It’s been a long winter, but spring is finally starting to peek out. Halifax is known for its busy tourist season, and our house was no stranger to them either. We were fortunate enough to have guests over the course of twelve days at the end of April and early May.
In order to prepare for the influx in visitors, both of us started cooking and baking up a storm to get our freezer stocked. Amy made a couple of Shepherd’s Pies and lots of baked goods, while I kept trying to perfect my bread recipe (so far I was 0 for 2 when making bread for other people). Luckily, the bread turned out and the place was spotless for our guests to arrive.
(Left to Right) A visit to Lawrencetown, touring the Annapolis Valley, and a yummy brunch at the Cheeky Neighbour.
Our first set of visitors was Amy’s Aunt and Uncle who added our place to their list of stops as they toured through the Northeast. Of course, we also can’t forget their cat, Bella, who got an extra-extended stay with us (just don’t tell our landlord about that last part). Immediately following their stay, my parents flew in and got to spend the following weekend with us. For the first time we no longer felt like the newcomers who just moved to Halifax, and instead, we were seasoned veterans tasked with touring our families who had never been to this part of the world.
We took them to all our favourite spots that we have grown to love over the past eight months, including the Farmer’s Market (for the elusive cinnamon bun that we still think about since we first got it), over to Dartmouth on the ferry, and even outside of Halifax to places like Peggy’s Cove and the Anapolis Valley. There were even some new things that we got try, like the Cranberry Lake hiking trails where we got some gorgeous views on a sunny day, and a weekly jazz night that takes place in a local bar.
We enjoyed experiencing Jazz Night for the first time at the local, as well as walking around downtown Halifax and the harbourfront.
Despite the relatively short period of time that Amy and I have lived here, it’s shocking how quickly we have laid down paths in our life, and how that becomes more apparent when we try to show that to new people in our life. The first walk that we took through our neighbourhood and around the Dalhousie campus is still the first thing that we want to show guests when they arrive. Or how excited we get when going down the Quinpool strip and showing others the abundance of small shops and amenities that we have in walking distance. Without realizing it, our neighbourhood has become (a temporary) home for us, and getting to show family how proud we are of all the little things makes it that much more apparent.
The harbourfront was fun to tour with my parents. We took the ferry to Dartmouth and also came back down for a picnic lunch and walk on a sunny day that week.
Even to areas that we frequent less, like Lunenburg or the Annapolis Valley remind us of our past trips. Our first stop in Lunenburg was the coffee shop we parked next to back in January, followed by a trip to the harbour to get a glimpse of the Bluenose. This time we could actually see the ship, but it was still under preparations for the season. In the valley, we parked by the pizza place that we visited on our honeymoon without realizing it. In places that still seem unknown to us, we are drawn to the familiar.
(Left to Right) Experiencing Cranberry Lake with Aunt Karen & Uncle Marc, Lunenberg and Peggy’s Cove with Mom & Dad.
Both of us have been bragging about how great our apartment is, and now we can finally share it with others. From cooking and sharing meals in the evening to just sitting by the window in the morning and chatting with another face, there is a new sense of life to a space when you add some guests to it. We also watched a lot of Deal or No Deal reruns while hosting, so might not be as good to our guests as we are chalking ourselves up to.
Just hanging out at home was enjoyable for us, too. We’re very happy we have such a cozy home to relax in!
But as quickly as everyone came, they departed as well. Amy’s Aunt and Uncle stopped for a couple more nights over the May Long weekend to pick up Bella after a couple of weeks of touring the Maritimes. We’ve enjoyed the company from family and are looking forward to the next round of guests that are going to come through.
Amy really misses her little companion at home!
J & A's Adventure 
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