Saturday, July 27, 2013

Timing Is Everything

Got a package of cards from Brian of Play at the Plate.  We've traded a bunch in the past: Angels for Rangers, and we live relatively close although we've never met.  Such is the blogging world.

Now, maybe Brian noticed that I haven't posted in a while, maybe not.  Maybe he remembered that I lost my job last month, maybe not.  Maybe he just owed me some cards, maybe not.  But what he did was take the time to send me some cards.  Cards that came at a good time for me.


I haven't been sending hardly anything out, haven't been receiving anything in return, haven't been posting, haven't even really been reading: too consumed with the priority of wondering what's going to happen next and how to plan for it.  Too consumed with finding work.

Although my faith dictates that I can wholly rely on the Lord to provide for me and my family, and although I believe in that, putting that faith into practice is the hard part.  "Lord I believe, help me in my unbelief."

So even though they're just a bunch of colored cardboard, like I said, timing is everything.  And the thought behind it is enormous.

Thanks for thinking of me.



Here are some sweet Angels cards:







Thursday, July 11, 2013

Autograph Returns While On Vacation

Always nice to have good mail when returning from a vacation.  Here's what came in.

Kinda a surprising return from Ron Gant, he's a hit-n-miss TTMer.
20 days from his home in Woodstock, GA.


Jeff Gray is a reliable signer. he also signed a 91 Topps.
18 days from Valrico, FL.


Sent this to Davey Johnson's home during Spring Training.
150 days from Winter Park, FL.


Red is the theme in this lot.
Nick Maronde signed these in 20 days c/o the Arkansas Travelers.


New Angel Travis Witherspoon also signed his card via the Travelers.
18 days.


Ross Newhan was been a writer for the Angels from their inception.
The 2000 JG Taylor Spink Award winner included the signed business card as a bonus.
Nice touch Ross.
Great addition to my All-Time Angels collection.

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Done With That One, Done With This One, Now On To Another One

Done with that one.
Denny McLains autobiography.
So bad I couldn't finish it, and it's rare that I don't finish a book, even a bad one.
I just couldn't take all the crap anymore.
Nothing was his fault, obviously distorts and exaggerates stories, can't remember the details.
Blah, blah, blah.
I need another break from baseball after this junk.


Done with this one.
I had to read about real heroes after Denny McLains garbage.
This in an outstanding and riveting book about six Medal of Honor recipients.
Their stories are captivating enough but all the additional detail the authors added for background to the medals history and of the conflicts these soldiers were in made it such a great read.
And a quick read too.
My wife gave me this book for Fathers Day.


Now on to another one.
I picked this one up at a little bookstore on a recent family trip to California.
The Pacific is my favorite theater of operation in WWII.
Plus I was attracted to the jacket art which is very similar to that of Gordan Pranges' books (At Dawn We Slept, Miracle at Midway...)