11 WEEKS POST TRANSPLANT IS THE BIRTHDAY OF TWO DEAR FRIENDS.........

On this seventy seventh day following my kidney transplant and feeling fine, two of my three decade friends are celebrating their birthdays today. They are a mother-daughter duo, which makes the date even more special for them, their family, and we who are their friends. The mother of the duo, is Ramona Bugatto. She is mother to Teres and David, and grandmother to Chris, Lauren, Alex, and Ella. For over 40 years she was the wife of Archie Bugatto, who like herself, was a native Sacramentan. Archie passed away in January 2000. Together he and Ramona owned and operated Archie's Hardware and Gifts in East Sacramento, for three and a half decades, the hardware business being Archie's profession for 55 years. In the three decades I have been blessed to know Ramona and her family, it has been my pleasure to spend everyday events, special occasions and holidays, with them. Happy Birthday, Ramona !!!!!!!!!
Her daughter Teres, is the other birthday celebrant today. Teres and I met on September 8, 1979, at a CSU-Sacramento Lambda Chi Alpha Fraternity recruitment (rush) party. We struck up a conversation that night, became friends, and have remained the best of friends ever since. As a seminarian, I was a Lector and Eucharistic Minister at her wedding to my fraternity brother, Mike Mugnaini, at St. Mary's Church in East Sacramento, on June 8, 1985. I also presided over their three children's baptisms, with first son Chris' Baptism occurring nineteen years ago today, November 10, 1990. Youngest son, Alex, I not only baptized but am godfather to. Being mother to a college sophomore son, a high school senior daughter, who excells in track, and a high school sophomore who is an all star baseball player, life is ever busy, as well as in transition, considering Teres completed a teaching credential last year and Mike continues his nearly thirty year work as an engineer at Aerojet. Teres and Mike's 25th Wedding Anniversary is now less than seven months away...Happy Birthday, Teres !!!!!!!!!
For my daily walk today I did something I had not yet done since returning to Presentation and went over to the parish school grounds at 3 pm to mingle with the departing students, parents, faculty, and staff. Then I made a visit to the church to pray, before returning to my quarters and writing this blog column. I am broiling bbq chicken breast fillets with corn, for dinner and will chillax tonight to, 'Dancing With The Stars' quarter final results show, and this week's episode of, 'The Good Wife'.........Enjoy your Evening...In Jesus the Lord, Fr. Troy