My Brother Left His Heart in New Orleans...

Well, my father announced to me last night during the smoke and Coke ritual that he was heading to New Orleans in the morning with my brother and his family.

"Your brother asked me to go and I jumped at the chance," my father said. "Charlie's going to take real good care of you while I am gone,"

I almost got excited as Charlie will bring lots of treats for Maggie and me tonight and the next few nights as well.

My brother graduated from Tulane with a degree in Biomedical Engineering and has always said he left his heart in New Orleans when he went off to join the Navy. He always loves to return to his favorite city.

I called my father to see if they were underway this morning and dad was joking and carrying on being his usual self. We all know within the family that when my father passes away that my stingy brother will become the arbiter of my father's estate. He is also an oncologist and told me when he got to be my representative payee that the smoking had to stop. Dad just loves to tease me about that.

"You're getting cut off," he is fond of saying while laughing hysterically.

I told my father to tell my brother that I smoke Doral Lights 100s this morning and I expect to keep getting them. Dad laughed and laughed and picked at my brother about it. My brother replied that he was going to wean me off of them slowly.