Thanks, Sue! [insent]

I'm sorry you're having a crappy day, Steph. Do you think eating something small and plain like crakers, even if you're not hungry, might help the stomach pain?

Thanks for the ~ma.

Good news for my mom, it is probably just bleeding and it should drain if she stays upright. She does not have a detached retina or blood behind her eye.

My uncle is entering palliative care. Treating his heart requires treating the GI bleeding. Doing endoscopy to find out the cause would probably kill him- the other options are testing DNA to see if his has the marker for colon cancer or a CAT scan. He has been in a lot of pain for a year, and has a low quality of life, so he has chosen to let things take their course and manage his pain.

He is more upbeat and lucid than I have seen him in a while, but he wants to go home and my aunt isn't sure she can manage since she still works (and must-- they lost all of his retirement in 2008).

The Maritime Museum is on the waterfront, which is where the busker festival is. I really like that museum. The waterfront is a little touristy, but I do go down for walks on my lunch break, there's lots of sites of interest. If you're interested in the Halifax connection to the Titanic, there are graves in the graveyard that's about a 10-minute walk from my house.

There's also a brand-new library on Spring Garden Road which is a very open and modern library. It's not to everyone's taste, but I love it. If nothing else, it has a cafe and a roof deck on the top floor with great views. There's also the public gardens further up Spring Garden. (Halifax is really small, especially the downtown.)

You can also take the #9 bus to Point Pleasant Park and walk along the water, although I'd imagine you'll get great views on your sailing tour. (I'm assuming it's harbour tour.)

The only thing that I'd recommend that would need a car is a trip to Peggy's Cove or the South Shore of NS. But I'm sure you'll find enough to do in town without it.

There's places around town, like the waterfront and the Grand Parade (the town square) that have free wifi, but you'll find that most cafes and restaurants have wifi. You may have to ask for the password, but most places will give it to you.

I will have to go through customs each way.

Ugh, not fun. Though in my admittedly out-of-date experience, customs on the way in to Canada was a breeze. Maybe having hockey jerseys and a Bobby Orr action figure in my luggage greased the wheels?

I'm sorry you're having a crappy day, Steph. Do you think eating something small and plain like crakers, even if you're not hungry, might help the stomach pain?

Maybe? Boy, I do not feel good all of a sudden. I might lay down after I finish this stupid author return.

Best wishes to your uncle, Sophia. I'm sorry.

Oh, Sophia. Can they get hospice to come to their home? I don't think it's usually full-time, but depending on how he is, it might be enough?

Also, everything on the edges of my field of vision is kind of...spinning, which doesn't seem like a super great thing.

That does not sound good at all! And if you haven't eaten, eating would always be my first idea, even if your stomach feels bad -- something bland. Can you microwave a potato or something?

Jesse- my aunt thinks they can't afford/insurance won't cover that, but hopefully there are options. When my grandpa was dying at home it was horrifying (I was 18), and I don't remember any help, although I also don't remember much of anything except him crying for help all the time in the middle of our house and me trying to not be home ever.

Here Steph, have some schadenfreude:

My neighbors whose enormous house ruined my view are having a loud annoying pool party today.

It's 55 degrees, gray and windy. Happy August!

(Maybe I'm a bad person, but I find this kind of stuff actually helps. It's helping me anyway.)