42 year old Sarah France (Prunella Scales) is the widow of the recently deceased doctor, Henry France, and now works in a bookshop with the gay Russel.

Life at home is not easy, with her 18 year old daughter Clare on the one hand and her domineering, manipulative mother Eleanor (the wonderful Joan Sanderson) on the other, both trying to tell her how to lead her life. She hits on the solution of having the house split into three – Clare in a basement flat and Eleanor in a first floor flat, with Sarah in the middle. Somehow though, she still seems to be controlled by the two women in her life.

The humour is gentle, but will make you smile.