THIS Sunday, Karen Hill will be taking a well-deserved rest from her role as MD of a successful company.

She even hopes to give the laundry, cleaning and cooking a miss -- it is Mother's Day after all.

However, no matter how much of a supermum we think Karen is, she's convinced what she does is no big deal.

"Being a mum these days means being able to do two things at once and juggle all the other stuff at the same time," says the 39-year-old mum-of-two.

As company director of Tecseal Ltd -- a company started by her father in Bolton -- Karen's day starts at 6.30 when she charges downstairs to prepare breakfast for her 11-year-old twins, Emily and Matthew before showering, dressing and driving them to school in Bolton.

By 9.30 she's taking calls in her office.

"It's all down to timing," she laughs, "or perhaps that should be military precision!"

Karen works full-time three days a week when her mum collects the children from school and Karen picks them up at 5.30. The other two days she collects them herself, then drives back to work to complete her day.

"The children usually spend the time at the office doing their homework," she says.

Once home -- around 6.30pm (12 hours after her day started), it all starts again -- dinner, homework supervision and the odd spot of cleaning "just to keep up".

Her only day off is Sunday which she admits is a day for housework -- she doesn't have a cleaner -- and for the family.

"I always make sure we do something with the children," says Karen, "maybe a long walk with the dog or lunch somewhere."

Then of course, it's back to the rocket launch on Monday.

"I suppose if I broke down the different jobs I do it would add up," she laughs. "It would be great if I got paid for them all!

"But what I do is indicative of a woman's role in the 21st century. Women are priceless these days, especially working mums -- and there are a lot of us out there, be it by choice or necessity.

"We have to be mums, cleaners, cooks, taxi drivers -- and that's before we get to the office to run a company!

"I manage to juggle it all relatively well -- mind you I've got wonderful parents who help out and a marvellous husband -- so I do have lots of help."

Perhaps this Sunday will be different.

"Hmm, I don't know about that," muses Karen. "I'm sure we'll do something special with it being Mother's Day but I don't know if the kids have got anything planned.

"Mind you, once they read this they might feel obliged to!"

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.