(Belated) Thankfulness

Like everyone, I've got a lot to be thankful for. I'm in Iowa, with the compa's family, who was gracious enough to delay Turkey Day until Friday so we could be here and share it with them.

I've got a lot to be thankful for. Aside from being ill as a dog after dinner yesterday (I blame my mother-in-law), I've got my health. Despite my considerable eccentricities I have the compa. I'm also employed in a great job, which in this day and age is no mean accomplishment in higher education. I'm thankful for

I'm thankful I'm NOT a Cubs fan. Cubs fans have it tougher than most, and I don't think the rest of us appreciate that. Compa's grand dad was a Cubs fan, which gave Daddy D a permanent leg up in family arguments. Think Zim is happy to be a Cub in 1961? This might be the only card in existence where Zim isn't smiling. In fact, he looks depressed.

Willie Jones doesn't look much happier, but I'm guessing he's just happy to have a job. "Puddin' Head" Jones played most of his career with the Fightin's before traveling around a bit on his way to Cincy. He's also from Dillon, SC. Apparently he was, like me, thankful to be FROM SC as opposed to be living IN SC, as he lived out his days in OH.

And finally, I'm thankful for all my great friends past, present, and bloggered. Without you life wouldn't be nearly so interesting, and there'd certainly be no binge-drinking fueled trips to Jerusalem. Hopefully we'll all get there one day.

Thanks to Daddy D for the '61s, and have a good one Pumpsie Green, wherever you are!

Things that make me happy...

like Dinged Corners leaving a comment to say they have found a CC card I don't have! I'll have to come up with sufficient ransom.

A few days ago I heard back from Mr. Donald Zimmer, aka "Popeye," aka "The Gerbil." I heard his wife has been known to ghost sign for him, which I think is kind of sweetly intriguing. I have seen some hard words directed towards players who charge or don't sign ttm, but that's the prerogative of the player. If Zimm's wife will occasionally sign some of his mail, given that they are both in their 70's I'd imagine, I picture them doing that over coffee in the south Florida morning, sharing the work.

This is a card Daddy D was gracious enough to gift to me. I'm glad to be able to gift it back to him in the near future!

Before I sent that out, I went digging for Zimm cards I have from when I was a young warthog. Zimm's stint in Chi town roughly coincided with when my family first got cable, so I'll always think of him as the Cubs' manager.

Zimm was a great manager, and I love the fact that he always seems to be smiling, at least across these two cards. I pulled these two cards out today because they cheer me up. He was almost killed by a pitch when he was a minor leaguer, but he still made the bigs, had a successful career, and went on to be a great manager.

Thanks Mr. Zimmer!