I leave for Qatar tomorrow.  Back to expat life, regular routine and back to work, the start of a new school year at the American School of Doha on August 15th.  I wanted to reflect on my visit to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.  To share some of the moments with friends and family.

My visit started with a mermaid…my massage therapist Liz Hammond Sweet.  Liz is who connected me to Erica, a Reiki practitioner. Meeting Erica evolved into a summer of Reiki with her eventually becoming my Reiki Master. The artwork below is Liz’s.  I took this picture of it as we had coffee at her home before my massage (her massage studio is at her home) on my first full day in Halifax. This is the art work that greeted me at my very first massage appointment with Liz many years ago…and she’s been my massage therapist ever since!  Love you Liz!!!  xo

It was nice to see my parents and have the opportunity to laugh with them!! xo

It was nice to spend time with my new family, Michael’s family!  To have time to grow my relationship with his daughter Patricia, son-in-law Andrew and their three children!  As well, be part of a special concert by the Sons of Maxwell!  Michael’s Uncle Max is his mother’s brother.  Max’s sons are Dave and Don….the Sons of Maxwell!  Max’s wife Sharon turned 30 again 😉 and was celebrated with a surprise birthday party with her sons playing for everyone!  The video is a clip of their famous song Oceanside Again !!!!

Moments with Michael’s grandchildren!!

This red chair is located in Eastern Passage, next to Fisherman’s Cove, at the home we stayed in for most of our stay in Halifax. This red chair hosted me to a few afternoons with wine!

Michael’s doll house!  Well, his Halifax doll house project for his grandchildren!  This is his third summer working on it.  We moved the doll house from his son-in-law’s garage to the living room of the home we stayed in in Eastern Passage.  If you were looking for Michael the first place to look is right there…on the couch working on it!!

Or you could find him here handing off of one of these cranes at a construction site run by his son-in-law, Andrew!!!!  hee hee……. Just jokes people…this is a picture of a crane Michael took at one of Andrew’s construction sites and photoshopped himself in……

I drove to the town of Windsor to visit my friend Liz at her family farm.  Liz and I worked at ECO as sea kayak tour guides together.  This was a great visit to catch up, laugh and have a little horse therapy…… <3 <3 <3  We would have gone riding together but Liz had recently been in a car accident and wasn’t yet ready to get back in the saddle.  Next summer!!!  😀

Another day, my friend Linda and I drove to Mahone Bay for a bit of shopping and lunch.  Mahone Bay is so beautiful and so was the company…… <3

My heart is attached, a part of the ocean.  This is because I’m from Nova Scotia.  A province surrounded by the sea….this advice I found hanging in a cafe in Ingonish and fell in love with it!

Seeing wild blueberries warmed my heart…..a usual while living in the Maritimes, not so usual in the Middle East……..

Halifax is a unique city.  I’ve come to appreciate its diversity with rich culture, delicious food and drink and old world charm woven in-between…..

Food:

Moon Mist Ice Cream

Moon Mist Ice Cream!!!!!  Flavors of banana, grape and bubble gum!! This is my favorite flavor of ice cream since I was a child….and I think only found in Atlantic Canada!!!  This link speaks about how popular this ice cream is in Nova Scotia: Moon mist ice cream: Cool, colorful and out of this world / The Chronicle Herald

PORK BACON

I couldn’t get enough pork bacon……potato skins with bacon….cheeseburgers with crispy bacon…… bacon and eggs….fresh spinach salad with REAL bacon bits, BLT’s with extra crispy bacon, club house sandwiches with extra crispy bacon , bacon eggs bennie with a side of crispy bacon……..

Donair Pizza & Donair Sauce

No stay in Halifax is complete without devouring a donair pizza drowning in donair sauce………. The Halifax Donair is world renowned and never duplicated.  See this article in The Globe and Mail Halifax’s donair: the tastiest treat you have probably never heard of

As well a bit of history of the Halifax Donair from the Food Network: The Delicious History of the Halifax Donair

My two last meals meals today before I depart for Qatar tomorrow morning:  Pork bacon and eggs for breakfast and a donair pizza with lots of donair sauce for supper!!!!!

Newfoundland Pea Soup, Poutine and Mussels

I ate fresh mussels wherever I could.  In Newfoundland one mussel recipe had root vegetables in it, the pea soup has salted beef instead of ham and the poutine had dressing with the gravy and cheese curds!!! We enjoyed these at O’Reilly’s Irish Newfoundland Pub in St. John’s.

WHAT IS A TOUTON?

…..and HOW do you say it???? It is pronounced “Tow Ton” like tow as in town without the n, not the way I was saying it, “Too Ton”, as in too much!!!  Got it??  LoL!!!  This menu regular in Newfoundland was a mystery to me…and come to find out it is fried bread!!  We tried salt cod stuffed toutons at O’Reilly’s too….it was a LOT of bread.  A local mentioned that the way they cooked them at O’Reilly’s isn’t really the traditional way….the bread is fried flatter……

Cold Drinks on a Patio on a Warm Summer Day

You can’t beat a cold beer or a refreshing, cold glass of pinot noir outside on a patio with wonderful family or friends and delicious food!!  I will miss this for sure!!!!

In closing this summer has been one of many wonderful moments of laughter, love and fun.  My soul is recharged.  My spirit soaring as I head back to the Middle East……

 

Love, Stephanie  xo