Fever, Chills, Loss of Smell, and a Mysterious Pin

Packages are piled up in my office.  Some of them are online purchases.  Others are care packages fellow bloggers and friends have sent my way.  Hopefully none of these people are offended that I haven't opened up their generous gifts.

As many of you know... lately... I've been a little distracted with the recent passing of my father.  My immune system must have been low, because a few days later I had my first run-in with Covid.  Holy cow... this virus completely knocked me out for four days.  Fever, chills, headaches, stuffy head, an earache, loss of smell and taste, body aches, and a really nasty cough pretty much summarizes my personal experience with the infectious disease.

Thankfully... every day since Saturday has been a little better.  As I laid in bed this morning, I decided to read all of the thoughtful comments people left on my previous post.  They brought a smile to my face and tears to my eyes.  Thank you for those very kind words.

Getting back to those packages... I'd love to sit down, rip open, and organize all of the cards awaiting me in those boxes, bubble mailers, and PWE's.  I have the time (that's something you probably won't read on this blog again anytime soon), but not the energy.  My district says I can't go back into my classroom until Thursday, but I might be out the whole week.  I'm still very fatigued and pretty sure my students and colleagues wouldn't appreciate my obnoxious cough.

I did open up one package before climbing back into bed.  It wasn't chosen by random.  It was something I purchased the morning my father passed away.  Papa Fuji wasn't a huge baseball fan.  He didn't really watch the sport growing up on the pineapple fields and by the time he came to the mainland... it just wasn't his thing.

However after doing some research a while back, I discovered a hall of fame catcher for the Athletics hit a home run on the day he was born.  I immediately checked online to see if he had any cards issued from my father's birth year.  Outside of a single and seemingly rare Exhibit card, I came up empty-handed.  I did find a pin depicting him produced by a gum company and ironically... there was an auction ending the same morning he passed away.

Here's the latest addition to my A's PC and an item that will forever be linked to my father:

1932 Orbit Gum Pins #28

Sadly there isn't a lot of information out there on these pins.  Does anyone know the story behind these?  How they were distributed?

By the way... I'm gonna start working on another blog post to address the state of the blog.  Hopefully I'll publish it this week.  We'll see how things play out with my health, work, and family stuff.

Until then... thanks again for all of the considerate and kind comments everyone wrote on my last post.  Just one more reason I'm grateful for this card community, the hobby, and this blog.

Happy Tuesday and sayonara!

The Final Field Trip

The past few months have been quite the whirlwind... so much that I had to access my family's Google calendar to wrap my head around when and where things took place.

Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University

Earlier in the year, my father started having some health issues and as much as he enjoyed his independence... he accepted the reality that living in Las Vegas by himself was no longer a viable option.  

As a family, we decided to move him to the Bay Area where he'd be surrounded by his three boys and his favorite daughter-in-law.

Hukilau in SJ Japantown

It was nice seeing him on a regular basis... and having the opportunity to help him after a lifetime of him always being there for us.  Each of his children are very different, so when he hung out with us individually, he experienced different things.

Marion Panaretos Rose Garden in San Mateo

My thing was getting him out of the house and taking him on short expeditions.  We'd often walk around San Jose's Japantown and grab lunch or check out a local park, take a stroll, and smell the flowers.  He also enjoyed sitting down at Barnes and Noble with a copy of Calder Walden's Spies in front of him.

Marvel Cake in Campbell

About a month ago, his health started to decline... and the field trips evolved into short drives.  Two weekends ago... we hopped in my car and drove over to my best friend's house.  She has been taking care of her mom and hadn't had the chance to see my father in a few weeks, so we visited her.  Sadly, it was his final field trip.

Papa Fuji passed away last Sunday.  Although my siblings and I are sad to see him go, we are happy that he's finally reunited with Mama Fuji.  Rest in peace Dad.  You deserve it.

Happy Saturday and sayonara!