Mary Is On-The-Blog
June is internationally recognized as LGBTQ+ Pride Month to commemorate the 1969 Stonewall Riots in New York City. It is a time dedicated to celebrating LGBTQ+ culture, history and community, while advocating for equality and civil rights.
I have so many loved friends and family who are gay. I often hear people say, "why do we have to recognize gay pride month?? Why is that important? I would like to give you my humble opinion. And, for the record, this is just my humble opinion.
I have lost a friend to suicide who was too afraid to tell their parents his "secret" and so took this way out. At the funeral, the parents told everyone that they had known for years and was just respecting his privacy by not discussing it with him. If there had been more open communication around this topic, my friend might have lived a long, healthy, happy life. It seems to me that people are afraid of what they don't understand. If this topic was more widely spoken about, maybe the fear would go away.
That being said, I think Canada is amazing at recognizing, honouring and promoting love to all. I am proud to be Canadian however I feel there is always room for progress.
Cheers to everyone who identifies as LGBTQ! Keep "being you- whatever that looks like". The world is a better place with all of you in it! My life is certainly better with my friends and family who identify as LGBTQ!
My mom always used to take me away for Mother’s Day – “away from the kids”! I would always remind her that she was actually taking away one of her kids – me! We had such fun adventures together – spas, Europe too many times to count, Florida, Vermont to ski, skiing out West. My mom skied until she was 70 years old! She was a go-getter.
I have had the great fortune of also exploring with my kids. Until my daughter got a boyfriend last year, she and I travelled extensively together. Places like Africa, Australia, Europe many times, cruises and, of course, cottages all year long. Some of my favourite travel adventures with my kids were skiing, Costa Rica, Florida (Disney World a number of times!) and cottage time.
My son and I have now started “Mom/son” trips together. The only downfall is that he loves to fish! Good thing I love to sit in a lawn chair in the lake or ocean and read!!! I love watching him get excited when he catches a fish. He never cares if it is big or small. He just loves the adventure of “catch and release”.
I am so blessed to have two fantastic kids. There is a saying that goes something like “it is great when you realize that you love spending time with your kids because they have turned out to be wonderful adults”. Well, that is certainly true with my kids.
Happy Mother’s Day to all of you!
For many seniors living in retirement homes and long-term care facilities, something as simple as doing the laundry can become an unexpected source of stress, frustration and loss. While it may seem like a minor inconvenience at first glance, the issue of misplaced or lost clothing is far more significant than most people realize. It affects dignity, comfort, finances and even emotional well-being.
As someone working closely with residents every day, I see firsthand how often clothing items go missing once they are sent off to shared laundry services. A favourite sweater disappears. A new pair of pants never returns. Socks and undergarments are frequently mismatched or lost entirely.
Over time, these losses add up—not just in cost, but in the sense of identity and security that familiar belongings provide.
I actually love March because SPRING IS ALMOST HERE!
I love to work in my gardens and I love to see the first flowers growing in the garden. Sometimes March can drag on for this reason. I start to think about the garden – start to visit garden centres (I don’t need anything – my gardens are full but I do it anyway = retail therapy). I also start to connect with friends who need plants from my gardens. They are established and I need to “downsize” them each year.
March in Canada can feel long and quiet—especially since travel plans are on pause. The good news is that it can also be a reset month: slower, calmer and surprisingly satisfying if you lean into it rather than fight it.
On a personal note, I don’t celebrate Valentine’s Day. Never have. I don’t believe in it. I think of every day as Valentine’s Day in my life – I love and appreciate my kids, my animals and all my friends and family every day.
I don’t need a “special day” to tell people I love them. It’s like the old adage: take someone flowers while they are alive, not after they are dead.
However, if you are someone who always celebrated Valentine’s Day with someone you loved, this might help.
⁉️ Why Wait for Spring? When most people hear the words spring cleaning, they picture sunny days, open windows and fresh starts. But for many seniors and their families, spring can come with busy schedules, travel plans and competing priorities. Winter, on the other hand, offers a perfect—and often overlooked—opportunity to declutter and organize in a calm, comfortable way.
We also work with people who have moved but who didn’t downsize before the move! I can’t tell you how many times I have been called into retirement homes to downsizer AFTER they move in. (Note: Those clients did NOT use Downsizing Solutions for their move.)