Influenced by Miller

It was our first full summer in Northern Ontario—at Lake Rosseau.

We have been vagabonds, or as our friends like to joke, “in witness protection” for ten years. There is some truth to that. We have never been in one spot for very long. The fridges don’t stay full, the cars don’t need oil changes, the beds are rarely made and no one really knows us, even if they know our names. 

Through nine countries, 25 states, and five provinces, our only constant has been Miller—our beloved dog. He has been our rock and our compass. But while we were incredibly well-travelled, we weren’t rooted. We lacked a grounded sense of community, deep friendships, and nearby family. 

Then came the summer of 2026.

The Summer of “Saying Yes”

Life changes, people change, and as the northern air reminds us, the leaves change. September in Northern Ontario feels like Mother Nature woke up on September 1st and said, “Alright Canadians, that’s enough summer. Time to harvest and prepare for winter.”

As we wind down and prepare to head south to Arizona, I start to reflect on these past four and a half months. It was the first time in ten years we stayed put in one place for an entire season. Last year, we only had eight weeks here and met only a few people. This year the motto was “Say Yes” to everything. 

And it worked. 

• We met people at fashion shows, concerts, and dock parties. 
• We went to New York for sporting events with friends and to Toronto to celebrate our son’s milestone birthday.
• We participated in woodie cruises, explored Georgian Bay, Lake Joseph, and the hidden corners of Muskoka Lakes.
• We spent hours simply sitting on our dock in Wileys Bay. 

We drank blueberry wine and ate way too many local butter tarts. We reunited with friends from our past and made friends to share the future. I used to think you couldn’t choose your family, but this summer proved me wrong. The people we met, loved, and laughed with became our chosen Northern Ontario family.

An Unexpected Captain

The biggest surprise of the summer? Miller’s love for our 23-foot, 250 HP black-and-silver pontoon boat we named Miller’s Time. 

If you know Miller, this makes no sense. He doesn’t swim. He avoids puddles, walks around the ocean tide, and can refuse the need to pee for hours when it’s raining. He even limits his bath time: five minutes a side, keep it moving.

Yet, the boat became his happy place. We squeezed in as many outings as possible, cruising the shorelines of Lake Rosseau, wearing his “Captain” bandana proudly.

Now, mid-September has arrived. The boats are winterized, and the jet skis are trailered and parked in the garage. The fallen leaves cover the pathway to the dock where the patio furniture is stacked, the cushions are stored, the umbrellas are put away, the propane is unhooked. 

And the Jeep got an oil change. This time we were here long enough.

Frosty Mornings and the Reality of Aging 

When we arrived in mid-May, the sun stayed up until 9:30 PM and woke us up at 5:00 AM. Coming from Mexico and Arizona, where the sun consistently begins and ends our days between 6:30 AM and 6:30 PM, it took a long time to adjust to being up past 8 PM.

But those early mornings were peaceful. There is something calming about staring out over a large natural body of water. The gentle waves of the lake bouncing off the dock with the morning breeze. The sun rising to my left and reflecting off the water, I realize there aren’t too many places more beautiful. 

Now, the days are shorter, the nights are darker, and frosty mornings have arrived. Moving between the forest and the desert highlights beautiful contrasts. The forest brings critters, pinecones, and rich soil. The desert is dry, sandy, and covered in prickly cacti. They are equally beautiful in drastically different ways.

My September mornings have turned into a Groundhog Day–like routine:

1. Step into my track pants, throw on a hoodie, and slip on my slippers.
2. Warm my hands against Miller’s soft coat as he stirs by the front door.
3. Empty the dishwasher and refill his water bowl.
4. Turn on the coffee machine.

My kitchen counter looks like a sponsored influencer’s ad. My morning routine has become a tall glass of lemon water for a vitamin C “jolt,” adding four scoops of collagen and four scoops of fiber into my coffee, and chewing ashwagandha gummies (bye, cortisol!) and ginger gummies. Between fighting inflammation, boosting immunity, and trying to ease my period cramps, I’m practically a walking wellness dispensary. Seriously, is there anything these gummies can’t do?

And finally, I’ve officially reached the “perimenopause pills because an influencer told me to” stage of life. I have no clue what they actually do, but sorting them into my weekly pill organizer has become a ritual to manage my aging body. It’s a bit unnerving to realize that if I don’t organize these pills into a labeled Monday-through-Sunday container, I will completely forget if I’ve taken them. I’m sure there is a supplement to help with that, too.

What Miller Knows

When will someone invent a supplement that helps us accept aging as completely natural?

The truth is, the only thing you actually need to feel young, loved, and beautiful is a dog. Miller has absolutely no idea my face has wrinkles from the good times and the hard. He doesn’t care that my hair is thinning or my skin is dimpled. He certainly doesn’t mind that we both have whiskers now.

He just cares that I am me, and that I am here.

As we’ve aged together, the only thing Miller has ever wanted to change about our life is shortening the time between dinner and his bedtime snack.

That is true, unconditional love. (Well, almost unconditional!)

What We Can Learn From My Dog Miller

Miller has the same food every day. He has no voice, no choice, and zero social media influencers dictating how he should live his life. For him, every calendar year is seven human years. Dogs can’t help but love unconditionally, hurt without understanding, and grieve without saying goodbye. They are chosen by us, without any choice to leave.

There are no supplements that will make Miller age slower, look younger, or be healthier. He just has us. Period. We decide his world, and with every single day, he trusts us. He loves us.

Miller doesn’t care what we look like, what we wear, or how many followers we have on Instagram. He simply loves.

We could learn a lot from a dog. If we want to find our footing in a changing world, swapping our conditional for a little more unconditional would be a beautiful place to start.

Just ask Miller.