It has been a long hard month for personal issues. Everett Milton my constant supporter, a total animal lover, strong cheerleader for animal rescue, and my husband of 46 years passed away on March 3, 2010. Because of my being a seriously intense personality,
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Everett would towel-dry and comfort the orphaned kittens after Norma had bathed them, often times they would fall asleep on his shoulders, but they loved to cuddle around his neck while he watched his ballgames. Norma thought they saw him as the mother they had lost. Everett would tease her about being the “cat woman,” but he was just a big softy working quietly in the background supporting his wife’s efforts.
Everett’s hugely fun-loving, party-going, habitually teasing personality helped keep me centered just as I kept him rooted. He taught me more about laughter than I would have believed possible. His corny, oft repeated jokes like “What do you get when you put lipstick on a pit bull.” (Answer: Norma, ha, ha). How could I not laugh. A favorite joke (of his) was: “There I was 10 thousand feet in the air, and … no deodorant.” We all heard that joke at least 10 thousand times and we still laughed. That was our Everett. The Halfway Home Pet Rescue volunteers all loved him for his teasing, happy personality and his cheery farewell as they left our home after the cattery work. “Hey,” he would say, “ I’m glad you got to see me.”
Everett was the champion of feral cat rescue. Before he became so very ill, we worked all the cat scenes together. He taught me a lot about patience and courage when working with an angry cat. He explained that he just pretended he was facing me when I was angry and then grabbed the creature by the scruff of the neck and tossed her in a cage (another joke). Somehow over all the years together we never got seriously hurt. However, without him by my side these last few years, I have been hurt several times and have become fairly well acquainted with the staff at the emergency room. I mourn him as do our five personal family cats; Peanut Butter, Faith, Charity, Polly Pocket and Cuddles. They miss Everett so much. I wish I had photos of each of them taking turns sleeping on Everett’s tummy and shoulders as he watched his ballgames. They now keep jumping on his chair, look around confused and then go over to the couch. I think we are all still waiting for him to come home from a Kiwanis meeting.
We’ll be OK, the cats and me. Everett left us with great kids, grandkids, friends and projects to continue. There will never be a shortage of cats needing help even if 10 more people started 10 more shelters in Aroostook County. Like Everett used to tell me, “It isn’t a competition, it is a humane service.”
Lately, I have been working with a new cat that is so scared she is flying at me with claws flying and teeth ready. She growls at me like a pit bull without lipstick. “Come, sweetie,” I call to her after a several days of soft talk with a protective shield in front of me. Finally, her eyes still wide with fear she comes over and rubs against the shield. I put my hand underneath the shield and she smells my fingers. I remove the shield and she cuddles up close still trembling with her fear. It took courage for her to take a chance on trusting me. It takes courage to move on to any new life. I pat her and she lets me pick her up. “You’re OK.” I whisper. “We’re both OK.”
Thank you, Everett, for being my husband, my friend and for helping with all these beautiful animals. You are greatly missed.”
We plan to have a food delivery for the Halfway Home Free Pet Food Pantry available by Thursday, March 25. Please take only what you need to help you out and leave some for others as well.
Halfway Home Pet Rescue is an all-volunteer, 501c3 non-profit shelter. When leaving a message on my answering machine (492-1722), speak slowly and repeat the telephone number twice. We greatly appreciate your returnable bottles and cans at 88 Bennett Drive Redemption. Please e-mail me at Milton@mfx.net if you wish to be on our newsletter mailing. Check us out on petfinder.com our ID is ME110. Our Web site is www.halfwayhomepetrescue.org Our legal corporate name is Halfway Home Pet Rescue, Inc. Our mailing address is PO Box 488, Caribou, ME 04736. “Thank you for being our friend.”
