March 13

I can't help but think of my dear friend for over 30 years, Peggy, whose birthday is today.  She passed away unexpectedly last year and I continue to be reminded of her in so many ways each day.  She will always be missed.

Today also brought news of the newly elected pope from Vatican City.  Argentinian Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires was named leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.  He will be known as Pope Francis I.  The 76-year-old Jesuit - the first non-European pope of the modern era - was introduced from the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica.  He reportedly came in second during the 2005 balloting that ultimately elected Benedict XVI.  Smoke billowed from the chimney on the second day of behind-closed-doors voting and marks the beginning to a new era for a church combating scandal and internal strife.