Absent

As you can see I have been posting very infrequently as of late. The reason for this is I haven't been feeling the best lately. For one week the cat was silent as I felt a cold coming on, and was fighting it hoping to avoid the full sickness. I'm still not sure if I've won the battle as my upper chest feels like I might have pulled something at work. This has all gotten me to just sitting here reading other blogs rather than writing on my own. Despite having a great find to show off from the garage sale/flea market I went to before all this came on. Another few items found on the way home from that very show. While I don't know how long this will continue. I can't wait until I am feeling back to my regular self.

When I thought about doing this post one thing came to mind. That very thing is the bobblehead above I found on the way home from the show. What better way to represent the way I am feeling other than a Kirk Gibson bobblehead from the famous World Series home run. Given away July 31st, 2012 before the game against Arizona. Kirk has an arm that also bobbles, and is in my opinion one of the coolest ideas ever. Not knowing about the arm when I opened the box it was in my initial thought was it had a broken arm. Sitting loose in the box, minus the Styrofoam or whatever it was that kept it from getting broke. It took me a minute before it hit me that it was a bobblehead, and bobblearm. Once I figured out everything was fine I knew that despite not being a Dodgers fan he had to join the collection. Sitting safely in the collection since being found all I need now it to stop feeling like Kirk, and get better.

Feeling Rosario

During the one year I have been blogging one theme has popped up the entire time. A theme that I believe will continue to pop up for as long as there are blogs. A theme that I for one am happy exists. That theme is, some of the best cards sent throughout the blogging community comes in PWE's. I am not just talking about by the bloggers themselves either. Be it a reader who just enjoys reading blogs, and trades in the community. Be it a great blogger like Chris who runs the blog 'The Raz Card Blog'. I see you sitting there wondering what has The Cat stating what we all know to be true?

As I heard many a time while walking into stores with the daughter this past weekend. OOOHHHH SHINY!! I don't have a ton to say today as this is just a beautiful card that stands on its own. A card that I am now proud to say is in my Wilin Rosario collection thanks to a great guy. All this from a simple PWE the mailing option of greatness.

It Hurts To Watch- Version 4

While I have done a couple more of these that had names like "The Chipper Edition", and "The Disorganized Edition". Only three have had used the version name so I'll just keep the count going when I don't have a catchier name. Much like most the others this version is inspired by another trip to the coast. So inspired that while watching the waves coming in I thought about doing another of these.

For any newcomers this is how these posts run. There are normally three cards to the set. The first is an incoming play, the second is an actual play, and the third is the final result of a play at home plate. I then either talk about the three cards or if possible attempt to run the story like a play at the plate. Today's version is going to run through the weekend at the coast.

Things got off to a great start on Friday as work slowed down enough I was able to come home early. Loading up the car there wasn't much left to do once the wife, and daughter arrived home. This was great as with it getting dark early these days I wasn't looking forward to driving the entire trip in the dark. While part of the drive was still dark it wasn't the entire drive. Arriving in town at six we unloaded the car, and headed to get a few snacks, and pizza for dinner. Once finished we ate dinner, and hunkered down for the night.

Saturday I woke with full of hope, and dreams. The plan was a simple one that I'd thought about since the wife mentioned just over a month ago she wanted to reserve the beach house. I would do my usual quick trip to the antique mall just up the road. Hopefully I could find a couple cards on the cheap like I do every trip. From there I would make the eight or so mile trip south to the card shop. I was excited about going to the shop as on our trip at the very first of 2013 this very shop was inside a used sporting goods store in town. Since then it had moved south to from what I was reading is a much better location. New shop location, and for me a brand new me since that trip meant we were about to get our baseball cards on.

Going into the antique mall is when I ended up like our poor base-runner. I was tagged out at the plate. Going in I did the usual walk around, and planned on hitting the usual boxes of cards the baseball card shop usually has at the mall before leaving. Instead of the usual four boxes jammed full of cards sitting there. Two 80% empty boxes sat in their place. Neither containing a single baseball card, just football cards. Then the worst sight that could follow was next. Directly to the left was the sheet of paper with the shops address crossed out. Above the huge "X" was the word MOVING. The dream was gone as there would be no baseball cards this trip.

Sunday was a great day as I needed new shoes, and so the daughter headed with me up north to get shoes. No cards, but it was a great day as we hit another antique store, and she got to check out jewelry at some of the other outlet stores like she loves to do. We did get a few things, but nothing worth sharing here.

Monday was the basic cleaning the house, and heading home stuff. In the end we were like Eric Young Jr., and safe at home. Just still bummed about there not being any baseball cards in this little journey.

The Cat Turns One

One year ago from today 'The Prowling Cat' came to life. The idea was like most blogs to share my experiences with cards, and to interact with others who love baseball cards. While I run on my own tangents due to the hobbies of business card collecting, pocket schedule collecting, and other baseball items. This past year has been a great experience.

In baseball cards so many things have changed from the way they were when this blog first started. When it comes to the players I collect its a constant process. I started with a list of seven if I recall, and recently trimmed it down to the current four. There are a couple players I pick up cards of every so often, and are a sort of secret collection. Eventually some of those may show up on the player collection list, or maybe they won't.

The wants for baseball card sets has grown by an insane amount. When this blog started there were maybe half the amount of sets being worked on than there currently are. As I get more, and more into collecting the list may continue to grow. Who knows what sets are out there lurking that will peak my interest, and become something I just have to have.

The greatest part of this past year has been the trading. Before starting this blog I am sad to admit, but when it came to baseball cards I was a taker. The online group would have people offering cards they were looking to get rid of, and I would ask for what I needed, and send only a couple unwanted cards. I'll say it, and own it. I was one of those traders you never wanted to trade with more than once. Since joining the blogging community I have done everything possible to change that, and it's all thank to you great readers, and bloggers out there. It would be fair to say I've done a complete 180.

The few cards shows I went to this year I would see a card, and a blogger I've traded with would come to mind. The card would then come home, and be on their way to a fellow trader. Not even thinking for a second what or if anything was coming back. Earlier on I even got a Griffey Jr. SLU for fellow blogger 'The Junior Junkie', and we had never traded until sending him an e-mail saying I had something for him. Times like this has made this past year such a great memory. Every memory has been thanks to all of you out there allowing me to share my little part of the world with you, and sharing yours as well. I have learned so much for reading all the other great blogs out there, and this is why I created 'The Prowling Cat'.

 Another fun thing atleast for the daughter, and myself is the artelopes. This idea came from the blog 'Baseball By The Letters'. Not long after starting this blog he did a post about decorating envelopes to improve your chances on autograph requests. I took that idea, and started it in hopes of increasing my odds on getting business cards for the collection. The success rate has been incredible as I added some very tough business cards to the baseball collection. Things went so well with this little project that I almost completed the missing teams. Only a couple held out, but I won't be stopped as this next year we will try again.

Once again I want to say thank you to all of you out there who read my posts. Thank you as well to all of you out there who write your own blogs that both inspire this blog, and entertain me. I look forward to many more trades with those of you I already trade with, and hopefully making trades with some new people.