As life gets ever more ridiculous due to the multiplying demands of my, now all school age, children I have found a small oasis of peace and haven of help in my whirligig existence.

I have joined the ranks of mothers whisking their progeny all over town to Ballet and Riding, Karate and Cricket. I tried very hard to make them all have the same interests and enthusiasms but they are wilfully insisting on being different people.

So this is how I found a little place called Rhubarb at 2 Grove Street, Bath– By day it is a gorgeous grownup café, restaurant and nail bar (Bliss). But, come the afternoon, the ladies who have managed to grab a little ‘me time’ for a mani/pedi and lunch with a friend are replaced by a very different clientele.

The Lovely Rhubarb is doing Kid’s Tea – healthy nursery favourites like lasagna or spag bol with a glass of squash is £4.95 or a toasted sandwich with squash for £3.50

This allowed me to feed the children who had finished Ballet and Cricket whilst waiting for the Karate Kid (I had managed to force sustenance into him whilst the others were dancing/batting). How brilliant! We were then able to head home, homework done, for bath and bed with no washing up to contend with – What a result – Fed Children and a Happy Mummy!

Having been so envious of the luxury daytime schedule at Rhubarb I have promised myself a treat after half term. It will be the very spot from which to orchestrate my Christmas Shopping Mission (Rhubarb even has shopping pegs – for a small donation to Bath’s Women’s Refuge – you can leave your purchases on a numbered hook to free up a hand).

So here’s the plan:

• Smash and grab raid on Snook’s Golden Cot
• followed by a little prettification of the toes
• and then restorative lunch with a chum (probably with a glass of something). Doesn’t it look Yummy!

No doubt we will ‘rabbit on’ for far too long and have to rush off to collect the kids from school. It is almost equally certain that we will have forgotten a snack for our little cherubs to stem those after school hunger pangs - but even this has been catered for – by the till there is a stash of mini snacks to cover all eventualities. The lovely ladies at Rhubarb have clearly thought this through.

All in all a perfect pleasure.