RIP Denise

This has been some week.  An insight into the magnitude of the week that is mine is the loss of Denise and how quickly it all happened. 

Norm was our cook at Echuca where I was parish priest between 1999 and 2002.  He and Denise, his wife, along with their lively, well loved and not so little family all became part of my life.  Norm and Denise have been my great mates ever since and we have even met here in Thailand, down in Phuket for some eventful and memorable coming togethers. 

On Tuesday, I got an email from the family that Denise was to die soon.  I emailed back the next day a message of love and solidarity, only to get the news on Thursday that she has died that day.  I felt sad and shocked.  Today is Friday and it all seems so quick, so surreal.  I can only imagine how Norm and the family feel. 

Denise was one of those larger than life characters.  She and Norm were the best of mates.  They did everything together - family, entertaining, holidays, travel, haircuts (as one daughter is a hairdresser), cooking, St Vincent de Paul and so the list goes on.  It was like where one was, so was the other.  You never just had one friend, you had two.  They were both very different in their own way but always a delight together or separately. 

I can see Denise being there at home reading or doing the crossword puzzle, while getting the dinner or herself ready for the night ahead.  It would be the picture of her having her hair up in curlers ready to be the star yet again that night. 

You see Norm and Denise's life had been running a pub or a restaurant.  So they were always together running the show with the children nearby.  Denise was the publican's wife, always ready for a chat and able to engage anyone in a conversation.  So she always had a consoling word, an understanding ear or just a simple hug with the invite to sit down here and have a drink.  It would always be - "It'll be allright, John" - and then a big smile, a laugh and maybe a kiss on the cheek. 

What a great woman!  You might have gone quickly, Denise, but you won't be forgotten that quickly.  You have left us something to remember.  To the Denises of our life!