Look Who's 84 . . .

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, DAD!!!

One of Dad's favorite Florida places -- The Morikami Museum and Gardens

Dad has always been a huge supporter of my books.  In fact, he's been the first reader of each of my three books the moment the ARC has become available.  He loved Olivia Bean, Trivia Queen.  But then again, he's a huge fan of Jeopardy!

Here's Dad with the ARC for How to Survive Middle School.

Dad's a glass half full kind of guy.  In fact, he's a glass completely full and brimming over kind of guy.  But the past few months have been rough.  (The previous sentence is an understatement of epic proportions.)

June 15th, his partner of 17 years slipped quietly away from cancer, with Dad and her son beside her. 

Dorothy, me and Dad during happy times on an Oregon vacation with my sister and her family.

We loved having Dad with us for the summer.  It wasn't easy for him, though, to be away from his life in NJ, his fun, feisty friends, my stepsister and her family and the place he called home for over 35 years.  

But Dad enjoyed lots of Phillies games on TV with the boys, coffee with my hubby, time with Dorothy's son, Michael, and Dorothy's brother, Blair, and, well, a memorable run-in with an attack goose.  (Didn't know Dad could run that fast!)

Dad with Andrew, goofing around in a goose-free park.

 

As if losing his wife and having to move from his home wasn't enough, Dad's "vacation" in Vegas with my sister and his best friend three weeks ago turned into an ambulance ride to the hospital where he needed to have triple bypass surgery.

Thanks so Southwest Airlines, I was able to get a flight to Vegas before Dad's surgery.  And I was able to stay for a week so my sister and I could be mother hens by Dad's bedside.

Know what?  Dad's doing great.  The day of surgery he was up and walking.  Less than two weeks later, he was on the exercise bike and walking steps in rehab.  A huge thanks to my sister, Sherry, bro-in-law, Ben and nifty nephew, Ethan, for taking such good care of him.  He's recovering in their happy home now.

If you'd like to drop a note or birthday greeting to my dad, send it to the address below, and I'll make sure he gets it:  Jack Piltz, P.O. Box 2154, Jupiter, FL  33468-2154.

 

HAPPY 84th BIRTHDAY, DADDY-O!  LOVE YOU!!!