What a great couple of weeks it’s been! I’m going to share the highlights a little out of order, starting with my vacation week.
As many of you know, we moved to New Brunswick in 2023, driving all the way across Canada from Nanaimo, BC (highly recommend that trip if you ever get the chance!). I don’t miss Nanaimo itself, but I do miss a few wonderful people still living there. One of them is my close friend Tara — and she flew out to visit us!
To make the travel easier on her and minimize layovers, we planned to pick her up at the Halifax airport and stay overnight in the city. That way, we’d also have time in the morning to stroll the waterfront and play tourist for a bit.
We left the FunnyFarm around 11 a.m. and started our road trip down. It’s such a pretty drive: rolling green hills, stretches along the St. John River in New Brunswick, then through Moncton and Sackville before crossing into Nova Scotia. I have to admit, the Nova Scotia welcome sign and rest stop put New Brunswick’s to shame — but we skipped stopping this time (how many identical sign photos do you really need? LOL).
With a few stops for gas, snacks, and bathroom breaks, the drive took us about five hours. We arrived at our hotel, the Courtyard by Marriott right along the Halifax waterfront, just after 4 p.m. It was a beautiful, modern hotel with the most perfect location. The only drawback was the parking — but that’s just the challenge of traveling with our big GMC truck! Thankfully, Addy managed to snag a spot both at check-in and later when we came back from the airport.
Since we still had time before picking up Tara, we wandered over to Pho Maniac for dinner. It was our second visit there, and just like the first time, it was absolutely delicious. If you love Vietnamese food and find yourself in downtown Halifax, we can’t recommend it enough!
We had no trouble finding Tara at the airport and getting back to the hotel so she could check in. By then it was after 10 p.m. on a Sunday, and I wasn’t sure we’d find a kitchen still open, so I came prepared with snacks just in case she was hungry. Luckily, we stumbled on a bar that was still serving, so we shared a glass (or two) of wine together first — the perfect way to kick off her visit.
The next morning, we started with an early walk along the boardwalk. Halifax really is beautiful. There’s so much to take in: plenty of public seating, little tables and chairs, hammocks, even sun loungers that looked like part of an art installation but were meant to be used. Along the way were little shops, food booths, bars, and restaurants — you could tell it must be a lively place on weekends.
We grabbed breakfast and wandered through the city, admiring heritage buildings, old graveyards, and the contrast of modern conference centers tucked among them. It felt like a patchwork of old and new, all softened by big, mature trees lining the streets — and everywhere we went, people were surprisingly cheerful and friendly (even that early in the day!).
By 11 a.m. we were ready for a snack and a drink, so we picked a colorful spot right on the waterfront with bright picnic tables and big umbrellas for shade. Can I remember the name of it? Nope. Can I find it on Google Maps? Also nope. But it was excellent! We sipped our vacation beverages and dug into a lobster poutine — so rich and so good — while Tara treated us to scallop ceviche that was fresh, bright, and absolutely delicious. It was a great way to wrap up our little Halifax adventure.
From there, it was time to say goodbye to Nova Scotia and head back into New Brunswick — with our next stop at Hopewell Rocks! It was the perfect way to give Tara a little tour of the province. The drive is just over three hours with no shortcuts, but we made it to the park just before 5 p.m. and managed to get down to the beach right before access closed due to the famously high tides.
We explored the shoreline, snapped a ton of photos, and even touched one of the rocks. The hike down wasn’t too long and was full of birds, chipmunks, and sunshine. The hike back up, though… let’s just say I didn’t notice any of that beauty. I was too focused on making it to the top while still breathing! 😂 Thankfully, Tara and Addy were sweet and slowed their pace to match mine.
The drive from Hopewell Rocks back home is another two and a half hours. We made a quick refueling stop in Moncton and treated ourselves to a pub dinner of delicious fish and chips before piling back into the truck. By the time we were following the river toward Fredericton it was already dark — a bit of a bummer since that drive is usually so pretty.
Lesson learned along the way? Nothing is open 24/7 out here, so if you see a truck stop on Highway 2, take the bathroom break when you can. Trust me on that one!
