So miss this man - 4 years without having him here. The first thing he would say when you would open the door to greet him would be a version of did you people just get up (it would be late afternoon!) it used to annoy the heck out of us that he would think in our 40s we would still be doing what we did in our 20s! Hed always have a package of goodies for the kids in his hand - some yoghurts or biscuits or bakery and sit down and have a chat about whats happening. Its in these past few years that I realise he was the master organiser of our family toonai and various gatherings that we would have. He would put the phone call out to the famz with Ive told mum to make a chop suey or Im making a raw fish. He was the BEST host - always asking if Id like a glass of wine and then if you said no thanks asking if you want top shelf to which Id contemplate and then say ok Ill have a glass of wine. He was ALWAYS asking if you are alright, checking to make sure you were ok, if you have had enough to eat and telling you to have some more (clearly he asked that question too many times), and you know he had been waiting for ages for all of us to arrive as we rocked up to Corinna after a late night. He was so generous, and would do stuff like give you $50 from some winnings he had, not just for me but for all the girls around the table (boys would miss out lol), and Augie was talking the other night how Mum would get brassed off when he came home from the Club and the aunties and uncles would be playing poker and he would dish out some monies to everyone, it was just the kinda thing he would do. Any kids that were selling a raffle would be guaranteed a purchase, or a donation - he would always dig into his pocket and see if he had $10 for a child he might see whilst he was out and about. He had such an affection for his grandaughters in particular, and he loved all his grandchildren and talk about how they were such blessings. Keenau once scratched across the bonnet of his car K E E N A U it wasnt small, and he was just oh well its ok and then told us not to tell him off, leave the boy. He did that kinda thing a lot. He would buy his grandaughters easter eggs the size of friggen footballs and then his grandsons would get the egg with the coins in it. For real, he did that and he had no shame in it, it was how it was - if you were a girl you got spoilt. He would often randomly tell you to give him a cuddle and tell you he loved you - which I used to think hey Im just the daughter in law - but he didnt see it that way. He was a very kind man, miss him to bits. Coupla photos of August Betham (Gus), that I love, the first two of him in his youth, I see many of the Betham boys with the same look (specially in Uncle Mikes boys and grandsons), I love the 80s pick of him inbetween Augie and Ron (it was Christmas so that excuses the Ive had a couple of drinks look, and hello check out the gorgeous attire Augie is wearing - spunky is the word around that time hahaha), theres one there of Dad and Uncle Monty, and with him and his grandchildren dancing at his 60th - kids are such babies there, and the last one is a pic of the view of the doorway at Lotopa which reminds me of when we were married in Samoa and he took a shower in his underwear on that doorstep when there was a flash rain shower - I do have the photo of him taking that shower at home, but this one makes me think about how he isnt here any more to do that kinda stuff. Anyways Im sure heaps of famz will love looking at these photos and thinking about him today and what an awesome Dad, Grandad, Uncle, Brother, and friend he was.
Posted on: Wed, 21 May 2014 23:22:55 +0000