Night Owl Cards

  It's been almost a daily ritual around here the last few weeks to clear snow off the car, out of the driveway, along the walkways. This morning I got up to pull my car in from the street and nearly face-planted because the snow was covering up a sheet of ice that fell around 4 a.m. last night (driving home from work was a bit of an adventure).   Through it all I think I've done an OK job of regularly sending out card envelopes and packages, although I've had to have the conversation with myself over whether it's safe to drive to the post office at least a half-dozen times.   But almost once a week I get there, and I'll be mailing out the latest downsizing box in the next trip. Meanwhile, I received cards (and other items) in response to my last downsizing send . Claimant Mike delivered!   This is not required nor expected but lets see the goods, there is quite the variety.      Starting with an owl card because owl.   It's been awhile since I've...

  A couple of months ago I ran a Dodgers card giveaway in hopes that collectors would both relieve me of some of my many, many dupes and also enjoy what I was sending.   There wasn't much of a response. Four or five folks. Blogging giveaways aren't what they once were. Plus there are all those deluded Yankees and Giants fans who have yet to come to grips with the one true team 😃. What I did send made somewhat of a dent, but there is so much left.   Meanwhile, the collectors who took me up on the offer were appreciative. One collector, Jeremy, even sent something back. He didn't have to. But it's nice to know that he really liked the cards. In fact, his two kids did, too, and sent a couple of drawings.   It's great seeing young Dodger fans. They're so rare around here.   The goodies in the box mostly came from Dodger Stadium giveaways, I think. Those drinking cups at the top recognize the Dodgers' World Series title, appearance in the postseason and Opening ...

 ( It's a little noisy around here! I live in a residential neighborhood. There are very few trees on what is a fairly long block. But get to my house and there are several tall and old oak -- or are they maple? -- trees, including two directly in front of my property. They were incredibly scenic at this time of year, but, sadly, this week, they are coming down as they were growing unhealthy and dangerous. I've known these trees for 28 years and it is bizarre seeing a front yard without a roof. The house feels totally exposed. Anyway, due to the noise and commotion, I'm very tired -- those 8:30 a.m. workers -- and my schedule is wrecked, including blogging. But it's still time for Cardboard Appreciation! This is the 343rd in a series):   I have a very good handle on TCMA sets of the 1970s. Those are the first TCMA sets I ever knew, the ones shown in the old TCMA Advertiser that used to come to my house, the first ones that I ever bought, ordering through that publicati...

  Card bloggers who have been at it for a dozen years or more are aware of Dave from Tribe Cards and his seemingly never-ending giveaways. I've mentioned a few times now that he was my introduction to how wonderful card blogging could be. People sent you cards just because you asked. For free. And good stuff, too. The first stuffed box I received not even two months into my blogging career contained a 1950 Bowman card. I had arrived in the blogging world just to write about cards -- isn't that wonderful that you could do that? -- and now this?!?   So when Dave announced almost four years ago that he was launching another giveaway -- a return to the 12 Days of Cardmas Giveaway, even though it wasn't Christmas -- I signed right up, very enthusiastically.   Years went by and I forgot about the whole thing until Dave reappeared last month to announce he was sending stuff out. The original call for sign-ups provided a sign-up "sheet," requesting our top three choices...

  Longtime readers might know that I was diagnosed as diabetic almost 12 years ago. It pretty much floored me, but I went to work right away and within three months I was in remission. At the time I was determined to get myself healthy the natural way without medicine, and it worked. I continued to do that through doctor visit after doctor visit. Warding off diabetes without any pills is not easy. I also did not check my sugar regularly, which has received some blank stares from nurses. It's kind of a tightrope act, I need to be super-vigilante about my weight and what I eat, but the theory on that lifestyle choice is, "that's what you should be doing anyway," so why not? Diabetes gets progressively worse as you age, and I've been coping with holding it off for more than 11 years. I'm not young anymore, I'm more than halfway to 100, and I've noticed it getting more difficult. A couple pounds over can make a difference. I'm no longer opposed to medi...