Since people are asking

 

A couple of people have inquired about my well-being. They've seen where I live on the news and that's almost never a good thing.

 

But they aren't being over-dramatic. Yes, that's a glimpse of my backyard. That bird feeder is usually 3-4 feet off the ground. The amount of snow we've received since late Thursday night, the nature of it and the duration, combined, has added up to the biggest storm I've experienced since I've lived in lakeside cities, which has been more than 37 years now.

 

Folks are comparing it to the Blizzard of '77 in Buffalo. I was 11 back then. I didn't live in Buffalo. I lived about 4 hours away in Binghamton, where snow comes down in normal quantities. (This past weekend was the first time since I moved away from home in which I actually thought "maybe going back home to live isn't a bad idea.").

 

In 1977, Binghamton didn't get the kind of snow Buffalo did, but I do remember being off from school for a week at that time, I believe due to a heating problem. Ever since then, I've experienced my share of storms. Nor-easters, lake-effect dumpings and regular snowstorms that turn into lake effect dumpings. I long for the days when snow came out of the sky north-south.

 

The only thing that has kept me in this spot, as far as the weather, is that lake-effect storms usually travel south of town. That's why no one lives south of here. There's a village called Montague, about 30 minutes south, that gets freakish amounts of snow almost every year. I think its population is 10.

 

But this time, the lake-effect storm set up camp right through Watertown. It pounded down, three, four inches an hour. Overnight Thursday, overnight Christmas Eve and late Christmas Day was when it was most active. I shoveled four foot drifts in my driveway, which had formed in the 12 inches between the house and my vehicles, THREE TIMES. There was a state of emergency, no-unnecessary travel restrictions, stores closed during last-minute Christmas shopping, and I just got mail delivery today for the first time since Thursday.

Almost unbelievably, my daughter made it home and back with no major issues (She drove up Thursday night, during which every color of the radar rainbow was represented on the weather map; and drove back in snow showers today). Christmas was fine otherwise. We don't do big gatherings or travel for the holiday, so we weren't inconvenienced, other than going a little stir crazy.

The storm is done now, vehicles are back on the roads, and, like I said, cards are getting through to the mailbox. Two envelopes and another big box showed up today! I'm going to be showing off Christmas trading card greetings all week and maybe longer (aren't you lucky?).

 

Today, though, are gifts from Dime Boxes' anniversary giveaway from earlier this month.

 

I almost didn't enter the festivities. By the time I found the post, there were around 24 claims for cards already. I need to get that "Free Cards Spotter" app that everyone seems to own. After getting there late, I figured there wasn't anything I wanted. But then I gathered myself the next day, renewed, and found some stuff for me.

 

And Nick always throws in extra goodies, too.

 

 

That is some of what was left over that I claimed. I am a forever sucker for '80s Fleer and Donruss box sets and various '80s oddballs. The Fleer Kaybee red-bordered set, for example, is terrific.

More giveaway stuff that I snapped off the scrap heap. I will always grab Ted Williams cards and those showing off '70s players. I have always enjoyed the 2019 Topps "Greatest" cards, too. Sure, there were so many issued and in such a confusing manner, there's no way I will make sense of what's what, but they look great.

 

Nick just happens to have Dodgers that I need to use as throw-ins. That's wild. You all know how many Dodgers I have (it's right there on the sidebar, getting ready to turn over to 26,000 -- UPDATE: SURPASSED!). This ain't easy to do, but Nick dooz it. 

 

 

Nick and I both scoop up whatever O-Pee-Chee cards enter our line of vision. That's just my second 1971 OPC card that isn't a Dodger.

 

OK, it's time to play "Which Cards Are Deemed Worthy For the A&G Mini Frankenset?"

 

These two will be entering the precious book. One is replacing an annoying horizontal mini and another is filling the spot of a mini that I can easily trade.

 

Why did I not include this awesome Jimmy Dean Al Kaline card with the other legends cards that I showed earlier?

Because this card is called foreshadowing.

Nick sent me a 1961 Topps Al Kaline card, you guys!

My '61 set is looking better and better.

Many Anniversary Greetings to Nick and Wishes for many more blog posts in the future. I appreciate him offering up enough cards that even someone who is working evenings can track down some worthy cards for his collection.

After all, there isn't a lot to do at this time when we've lived through our second five-feet-of-snow storm in the past two months.

When people wonder why I collect cards instead of golf or hike or boat. I think this past weekend is my answer to that.

Thanks for asking about me. I'm fine. I have my cards.