help.

Since the only Wonderwoman ability I have is creating mess out of nothing, I guess we can forget a). Having tried to do it without help, and unwilling to sacrifice my sleep or my sanity or the baby's sanity, I have reached the point of drastic measures. These include a) asking for help from whoever is within shouting distance and stands still long enough to be chained to the sink or ironing board pleaded with, and b) paying a professional for their services.

That's how my visiting mother-in-law ended up doing several hours of ironing last Sunday (thank you, Mother!) and a lovely girl called Maria spent an hour this morning ironing the hubby's workshirts (10 minutes per shirt, would you believe), followed by 3.5 hours cleaning and tidying up our home. Which, according to Maria, wasn't long enough for the standard of cleaning her company expects her to deliver, but hey, it was 3.5 hours' more TLC than our home would have had otherwise - and it really looks much better for it.

Maria will come again after Easter and then weekly to help us keep on top of things. She even mentioned cleaning the windows. I think I may be in love.