Some things do matter...

Saw this today.. and wondered... if most folks do not see a difference in the two men running for President, do they see a difference in their wives???

Old Log Cabin south of Mk's..

This is an old ... log cabin converted into a barn of sorts about a mile south of Marilyn's on way into Perkins on Jardot.
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Mom update... Mom is getting things back on track. She went to Lost Creek Church for a wonderful dinner last night with her neighbor who lives just north of her home, Linda Byrd Stewart. She got to chase things for the farm yesterday, and as usual, was running behind with all she has to do. Jake and I put up the hay south of her home, and I stacked it last night. We still have one field left, but not sure if we are going to do it or not. Lots to do with cattle now that winter is setting in. Mom says again.. thanks to all for the cards, calls, etc. She really appreciates it very much.
later.. s

Shultz Ranch, across the street east from folks...

Just wanted to share this picture with you. This is the Shultz Ranch and Jake is "in training" for Herdsman of the Ranch. So far he has earned his Ph.D. in Fence Repair... but really, Jake is enjoying working for Dr. Shultz. Fred is a former Ag Teacher.. and has taught Jake a lot. But even more importantly, and why the picture is here... if you look very close, to the right of the barn, you will see a small black dot... animal. This is "148", the female (cow) who has put the Shultz Ranch on the map as one of the top Maine breeders in the USA. She is a very fertile female and tons of eggs have been sold from her. Dr. Shultz told Jake other day that folks have earned over a million and half dollars in prize money, show winnings, etc from her progeny. And as you might imagine, she has earned her keep on the ranch by having sales way over a million dollars... from her offspring. This is living proof that less is more, especially when it comes to livestock.. less numbers, more and higher quality, MORE INCOME! and yes, mom, more expenses too.... haha.. but look at the spot she paid for, hum?? Just in the sharing mood.. later, everyone have a great day! s
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Oh yes... remembering when by looking at the Rock Star!!

Oh my.. do you remember the dreams we all had at a very young age... Austyn was dreaming and pretending over a year and half ago... How to be a rock star... If he only knew all he has to do is dream, and follow it... it will be his... He was really "getting down" in this and other photos from Valentines, 2003... by the way... another person said: ...And the day came when the risk it took to remain tight inside the bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom. Anais Nin,
American Author

(photo by stan click to enlarge)

got to remember to put the last pic up first.. haha.. this was the end to a great day!

Oh.. got to share this one with ya.. Sunset on the Moffat Farm, Perkins, Oklahoma, this evening at about 7:43pm. I was south of Mom's home, about a quarter mile... between the trees, not able to see it, is a pond... I missed the best shot, due to actually trying to get the hay baled... haha... love to all... pray for the folks in Florida... and remember those who are fightning our war in Iraq... and those who paid the ultimate price with their lives, may God bless their family's........... and may God Bless us one and all!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Yesterday was an OK day... I mowed the hay field south of Grandma Moffat's home on Monday, and got Jake to help me put it up yesterday! He raked, you can see him coming in the background and I baled... inbetween taking pics...haha.. This field is bermuda grass, and this is the second time we put it up this year. First time it made 96 big round bales.. 5' by 5'. So far today, about 2/3 of way done and it has made another 45. This is a lot considering that with the drought the last three summers, this field had not been put up at all. I worked it this spring, and like a gardener who wants to work his garden up and plant things and guess what grows... yelp, bermuda grass... haha. Actually, Dad and I thought if I worked it up it might be good for the field, and when on the day I broke the ground up in March, the hawks came by the hundreds, red tails... looking for grubs..and they had a feast! It was unbelievable. I think all the hawks in the world came out that day!!! Anyway, wanted to share what Jake and I been doing. Jake is in training for the herdman position at the Shultz Ranch, and Dr. Shultz is away on vacation this week, so Jake runs over and takes care of things there, and then comes back over across the road and helps me, too!... Then, we both get to eat with Grandma at noon, kinda nice too!! Will get more pics up when we get the hay done... still have one field to cut, about another 25 acres and then we will be thru for the fall, I think, and hope! Later... Oh, great to hear from niece Cortney, will post a note about her NOTE ... before long.. she is OK!!!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

More pics from Saturday's blowout..... The Baby Shower for Jon and Randi....

