The name is plain , the person is not, full of life and imagination , a lark born to wake up early and greet the day with a child like expectancy always being aware that in this day something great and unexpected would happen, well I was a child then …..
1942 was a bleak time in England but Iris Wynnick had her two lovely children, a dove pair, Michael 2 years and Norma 3 months. They were her pride and joy and although Harry, her husband was away most of the time in the army fighting this wretched war, she was at home in Ewell,Surrey.
Michael dear little heart was born in the blitz.It was a scary time the doodle bugs were flying and bombs randomly exploding. The bugs were falling more and more and poor baby Norma had to be put in a canister and little Michael had to wear that ghastly Micky mouse gas mask, then they would all be as safe as possible in the Morrison shelter erected in the front room.
Time to evacuate – so the house was sold and Iris with baby Norma and toddler Michael would go deep into the countryside and be taken in by the meanest of vicars, no coal for the fire and very little food.
So much water under the bridge to bring me to this point in my life – a time to be able to stop and think. I have lived on my own for 4 years of my life. The first 18 years I lived with my parents, I was married at eighteen years of age and that marriage lasted for ten years, in that time I had two girls but I lost one daughter in a road accident in 1968 she was just 3 years old.
My first husband and I moved to Sussex, I met my second husband while working at Gatwick airport, that marriage and story is told in my autobiography “Looking through a glass darkly”
After many geographical changes I came back to England from South Africa in 2007 and in 2013 my beloved husband of 40 years died and so I have lived without my soul mate for 4 years. For the first year I lived with my daughter Mandy my son in law Patrick and their three lovely children my grandchildren Jimmy, Jocelyn and Jasmine.
I then prayed for a little place of my own a little one bedroom flat, The Lord answered my prayer and I now live in Bookham a 10 minuet drive from my daughter Mandy and also a 10 minute drive from the little church in Fetcham that has given me so much support, and with my family and the church I live one day at a time.
Its not all plain sailing but I am very fortunate that I can write And so I have written my latest book which will hopefully be a comfort to people in a similar position to myself. I quote an email from Chris Day my publisher and mentor. Re:Manuscript from Norma. Thank you for sharing your beautiful manuscript with me. I know that your strong faith will be an inspiration to others treading the same path. Kind regards Chris.
Norma Denner 09/ 06/ 2017
Norma Denner 