the marvellous mundane

At around 11:00 this morning, my little family piled into the station wagon and set off to run some errands. We went to the comic book store (for my oldest son to spend a gift certificate. He and his father would have happily spent the whole day in the place) and then out for Vietnamese noodle soup (we were delighted to find our favourite 'pho' soup in the middle of big box store land).

Fortified, D. (my three and a half year old) and I went grocery shopping (at a grocery store with little cars built into the carts, so D. could ride around in front and 'drive'), while my spouse and older son went to buy a new router for our network (ours having gone belly-up the day before). They met us before we were done and in time to help with the last bit of shopping.

Finally, we went to Canadian Tire. While my spouse and little D. went in to buy skates, S. read comic books in the car while I returned a call to my parents (I was almost shocked into hanging up - my parents have acquired an answering machine. They are so thrilled with it that they are letting it pick up all incoming calls, even though it means they're on the hook for calling us back).

After the errands were done and we were home, I read D. a story while my spouse put the groceries away. Next I went for a walk with my friend H. and my dog, J. (we stopped for coffee and again for cat food). My spouse and the boys went skating on a neighbourhood pond.

When I got home from the walk, a little chilled (and with the boys still out), I treated myself to a long hot jasmine-scented bath and emerged feeling like I'd had a massage. Then I cleaned out the kitchen while de-frosting dinner (frozen chicken, frozen french fries and frozen veggies, washed down with a freezing cold beer).

Does this all sound incredibly boring? I loved every minute of it. It seems that I have come to embrace the mundane, to revel in my ability to do normal things. And to feel that I've accomplished something.

I turned the chemo corner yesterday, feeling energetic and healthy. My next treatment is on Tuesday. I am savouring these few days when I feel like myself, eating, exercising, playing with my kids and even buying groceries on a Sunday afternoon.