Sorry for the quality of pic.... I stole it from another website... but.. there are some really neat pics on Jonathan, Randi and Kaithlyn's web blog from their baby shower last Saturday, and of the new nursery, too. Be sure to check out the new entry's!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Wonderful time at Jon and Randi's baby shower for Kaitlyn..... yesterday..

Jonathan and Randi were the receipents of a baby shower in Strafford yesterday afternoon, followed by the clan moving the party to Jon and Randi's home in Roff. A grand time was had by all in attendance, and the happy couple received some valuable, handy, and very usable, plus... NEAT gifts. The consenus of the group... We need young "Kaitlyn Brooke" here.............SOON... and ... she will be here before we know it! Love to all... s

(photo by heather, click to enlarge)

Workers help evacuate people from the special needs shelter

Workers help evacuate people from the special needs shelter at Sherwood Elementary School in Melbourne after the building lost part of its roof this morning. The people were taken to nearby Brevard Community College. Image © 2004, Malcolm Denemark, FLORIDA TODAY

Hurricane likely is `storm of the year,' expert says

Hurricane likely is `storm of the year,' expert says
BY JOE NEWMAN, MAYA BELL AND JASON GARCIA
The Orlando Sentinel

ORLANDO, Fla. - (KRT) - Hurricane Jeanne began its brutal march across Florida Saturday, showing no mercy on a state already battered and bruised by three storms in the past six weeks.

Jeanne may be the worst yet - combining the speed of Charley, the size of Frances and the fury of Ivan in one deadly package. Florida has never seen four storms hit in a year.

"It will probably be the storm of the year for the Florida peninsula," said Max Mayfield, director of the National Hurricane Center, near Miami. "It's going to cause extreme damage and loss of life if we're not very, very careful."

The storm was so big that even hours before landfall Saturday, early-evening winds along the coast were toppling small trees, bending street signs in half and ripping tarps from homes damaged during Hurricane Frances.

The best-case scenario for Florida disappeared Saturday afternoon, when Jeanne's forecast track took it inland rather than northward offshore.

Forecasters expected the storm to make landfall around midnight or later between Palm Beach County and Cape Canaveral as a strong Category 3, which has maximum winds of 130 mph.

But because Jeanne will be crossing over the warmer Gulf Stream, they said there was a chance it could intensify to a minimal Category 4.

The nasty weather - high winds, heavy rain and possible tornadoes - should continue to pound the state through all of Sunday.

Residents in St. Lucie and Indian River counties began feeling the effects of the storm by midafternoon.

"They're going to really get clobbered by this hurricane," Mayfield said. "They haven't had a major hurricane in the Fort Pierce-Vero Beach area since 1933."

In Fort Pierce, tropical-storm-force winds arrived by early evening. Street lights and power poles began bending and swaying. Branches, palm fronds and street signs tumbled across roads. Rain fell in a heavy, blinding wall of water.

One Fort Pierce police officer said he saw a mattress blown across a street.

It would be a long night for much of the state.

"We're anticipating nine hours of being battered," said St. Lucie County Administrator Doug Anderson from the county's underground emergency-operations bunker.

That didn't stop many drivers from taking to the roads to sightsee. Nor did it scare many residents of barrier islands into seeking safer ground.

"There are some stubborn people out there that are not leaving the islands," Anderson said. "And they're in danger."

Though millions were ordered to evacuate in advance of the storm, many stayed put - some even taking a matter-of-fact approach to the storm - despite the swath of destruction and death it left in the Carribbean.

