Dear Nova Scotia Board of Tourism:

So, I have this friend.  Her name is Laurie Paxton.  I have known her since grade 9 and she is very important to me.  I went on my first diet with her.  I have been dieting ever since and also regretting that I dieting through my skinny years.  Laurie has always been a beacon in the storm for everyone.  (See what I did there.  Alluded to Nova Scotia.)  She is outgoing, kind, caring, and well, a veritable hoot.  She is so much fun.  I lost track with her after high school but after missing a few decades, we have been united by facebook.  A few years ago, while living in British Columbia, she decided to do a career make-over and became a permanent makeup artist.  She has called her business "Symmetry Studio."  She is a true believer and has the eyebrows to prove it.  She started irritated me then because she is just so damn beautiful. I look at pictures of her and they are cover of Vogue worthy.  She has found the fountain of youth. 

Then, for whatever reason, this winter she decided a career make-over wasn't enough.  She wanted to take a risk and do a complete life make-over.  Without knowing a single soul and never being there before, she decided to move to Brudgewater, Nova Scotia.  Let me tell you, moving from coast to coast would be difficult for anyone to do, but for a single woman in her early 50s, well, that is nothing short of amazing.  And scary.  I will be honest.  I was scared for her.  She basically sold almost everything she had with the hope of getting new things. 

Well, it turns out that I had no reason to worry.  She first stayed on the ocean in a "cabin" while she looked for a house, etc.  That is when she first started to irritate me.  This|"cabin" by Nova Scotia standards would have been a show home anyplace else.  Everything was perfect.   And that is when she started her hashtag #Lovemynovascotialife. 

I have come to loathe that hashtag.  She bought a home.  It is perfect and cost a fraction of what it would cost out west.  She and her dog take walks along the Ocean which apparently is a five minute walk for them.  She is opening an Air BNB in her home and has perfected her blueberry muffin recipe.  Her studio will be in her backyard, and guess what, it is perfect.  She has random beautiful foliage growing naturally all over her property.  All of her neighbours welcomed her warmly with gifts of fresh produce.  The seafood is amazing.  She also posts listings of other homes in the area.  Again, the price difference from there to here is amazing.  She has made friends and they are all wonderful.  I will admit, I have suggested to my partner that we move there.  It is just so beautiful.  You can go for a random walk and have an adventure.  We already have our summer planned but we are definitely visiting Nova Scotia next summer. 

Every day she posts of some incredible experience using the hashtag #Lovemynovascotialife. 

I confess I have developed a love/hate relationship with that hashtag.  I love her pictures.  I love her stories.  I love her accounts of her adventures.  I am so glad that she is happy  I look forward to her updates 

That is the love part, but there is also an uglier side to this hashtag.  It is a little enough already.  It is not that I am tired of hearing of her life, it is just that I am so damn jealous.  Like not a little bit envious, but full on resentment.  The final straw for me came a couple of months ago.  I was at a charity gala.  Tickets were $250.  Dinner was a scallop dish marinated in white wine and I can't remember the rest. I remember when it was put down before me.  I was a little disappointed with my expensive dinner which was four loonie size scallops and I was still hungry afterwards.  At that moment, Laurie posted a picture of the scallops that a friend brought her over for dinner.  She was cooking 6 playing card size scallops in her wok.  I looked at her picture and I looked at my dinner.  Several times.  I wanted to flush my phone down the toilet just so I didn't have to see #lovemynovascotia life anymore.  But, the truth is, I love looking at her photos.  I love seeing her so happy. 

So, the reason I am writing you is because I feel you need to contact Laurie and put her on your pay roll.  She is the best ambassador for Nova Scotia.  You would never come up with a better spokesperson for any tourist campaign.  She loves her Nova Scotia life and she makes us all want to come and see the magic.  In making her life-over, she has become the best steward of all that makes Nova Scotia wonderful.  I have learned more about Nova Scotia in a few months that I have learned in decades.  And, I have also been to Nova Scotia.  I liked it but did not share the tremendous enthusiasm that my friend, Laurie does.  Check out her page.  You will also be convinced that she needs to be the spokesperson for Tourism Nova Scotia. 

After all and again, she does love her Nova Scotia life !!!!!!