Xavier needed some clothing for school and some new shoes. He is quite particular about both and he was on the verge of changing from boys to mens shoes. I am not capable of extending walking shopping. I have gone a couple of times in August where we were in the store for 5 minutes and it is tiring. Walking up or down the stairs I need to take a quick break, but we have a wheelchair to help me and so we can go out a bit. I did not realize that I would still get fatigued from being in the wheelchair. I would occasionally move myself in the wheelchair, but for the most part Melanie pushed me around in it. It was a bit bumpy of a ride.
It was nice being out and to go shopping. I also realized how lucky our kids are. We shopped for clothing for our kids and we tend to look for what they like with very little concern for prices. We were in Sport Chek which is not super expensive, but we are in a situation where we can buy them what they like and not worry too much. There were others shopping and the father was trying to justify to the wife on spending some extra money on some clothing for their son. The price difference between kids and mens shoes is significant. Melanie almost let Xavier try on $200 shoes because it was a color he liked before she realized the price and said she was not spending that much on shoes for him. It goes to show that we generally are not too concerned with price first and look at what he likes. He did try on $159, but he ended up buying shoes less than $100. I am glad his skates from last year fit, as mens skates for him are over $500.
1.) Growing up my parents did not have the money to buy us brand name clothing or things like that. They bought us clothing, but it was rarely brand name. As I got older and started buying my own clothing my friends thought it was amusing as when you get older and brands do not matter as much, I would wear more brands or get tailor made clothing. One of my favorite brands was GANT, but I would never buy things that had huge logos on my clothing, I would only buy it if it was a small logo. You always want to give your kids everything and give them more than you had. I grew up in a good situation where I was provided everything I needed, brand names was just something that was frivolous. We buy some nice things for my parents on occasion and it is hilarious to see them wearing these expensive sweaters to wear gardening or cleaning. My mother really appreciates the winter jacket that we bought for her, but she does not like to get it too dirty so she is extra careful with it. I am grateful for being in a situation that does not pressure me to work but allows accommodation for me going through cancer. Of course I could take time off, but vacation is for suckers. I appreciate that I can work again as some days were very tough and difficult for me.
2.) The kids like to go camping and normally we would have taken the trailer camping at least 4 or 5 times over the summer. This year we only went once between my surgery and starting my radiation/chemo treatments. I do not think I have the strength right now to drive or hookup/disconnect the trailer. I have not driven since that one day when I drove to the hospital for treatment and realized that I was in no condition to drive back home. We luckily have a lot of help and the kids have gone camping with the grandparents on several occasions. Every time that they have gone, they have met friends there and spend time hanging out with some of their friends at the beach. Xavier has missed some hockey with his team because he is out of town with them, but that is ok, hockey is not the world to him. Hockey starts on Wednesday and I would like to see if I can take him, but he is on the ice 6 to 7 times a week so we will probably end up getting some help bringing him. A lot of people have offered to help out with it, so it should not be much of an issue. I am not sure if I can stay at the arena for 90 minutes at a time, but Copper Cliff Arena is close by and the dressing room to the seats in the arena are close. Olivier will not be playing right now, but last year in October he decided he wanted to play.