One of the things I loved most about Anthony was his sense of fun, of mischief; even his scatalogical references were fun rather than crude, which, in retrospect, is rather ironic in terms of his chronic constipation in the latter years of his life, and the enematic solutions! You don’t want to know.
More than anything in the world, I wish Ming had known this funny, fun-loving, guffawing Anthony. He loved so much to stir things up and once convinced a nephew’s girlfriend that he usually tied me to the clothesline until I was needed for cooking duties. He rather liked to shock people so he probably rather liked the situations in which I would be mistaken for his daughter.
I remember once waiting in the car while he was in a business meeting. I was a not particularly mature 24. I had the car radio up really loud and my bare feet on the dashboard when the man he was meeting looked out of his office window and said to Anthony, “Your daughter can join us if she wants to.” Anthony got a kick out of replying, “That’s not my daughter; she’s my girlfriend.”
When Anthony reiterated this to me on the drive home, after telling me sternly to get my feet off the dashboard, he laughed and laughed about my mistaken identity.
I, on the other hand, was quietly delighted to finally be identified as Anthony’s girlfriend, by him.
When we stopped for petrol, I asked him for a banana paddle-pop and this became an ongoing joke between us, especially when I threatened to yell out, “Hey, Daddy, paddle-pop pleaaaase?”
We had fun with people’s disapproval, judgements, assumptions because of how inviolable our relationship was. I had always been a happy, grinning child/teen/adult but I don’t think I had ever guffawed myself until I met Anthony.
My ongoing grief is permeated by such wonderfully funny moments, even during those years when Anthony was in the nursing home, that I often find myself laughing into my tears.
That beautiful, witty, resilient husband of mine is still the great big funny smile in my heart.
Fun!
jmgoyder 
What wonderful memories to have in your heart.
What wonderful memories you keep in your heart.
That is a really good thing to have in your heart.
Your ability to put these delightful memories into words and take us along for the ride, is pure joy.
wonderful post about a bloody good bloke
i love that his happy joy is still with you