So, long time no see. I've been running around like crazy trying to buy a house and be a good husband, so I haven't had time to check in with all my pulls and pickups these past several months.

So here you go, several at a time.

lets see em!!!

First up, it's the show report.

We have the huge CSA show in Chantilly 3 times a year, and I try to make it every time, even when the budget isn't much more than pocket change for some singles. Here are my recent show pickups.

I've picked up a tin of Sweet Spot baseball and a box of 97/98 BAP Series A, so we'll start with those. A PC pull in each, so I can't complain at all.

The two autos in my sweet spot were:

Matt Chico


Rich Hill


And the 3 stars from my BAP

Mike Keane


Jari Kurri


Peter Bondra

No show trip is complete without a few singles, so here's what I unearthed in the cheapo bins:

Dunn/Kluszewski


Jamison Auto


Mike Alstott Buyback Auto


And my personal favorite, even if the picture is rough
Adam Dunn button hole Jsy /50

not bad
5

Nice stuff so far, can't wait to see more!

Of course, shows only come once in a while. In between, there's TCC and ebay, and my friendly neighborhood Target/Walmart to boost my collection.

First up, it's the retail report. Just in case you thought retail is usually boring, let me disprove that a bit.

A blaster of Fleer Ultra yielded this sweet auto of Marc Antoine Pouliot



A blaster of Mayo brought me an awesome John Carlson auto:



I picked up some guaranteed GU packs of basketball because I could see packs of Topps 52 Style inside. These paid off big. The GU were:

Antoine Walker/ Chris Webber Dual Jsy/ ticket stub


Karl Malone shorts card /50


And the packs of 52 style yielded two fan favorite autos, Jeff Hornacek and Danny Schayes



And a multi-pack football box stuffed with old Topps Heritage packs was a big winner too:

Santonio "Tippy-Toes" Holmes Refractor RC /552


And a big PC pull, Clinton Portis Black refractor #1/52

Retail treated you nice.

Even a HAND numbered Karl - that is a nice card.

Then there's ebay. Lots of work for little reward usually, but there's always a few gems.

My first Chris Samuels Jersey, it's a piece of his Pro Bowl jersey


Another Redskins PC card, Malcom Kelly Stadium Club Auto RC


My big PC is Boyd Gordon of the Caps. Here's his Gold SPx RC /50


And a Boyd Gordon Fresh Ink auto. Not numbered, but impossible to find


Gotta add to my Adam Dunn collection too. Some GU first


An SPx Auto Jersey


And a dual patch with Reggie Jackson (it's an Angels patch for Reggie)


And the Daniel Carcillo collection highlights which I loved until he got shipped to Philly at the trade deadline. Now I have to hate him.

Nice Dunn-nage.

Which brings me to my favorite source of new cards: TCC!

First up, a whole bunch from the hockey club monthly breaks

Cam Ward, ready for another playoff run


Sedin Twin powers, activate!


At the beginning of the year, we called him Jose Three-or-more. Now we're hoping he can put a playoff run together for the Caps


Norris Candidate Mike Green


Grammy Nominee for his rendition of the bongos on Marc Staal, Alex Semin


Showcase Ovechkin shortprint, books $50

Awesome stuff!

And now for my TCC trade of a lifetime.

I shipped an
05/06 SPA Johan Franzen Auto RC (he of the newly minted $43 million dollar contract with the Red Wings)
plus an 05/06 Beehive Steve Yzerman Gold NNO, but SP'd to 25

out to TCC member yzerman in Germany

Here's what I got back:

A hot prospects rookie of the aforementioned Mike Green (down to two of his base rookies to have every single one from his rookie year)


A Bowman chrome Refractor rookie /300 of Alex Semin (not pictured, a regular bowchro Alex Semin rookie


A Cup Foundations Lanny McDonald, King of Moustaches quad jersey


And the highlight of my non-Capitals hockey collection:
Wayne Gretzky Black Diamond Jersey

So it's been a quite productive 6 months, even if I haven't been around much to share it.

I've gotten:

All the wonderful cards above (non-Washington players and Adam Dunns are for trade)
My favorite baseball player signing with my local team (Woohoo Dunny!)
The best Washington Capitals season since our Cup Finals run in 97/98
2 tickets to tomorrow night's playoff opener for the Caps

And with all that, I'm married to the love of my life and getting to learn every day just how much of a blessing that is.

Thanks for looking all. I hope your next 6 months are as happy as my last 6 have been

Forget the house, get more cards and enjoy!