5 September 2022 – I’m cutting through Dude Chilling Park and see the celebrations: one, two, three.

All around the Dude: baby-shower preparations.

Over closer to Guelph Street, two young women wearing ankle bells, one of them holding a drum and explaining a few last details before starting their dance.

Down by Guelph and East 7th, two slack wires slung among the trees, and two intent young practitioners.

I back up to the park boundary and install myself for a moment on Bei’s Mama’s Bench…

for the long view.

Female slack wire artist, left foreground; baby shower, left distance; female dancers right distance (one each side of a foreground tree); and the male slack wire artist over there on the right.

Here we all are! Chilling with our Dude, this bright Labour Day morning.