The old PrunePicker changed his phone number.

I hated to do it. It is going to cause a lot of trouble. But a while ago I had an encounter with a scammer. Since then I have changed my passwords. But I still get phone calls from crooks, scammers, and hackers. I block the numbers but they still keep calling. It gives me the creeps to know that the crook is still out there with my phone number. I am afraid that he has told all of his fellow crooks that I am a possible mark and to give me a call.

I get several hacker calls a week, sometimes two in one day. It is very unnerving and inconvenient. My new number is unlisted and unpublished. I hope that the crooks do not get it. If you wish to contact me or wish to have my new phone number please contact me through the Facebook message service or by email (chuck.monson@gmail.com)

The change of my phone number may not help but I thought that it was worth a try. I am sorry for any bother this might cause you.

Esophagus stretch. 20 plus hours of pain spasms!

I had a medical procedure yesterday morning (9.21.2018) to have my esophagus stretched. This is the seventh time since 2002 that I have had this procedure done to help me swallow.

About two hours after the procedure I started having pain from my esophagus. They were spasmodic and lasted one four of five minutes. The pain was bad, up to a 8 or 9. I yelled, swore, and prayed. I called the clinic. They inferred my stretch job had been substantial and my esophagus may have been damaged and recommended that I go to the emergency room and get an Xray.

Wonderfull John drove me to the hospital. I had an Xray, EKG, and a cat scan. I was laying there thinking about surgery to repair a torn esophagus. Bad vision!

I also had hope that the doctor would give me some pills and tell me to go home and take them. THAT IS WHAT HAPPENED1 The pills were an anti spasm pill. I am glad that I had the tests. We now know that there is nothing torn or bleeding.

This morning I am still having pain spasms. However they are 30 plus minutes apart and usually only one or two on the pain scale, One or two times the pain has reached 3 or 4.

It has been 22 hours since the procedure. The pain spasms have decreased dramatically. I slept for five hours straight last night, I have not done that for years. John and I got in bed late.

I lost one pound yesterday. That is a hard way to lose weight.

I should have listened to David!

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The picture above illustrates what happened to me when I did not listen to David. (David Newberry, my grand son in law.

I was stepping down some steps at a football game Monday night. I was right by David when he said do not go that way. I thought that I was stepping down on a step. but the step was not there! There should have been but there was not/ I am blind in the middle of my left eye and do not have very good (none?) depth perception. When I let my foot down. no step, I fell! I thought that there was a scratch on the back of my left arm. I could not see it. My family could see a bloody wound and gathered around. Got me bandaged and John drove me to the emergency room. Another bandage and  a tetanus shot.

I was thrilled by the tender loving care that I received, both from my family and the Ruston Hospital. I only wish that I had listened to David. Next time I will. (So soon old, so late smart!)

75 years changes your photo!

The photo on the left was taken in 1943 when I was in basic training to be a Combat Engineer. (WW II)

The right photo was taken seventy five later in 2018  when I was in advanced training for my "Golden Years".

Number 37.

Number 37 is the football team number for my great grandson Ross.

Ross is 14. He is a freshman at West Monroe High School. West Monroe has been a long time football power in these parts. It will be tough to make the team but Ross is going to do it. He has played some in his first two games of high school football. I think that is a feather in his cap. Here are some pics from a game last night. The game was against Ruston, played in Ruston. We got home from the game real quick. West Monroe won.

Here is the team plotting before the game.

Ross is watching a coach holding his hands to his head. I bet the coach is thinking "why isn't Newberry in the game!"

West Monroe cheer leaders.

Ruston has a great scoreboard. You can see the game better on the board.

Four men from Dubach.

This is a human interest story (at least it is interesting to me) about four men who were raised in Dubach, Louisiana. They went through school together and played on the Dubach HS baseball team. The Dubach HS is no more but some sixty plus years later the men attend the Unionville Store Saturday morning breakfast and still talk to each other. I feel fortunate to join them at that breakfast. It is a kick to see how close they still are after that many years. They are good men and are a pleasure to be with. Here is a pictures of them taken last Saturday, From the left they are Richard Jones, James Fuller, John Jeffcoat, and Nicky Davis.

Here are close ups.

These men must have bonded playing on the Dubach baseball team. (State Champs for 1961!)

The men were all outstanding baseball players. But one was named the Most Valuable Player of the Year. That honor went to the Ace Pitcher, John Jeffcoat. (18 wins, 0 losses) John is so proud of that feat that he catties his scrapbook at all times. (In case I want a picture.)

Nicky Davis was the catcher. Never missed a catch.

Here are some clippings. John said that his mother did the book. He claims that the book did not mean a thing to him at the time, but would not take a million for it now.

Two Fs please. John Jeffcoat. The scrapbook is full of items like the above. Victory after victory!

Vital Signs for August 2018

Hooray! I lost four pounds in the month. From 229 to 225. When I started the diet on May 1 my weight was 250. So I am down 25 pounds in four months. 220 here I come! My blood pressure is good. My esophagus  (swallowing) has gotten bad. I am going for a stretch on September 17. It will be the seventh time that I have gone through this procedure. Heres hoping.