Happy Solstice

Went to Kensington Market for the festival of lights last night, wow. Drums, trumpets, 15 foot puppets, people who'd made second floor balcony's into little pageant scenes with native mythology, mermaids, or giant raccoons (a very Toronto solstice, that), dancing in a throng of people all through the market to a park where there was more drumming, fire spinning, and just when it was getting too cold fire breathing onto the huge bon fire in the centre. Absolute magic. Saw a couple of friends who I lost in the crowd and then saw at a distance a couple of times. There was something really nice about being somewhere where things had been made by local hands, no one was trying to get you to wear a logo, everyone was saying "Happy Solstice" and meaning it, knowing what it meant. Yah baby, happy rebirth of the sun to you too! And although it was as crowded as the Beaches jazz fest the vibe was much better. If people squished you, you also got a hug. Kids ran around freely. Random happy dogs.
And we've got a specific happy cat, lots of purrs last night. We knew she was feeling better when we took her to the vet on Monday and he backed away. She's fat but has speed you can't see coming (time of the paw, I think Ross would call it) and has opened him up once in front of us. Another time I dropped her off for a succession of six tests, they got two in and called me at work to come and get her early. The whole team of vet tech's looked traumatized, and she looked pissed, paws tucked low, square eyes and low growls. She adopted the same pose last night. So; they fear her, she's fine. We talked about what to do next time she barfs and cut her insulin in half; a little sugar high is okay, a little sugar low not so much. I really do love her vet and I wish she was a little nicer to him, he's a grounded country type Dr. Ah well.