Mary's Moments Life Blog

There are some places you visit and think, well, that was nice. And then there are places you leave wondering why on earth it took you so long to get there. Tobermory was the latter. My husband and I recently escaped for a couple of days to this little harbour town at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula. Not a week. Not a big vacation involving airports, planning and lots of luggage. Just two days. And somewhere along the way, I was reminded that sometimes two days is just right,

I caught myself doing something the other day that I suspect I do far more often than I’d like to admit. I was sitting outside with a coffee. It was a beautiful day. The sun was out. The yard looked good. Nobody needed me at that particular moment which literally, should have been celebrated all on its own. And what was I doing? Thinking about something that had happened earlier. Then something I needed to do later. Then something that might happen next week. I had managed to

I remember coming back to work after being away. It could have been a vacation, a long weekend or Christmas holidays, it really didn't matter. There was always that first morning back. The alarm felt particularly offensive. My clothes somehow seemed less comfortable than I remembered them being. There were emails waiting, things that had happened while I was gone, and inevitably someone would say, "Welcome back! Did you have a relaxing time?" And I'd think; Apparently not, be

I remember the exact moment it hit me. Not a dramatic, movie-scene kind of moment. No music swelling. Just me, standing there in my own house, holding a cup of coffee that had already gone cold (because of course it had), staring at my bookshelf. And something about it felt… off. Not messy. Not disorganized. Just heavy. So, I started reading the titles. How to Lose 10 Pounds in 10 Days. How to Win Friends and Influence People. Fix-this. Improve-that. Be better already. It was

Have you ever walked into a room full of people and immediately wondered “what am I going to say?" I think most of us have. Whether it's a community event, a family gathering, a volunteer meeting, or simply meeting someone new, we often put so much pressure on ourselves to be interesting that we forget something far more important. Recently, I came across a simple idea that stopped me in my tracks. The most interesting person in the room isn't usually the one doing all the ta

Lately, retirement seems to be coming up everywhere. Friends are talking about it. Family members are talking about it. People are counting down the months, the years, or in some cases, the weeks until they can finally leave work behind and enjoy a little more freedom. And it has me thinking. My husband has started talking more seriously about retirement. After decades of working hard, it makes sense. Especially when many of those years he worked full time and ran a part time

There’s a thought that stopped me mid-laundry one day because let’s be honest, that’s where all deep life reflections happen somewhere between matching socks and wondering where the other one disappeared to. Five years from now, how many of the people in our daily circle will still be there? Not in a dramatic, something-went-wrong kind of way. Just life. The parents we chat with on the sidelines at activities. The familiar faces we see every week at the grocery store or gym.

Easter, like a lot of things in life, has layers. Kind of like those fancy chocolate eggs you tell yourself you’ll “just have one bite of”and then somehow, it’s gone. It doesn’t come in loud. It doesn’t kick the door down like Christmas. It doesn’t demand attention. It’s softer. It’s in the way the light lasts a little longer. In the air that doesn’t sting your face anymore. In that tiny, almost unnoticeable shift where things feel… possible again. And if we’re being honest,

Valentine’s Day tends to split us into camps. There’s the “roses-and-reservations” crowd. The “I bought this card at the gas station five minutes ago” crew. And the “do not speak to me unless it involves chocolate” group. Most of us? We float somewhere in the middle, wanting to feel loved, appreciated, seen, but also not thrilled about fighting for a dinner reservation at 5:15 p.m. on a Saturday. And honestly? That’s okay. Because Valentine’s Day has never been one size fits

A few years ago, I hit a wall. Not the dramatic, fall-apart kind. The quieter one. The “ why does this still feel so heavy ?” kind. On paper, life looked fine. Maybe even good. I had checked off goals I once dreamed about. I was showing up. Trying. Doing the work. Holding everything together with the kind of competence women are praised for. And yet… something felt stuck. Not broken. Not failing. Just stalled. Like I was walking in circles, brushing up against the same invis

Starting off today with a poem.... Another year has passed And we’re all a little older Last summer felt hotter And winter seems much colder. There was a time not long ago When life was quite a blast Now I fully understand About “living in the past” We used to go to weddings Football games, and lunches Now we go to funeral homes And after-funeral brunches We used to go out dining To places near and far Now we get sore asses From riding in the car We used to go to ni

There’s a moment I love in the early morning - before the house fully wakes up - when everything is still. The coffee is hot. The light is soft. And for a few minutes, no one needs anything. That’s usually when the bigger thoughts sneak in. As 2026 approaches, there’s a familiar feeling floating around again. Not loud. Not dramatic. Just that gentle internal nudge asking, Where am I really headed? There are two kinds of women walking into this next year. And if we’re honest,

May your home be warm and your heart be full. Wishing you good company, good laughs, and moments that make you smile long after the tree comes down. And if this season feels a little quieter or heavier this year, I hope you still find moments of comfort and a bit of light in unexpected places. May the season wrap us all in a little extra peace and a touch of joy, with small holiday moments that feel quietly right when you need them the most. 🎄 MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄

There’s this moment every year when you can feel Christmas starting to sneak in.Not with anything big - usually it’s something small.A store puts out the first box of candy canes.Someone down the street hangs their lights early.You see a child in a puffy red snowsuit that makes them look like a walking ornament. And just like that, it begins. Lately I’ve realized we don’t just celebrate Christmas – we remember it. In colours, in smells, in tiny flashes of old memories. And t

Life is full of surprises. Sometimes things just don’t go as planned. Like spilling milk on the counter - it might seem like a mess, but maybe we should try to think along the lines of - what if that mistake leads to something better? After all, mistakes, like sour milk, can turn into something useful and teach us valuable lessons. When milk goes sour, we know that with a few other ingredients, it can become yogurt. Yogurt is enjoyed all over the world for its taste and healt

It’s wild how quickly old thoughts can creep back in. That little voice that whispers, “Should I really spend this?” or “What if it all disappears?” Even when things are fine, the scarcity mindset somehow slips through the cracks. It’s almost like it’s been sitting in the corner, waiting for an opening. Lately, I’ve been trying to catch it before it gets too loud. The truth is, it’s easy to tighten up when the world feels uncertain - when grocery prices climb, or when a bill

There’s something about Halloween that levels the playing field. It’s the one night when the CEO and the grocery clerk might both be standing on their lawns dressed as inflatable dinosaurs, waving at passing princesses and superheroes. It’s when the grumpy neighbour with the “Keep Off the Grass” sign becomes everyone’s best friend because he’s handing out full-sized chocolate bars. It’s when the shy kid finds their voice behind a pirate mask, and the cool teenager suddenly re

As we wrap up the long weekend and polish off the last of the turkey sandwiches, it feels like the right time to pause and reflect on...

I came across a post the other day that made me laugh out loud. It said something like: “Please stop bragging about your perfectly balanced morning. Some of us are still trying to remember where we left our coffee… yesterday.” That hit home. People often imagine I glide through life like I’ve mastered the art of daily rituals - up at dawn, yoga mat unrolled, sipping herbal tea while writing a blog. Reality check? Yesterday, I ate leftover pizza for breakfast. No shame. Here’

Youth is often highly valued, especially for women. When I entered my 40s, I began to wonder. Should I try treatments to look younger? I...

There’s something about Canadian summers that tricks us into believing they’ll never end. Those late sunsets, patio nights, day trips,...

Powerful conversations strike a balance between talking and listening. Somewhere along the line, many of us seem to have lost that...

Back in April, I wrote about rainy days. This story offers a bit more food for thought.... Picture this: You’re at the grocery store,...

You ever look at something and swear you know exactly what it is - only to realize later you had it completely backwards? That’s this...