Purple-My absence on the server for days at a time...

[BlackMajor]

I get that you're stating in brief that you understand that he's going to be gone for a while and it doesn't really affect you much, hence your quick response of a "k".

But come on man, family business is sensitive, be at least a little more politically correct, for example:

"Ah, ok, that's reasonable, do come back when your family is all sorted again!"