I am out for my therapy & chiropractic adjustment that morning.  I come home to a message on my answering machine.  It was my brother.  He was on his way to the hospital.  He thinks he had a stoke.  He asked if I could fly up and feed his animals.

The color ran out of my face.  “Krap!” I look around the house and realize I am totally unprepared to jet out of here.  Never the less, I have the airlines web site up and can be there by the evening.

Then I call that butcher shop Brookhaven hospital.  It is the closest and most likely where he is. A few transfers later and I get to talk to the floor nurse.  He is in for tests, (most likely an brain MRI).  She takes a message to call me as soon as he gets out.

I see I can get a flight out that would put me in NY at 10 PM.  Good.  The butter ball cats of his can wait a couple of hours for their dinner.  I did not book it, yet.  Figuring I could wait a bit on a phone call from my brother or the hospital.

Then it was what I needed to do to leave the house.  Wishing I was more diligent in my cleaning and pool maintenance. Figuring out what I need.

Later about 12:30, during my scramble I get a phone call from my brother.  He was home.  Turns out he has  Bell's Palsy.  Caused by a virus.  Treatable and more of an annoyance than anything else.  Good thing I did not book that flight.

I was so relieved.  I realized with my Brother being so much older than me, I have to be more prepared to jet out of here on a moment’s notice.  That means less time on the internet, more time on my home.  Being ruthless on what I keep and what I toss.

Not today.  The rain moving in has put my back in agony.