Somewhere Over the Rainbow: An autobiography of the life, love and loss of a 'Northchurch' girl

Linda Pottinger, nee Delderfield, is a native Hertfordshire girl with roots firmly entrenched in the village of Northchurch. In a colourful, candid account of her childhood comes a potted social history of her formative years, influenced by her parents, brother and iconic Grandpy Delderfield.

Taking us through life as a Hertfordshire police cadet and constable she lends thought-provoking insights into this enigmatic world.

Linda tackles emotive topics, such as the loss of a parent and the three cancer survivorship battles her brother endured since the age of twenty-six.

With the course of true love never running smooth, Linda embarks on her very own ‘love story’, culminating in the long awaited arrival of her beloved husband, former Detective Chief Inspector Richard (Dick) Pottinger.

Just as she anticipated skipping off into the sunset forevermore, tragedy strikes, when Dick is himself diagnosed with cancer. Thus follows the heartbreaking story of his illness and subsequent death on 10th January 2007.

Linda bravely works through her grief until the sun finally starts to emerge from its hiding place - offering hope and inspiration to others in coping with bereavement.

This revised version of the original 2007 book contains an additional 8 chapters that move on with Linda from 2008 to current date.

Follow Linda’s journey back to her childhood village; to a home requiring complete renovation and extension.

When life continued to throw up further stress, such as her mother’s broken back and subsequent disability, to the death of her ‘right hand man’ – i.e. Auntie Kath and further illness endured by her brother, it is little wonder that her recovery from the loss of Dick remained incomplete. She will acknowledge that it took seven-and-a-half years to come out the other side.

Counterbalancing any negative forces, Linda thrives in her love of words, the creation of a new garden and development of new business enterprises.

Linda accepts “Life will never be the same; I will never be the same; but life still brings joy.”

This book has everything – humour; honesty; intrigue; triumph over adversity; love; despair and above all….hope.