#136 - Embracing the Autumn Air
Hello Vilhelmians. September brings cooler air, the Frenchies coming alive, pawpaw season, and a family stroll through Bayfront Park. But this week also carried a stark reminder — from a YouTuber's tragic news — about why we can't wait for life to happen to us.
Embracing the Autumn Air
One of our favorite things to do as a family on a beautiful Saturday is to go for a walk, or what we lovingly call a "hike." With a toddler and our two French bulldogs, it’s more of a stroll than a serious trek. Anyone with Frenchies knows they don't do well in the summer heat, so a lot of our summer walks have to be dog-free. But a magical thing happens around September when the temperature drops to about 15°C. The Frenchies come alive! This is their kind of weather. They can truly enjoy long, off-leash adventures.
Living in Hamilton, we're so lucky to have plenty of places to walk the dogs. One of our favorite spots is Bayfront Park. It's a place that really made us fall in love with living here. The park as we know it today was actually built on a former industrial landfill site that was filled in during the 1960s and 70s. This highly complex project was completed and the park officially opened to the public in 1993, transforming the shoreline into this beautiful green space for Hamiltonians to enjoy, with beautiful paths and views of the bay. We packed up our Veer and made the walk, and it was the perfect trip. You can feel that fall is in the air, even though the leaves haven't started to change yet.
Our little one, Alyce, is turning two this year, and her parents have officially survived 21 months of toddlerhood. It started off a bit rough, but things have leveled out in the last few months. We’re really enjoying this new chapter, even with the demands of a toddler. The house may be a little neglected, but for now, we're happy just enjoying Alyce, the dogs, and all the things September has to offer.
**
The Hunt for Pawpaws
------------------------------------------------------------
Speaking of September, it's also Pawpaw season! For those who have been following us, you know this is a fruit native to North America that tastes like a cross between a mango and a banana. They only fruit in September and October, and last year we missed the Pawpaw festival. We have it on our calendar this year and we’re on the hunt for them, as our own trees in the backyard aren’t fruiting yet.
This past weekend, Kat and I had a chance to get away for a night out. My sister watched Alyce and the dogs, and we went to a festival with some close friends. It was a great reminder of how important it is to find balance in life—between friends, family, work, and yourself. It’s a struggle sometimes, but we’re always working towards our "Plan 2030," which is all about taking a leap of faith. It’s about letting go of what holds you back and seeing the world as an abundant place. We can’t do everything in 24 hours, but we can make a plan and work toward it every single day.
**
A Stark Reminder on Health
------------------------------------------------------------
This past week, I was in Chicago for a work trip. It was a chance to connect with my team and deal with some of the office politics. It seems like everyone is running around with their heads cut off, and you can feel a tense sense of urgency. It was a good reminder for me to encourage my team to focus on the important things and to also take a vacation and reset. As important as work is, your health is more important than anything else.
While in Chicago, I was watching one of my favorite YouTubers—a channel called This Is Our Retirement. They are a retired couple who inspire me to think about retiring early. They retired in their 50s without a lot of money because they valued time more than anything. They post a video every week, and two weeks ago, they released one about all the things they do to stay happy and healthy, from yoga to walks. It was a great, inspiring video.
Last week, they didn't post anything. Then on Monday, a notification came up for a video titled, "What happened to Norm?" Norm was the husband, and this video was different—it only showed him. As I watched it, I immediately knew something was wrong. His wife slowly told the story: Norm had a mild heart attack at 69 and, during a routine heart bypass operation, his life slipped away.
I don't know these people personally, but their news hit me hard. It was a shocking reminder of how fragile life is. We're taught to work until we're 65, but Norm retired early and spent his last years doing what he loved and inspiring others. His last video was about living a healthy, long life. It’s a tragic irony, but it’s also a powerful lesson: don’t wait for life to happen to you. Take action now.
Life is not a given. We have to cherish every single day, be thankful for what we have, and live in the moment. We still have our Project 2030, but we also have peace, tranquility, and a lot of love right here, right now.
Wishing you a wonderful week ahead,
Damian, Katerina, Alyce and the Dogs