...they ain't kidding.

First, some background. I made some eBay purchases in late October. My mom mailed them, along with some other stuff, in early November. Here's the postmark:

The package arrived in my mailbox...today.

I had pretty much given up hope. Usually, when a package takes a long time, it's because Customs and Quarantine has it, they saw something on the X-ray they didn't like, and they opened it up and inspected further. I've had that happen a couple of time (usually with food involved) and when they do that, they seal the package back up and include a little card explaining what they did and a number to call if you want to complain (not that it would do any good).

No card in this package. So who knows why it was delayed. And for so long.

I'm just glad that Australia Post (or possibly the USPS, there's no way of knowing on which side of the Pacific it got lost on) found it. Because one of the cards was the one on the top row, in the middle.


As you can see, that card completes my Griffey Spectrum rainbow. That's two rainbows down, two more (Ichiro and Felix) to go.

A package arrived from the States, from my parents. Inside were two pillow speakers (the things that you plug into your clock radio and then put under your pillow so you can listen to the radio at night without disturbing your partner), a complete 1989 Upper Deck set (more on that later), and a Felix Hernandez bobblehead doll. In some ways, that was the best gift because on the customs form, my poor confused mom listed it as a "H. Fernandez bobble head doll". So I guess I'm now the proud owner of a Helix Fernandez stadium giveaway.

But also in the package were some cards. And enough of those card fit into a certain binder page to give me this:

That's 2009 Spectrum card #82, otherwise known as The Freak, Tim Lincecum. And that, my friends, is my first complete rainbow. Strangely enough, the #/25 turquoise card was not in the package - I already had that one. But the blue, green and black cards give me the complete set. I also stuck the two Spectrum Swatches cards (blue and light blue) to fill the gaps and create a nice nine-card spread.

I'm also collecting the Griffey, Ichiro and Helix Fernandez rainbows. I've got the six Ichiro non-relic cards (although some of them are in my COMC account), both of the Griffey Spectrum Swatches (but not the gold relic or some of the parallels) and a couple of King Felixes. In fact, the red King Felix was my first Spectrum parallel - you can read about its misfiling on this page.

But for now, I'm basking in the glory of my first rainbow. I showed my wife, and while she feigned an appropriate level of enthusiasm, I could tell her heart wasn't really in it. So I'm sharing with you, dear reader. I know you're happy for me.