Dave Elliott 1942-2004

My Dad died four years ago today. Last year I forgot this date and was really upset with myself. This year I have been determined to remember. Thinking about my Father daily for the past few weeks has been quite painful. I struggle a bit to remember the sound of his voice but, thankfully, I can't forget his laugh.

My Dad was a generous man. He liked to pay for things when he came to Australia on visits. Dinner, appliances, fishing trips, I think it gave him a lot of satisfaction knowing that he could afford to help out. Of all the things he bought us, not many are left now. The microwave is about to get chucked to make way for the new one in the new kitchen. Slowly reminders of him are disappearing.

My Father had a fourty five year long battle with cigarettes. As far as I can tell he started smoking when he was in his mid teens. It was a family joke that Dad couldn't go out without at least two full packs and one open pack of smokes. The ashtray in his car was always overflowing. When Sue, my sister, collected his belongings from the hospital after he died, there were cigarettes amongst them. To his dying day he insisted he had asthma.

Jo and I now fondly remember Dad smoking on the back step of the house when he came to visit us. Jo wouldn't let him smoke in the house. We would be lying in bed at 4.30 in the mornings and hear Dad light up outside the backdoor. Within seconds the breeze would blow the cigarette smoke into our room. Then Dad would fart, giggle then start coughing. There isn't a time I can remember that Dad didn't have a smokers cough.

I do miss his Christmas visits, the deep sea fishing trips, the fishing trips on the bay in our leaky tinny and the many, many restaurant dinners.

I have been thinking about this blip for weeks and what I am going to type. I should have made notes. It seems to me that I have skimmed over some important memories.

Mum brought his ashes to Australia on one of her holidays. We put them in his two favourite fishing spots: The third beacon off Manly Harbour in Moreton Bay and in Quart Pot Creek in Stanthorpe.