We are all still waiting for some relief of this heat. The humidity has not helped but we have to be thankful we are not in a city where it is 10 degrees warmer. We did get some much needed rain but I think we could have done without the thunder and lightning that went along with it.

Happy birthday to all who celebrated their day this past week. Big balloons go out to Georgia DeRoche, who celebrated her birthday July 24; Diego Valentim, July 27; Ryan Lauriano, July 28; and to Chloe Cook, who will celebrate July 30.

Norma Bridwell of Edgartown attended the graduation of her son, Tim, from the Master of Fine Arts in Writing program at Vermont College of Fine Arts in Montpelier. She was accompanied by her daughter-in-law and grandchildren, visiting from Paris for the summer. Tim Bridwell, author of the novel Sophronia L. (2014), completed the low-residency MFA program primarily from Paris, with biannual residencies in Vermont.

The annual Federated Church house tour will be held Tuesday, August 9, and begins at 77 Edgartown Bay Road, Katama. The lecture will be at 1:30 or 1:50 p.m. (repeated), and the tour runs from 2 to 4:30. Tickets are $40, available at 77 Edgartown Bay Road. For information call 508-627-7077.

A couple of weeks ago I attended the fundraiser for the Martha’s Vineyard Animal Shelter held at the home of Mort and Bev Feary. It was a beautiful night, not too cold or hot, the view was beautiful, the silent auction was filled with many treasures, the hors d’oeuvre were delicious and plentiful. There were four legged visitors including some very cute young llamas. The auction brought some great donations to the shelter. But to me the highlight of the evening was the story that emcee and assistant manager of the shelter, Gordon Healy, told of a young lady and a cat named Milo.

Eleven year old Sara Creato went into the shelter one day and asked manager Lisa Dawley if she could do some community service. Lisa directed her to the cat room and told her she could sit with the cats and pet them and talk to them just to give them some company and to have human social skills. After about a half hour, Lisa checked in on Sara and could hear her talking somewhere in the room. With all the talking going on Lisa assumed that Sara was on her phone but after investigating closer, Lisa found her in the front area of the room with a stray cat they had brought in. They thought he was somewhere near 20 years old and they named him Milo.

Being so old Milo kept to himself and did a lot of sleeping in his bed. Sara discovered him and started talking to him and petting him and soon would come in and sit and read to Milo. She would do homework with him and sometimes she just sat there and patted him. Finally came the day that Sara asked her dad if she could bring Milo home. Her dad thought about it and they had a long talk and he said yes. So, a very happy ending to a very sweet young lady named Sara and her cat Milo.

I hope the MV Animal Shelter has many more happy stories to come. They work hard to give stray animals, rescued animals and those that their owners can no longer keep, good homes with the right people.

Have a great week and keep the home candles burning.

Send Edgartown news to kathleencase@comcast.net.