We finally pulled into the FunnyFarm around 9:30 p.m., tired but happy. What an awesome day it was — full of driving, sightseeing, good food, and plenty of laughs. The kind of day that makes you grateful for friends who make the trip to visit.
And that was just the beginning! Once we were home and settled, the fun didn’t stop. Between showing Tara around, keeping up with the farm, and squeezing in a few adventures closer to home, the week was packed full of little moments worth sharing. Let’s dive into a few more highlights…
Tara quickly got to see just how far out in the boonies we really are. Not the most convenient spot, but the peace and quiet more than make up for it. The next few days were wonderfully low-key—morning coffee out on the deck, evening wine as the sun set, crafting together, and plenty of delicious food (including some perfectly grilled BBQ steaks). It was the perfect chance to slow down and catch up face to face.
On Wednesday, Addy didn’t work too late, so we talked him into heading into Freddy with us to check out Picaroons Brewing Company. With live music, plenty of outdoor seating right on the river, tasty food, and excellent drinks, the whole place had such a great vibe—it was a highlight of the week for sure.
Thursday, chilling at home eating charcuterie for lunch! Thursday night was market night! Since we were in Fredericton early, we took Tara on a little driving tour of my favorite Victorian homes along the river and through the downtown neighborhoods. There’s just so much history here, and I love showing it off. By the time we got to the market, we were early enough to skip the long food truck lines—win! Tara and I went for Greek wraps, while Addy picked something deliciously Asian (it smelled amazing). As always, the night market delivered with tons of craft vendors and more live music. I couldn’t resist picking up a little something, and then we wrapped up the night patio-side at an Irish pub before making one last stop back at Picaroons. The drive home went by fast after all that patio sitting! lol
Friday was all about lobster rolls! There’s a little seasonal patio tucked beside a lighthouse building in downtown Fredericton that I’ve been eyeing since our very first summer here. Three years later, I finally got the chance to go—with Tara! The weather was absolutely perfect (as it had been all week), and we couldn’t have asked for a better last full day together. We both ordered the lobster roll—so fresh, so delicious—and soaked in the sunshine, the river views, and the simple joy of being there.
On the way home, we picked up a bottle of wine to sip on the deck. Tara got carded (lucky her!), but I didn’t—LOL. We kept it low-key since our alarms were set for 3:30am to make the airport run the next morning.
I’m just so grateful for this visit. It meant the world to share a little piece of our new life in New Brunswick with my bestie. I may not miss Nanaimo itself, but I sure do miss the amazing people there—and having Tara here reminded me just how special those connections are.
So going back in time, to before Tara’s visit, I warned you this blog is all over the place — remember in our last blog when I hinted that Addy had something in the works? Well, the very same day that post went live, he was up at the crack of dawn to go pick up a Facebook Marketplace find we had bought the previous weekend. After a few road trips (Measuring the vehicle is hard, he rented two trailers to haul it, the second time was the charm!) Addy is now the proud owner of a 2008 Kawasaki Teryx 750 side-by-side! To say he’s excited would be the understatement of the year. I don’t think the grin has left his face since we got it home, especially while he was driving it!
Is it perfect? No, it needs a few things, like a tire needs to be plugged, we need to replace the top portion of the windshield, and it needs a new drive belt (already ordered). But is it fun to drive? YES!! And are we looking forward to joining our friends on the trails once they open again? You bettcha! I mean it also has practical uses with its box to carry stuff around – like firewood, it has a winch, and will be useful here on the property. It’s mostly for fun though!
We also managed to attend Skye’s seventh birthday party! Even though we arrived a bit late (still catching up on rest from our adventures), we were so glad we made it. There was delicious cake, rock painting, and lots of laughter. Best of all, it was wonderful to see Skye running around, happy as can be, celebrating her big day.
What an action-packed couple of weeks it’s been! From Tara’s visit and our little adventures in Halifax and New Brunswick, to relaxing on the deck, enjoying delicious meals, exploring the night market, and even bringing home Addy’s new side-by-side, life on the FunnyFarm has been full of fun, laughter, and a little bit of chaos. We’re so grateful for these moments—and for you, our readers, who take the time to follow along. Drop us a comment and let us know which part of our adventures you’d most like to try!