"Unfortunately, it looks like the people north of Palm Beach County aren't preparing," said Ed Rappaport, deputy director of the National Hurricane Center, who made an afternoon plea for people to either make last-minute preparations or flee.

"This is stronger than Frances, a well-built storm," Rappaport said. "This is where your life is at risk. If you don't act now, you won't get another chance."

In the barrier islands of southern Brevard County, people remained on the streets as sundown approached. In the small beach town of Indialantic, Katherine Bryan planned to remain throughout the storm.

Bryan said she has never left for a hurricane and wasn't going to start this time. She lives in a subdivision within 200 yards of the beach.

"People can't afford to evacuate this time again. Their credit cards are all maxed out," she said. Almost no one in her subdivision was leaving. She looked out over the beach, sand hitting her in the face and foam flying off the water.

"I'm just trying to enjoy what's left of it," Bryan said.

Floridians know the post-hurricane drill all too well: the lack of power, the fallen trees, the closed stores and restaurants.

This time, however, some people may have to brace for extended power outages. Florida Power & Light warned that customers who lose electricity can expect to be without it for three weeks.

FPL and other power companies are all struggling to find enough workers to handle the impact of Jeanne.

There's also the additional concern of flooding. Jeanne was expected to dump 6 to 12 inches of rain across an already-waterlogged region. Many of Central Florida's rivers, retention ponds and canals are filled to the brim.

Until Saturday morning, it looked like Central Florida might escape the worst of the storm. But the track kept moving westward, encompassing an ever-bigger swath of the state.

Winds of at least 74 mph were expected to spread as far as 100 miles inland.

"If our forecast is right, there will be hurricane-force winds inland," Rappaport said. "There's a pretty good chance they'll make it to Orlando, maybe as far west as Tampa, possibly as far north as Gainesville."

If so, Orlando will have begun feeling hurricane-force winds in the pre-dawn hours, with winds weakening by mid- to late morning. Then they'll be replaced by tropical-storm-force winds of at least 39 mph that could last all day, until the storm moves well to the north, said Bart Hagemeyer, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in Melbourne.

Damage from inland winds in Central Florida could be worse than it was from Charley, Hagemeyer said. That's because Charley's eye was only 5 miles wide, while Jeanne's eye is about seven times that, which would cast the strongest winds over a much broader area. He also noted that Orlando likely will be on the east - or worst - side of the storm as it traverses the state.

"That's where the worst winds and the worst rains are," Hagemeyer said. "If there is one glimmer of good news, it's that Jeanne is moving much faster than Frances. That may help the rainfall."

Gov. Jeb Bush promised that the state's response to Jeanne would be immediate - but he also urged Floridians to be patient.

"Even though our resources are stretched, we are well-organized to provide relief as quickly as possible," Bush said, conceding that everyone in the state is "weary" of the succession of hurricanes. "Our resources are strained because of the magnitude of these progressive storms ... this is going to be a long term effort to rebuild."

The fact that Jeanne is the fourth hurricane to hit the state this year - and the third to cross Central Florida - is mind-boggling.

Only Texas has been struck by four hurricanes in a single season - way back in 1886. Two of them actually made landfall in Mexico and Louisiana but still hammered the Lone Star State.

"It's historic," Hagemeyer said. "And unfortunately, hurricane season isn't over until the end of November."

---

(Orlando Sentinel correspondents Sean Mussenden and Linda Kleindienst contributed to this report.)

---

© 2004, The Orlando Sentinel (Fla.).

Visit the Sentinel on the World Wide Web at http://www.orlandosentinel.com. On America Online, use keyword: OSO.

Hurricane Jeanne Lashes Florida's East Coast

Hurricane Jeanne Lashes Florida's East Coast

The U.S. National Hurricane Center said the storm, now a strong Category 3 on the five-step Saffir-Simpson scale of hurricane intensity, could strengthen further over warm water between the Bahamas and the southeastern United States.
State officials said computer models showed 4.7 million of the state's 17 million people were in harm's way, and estimated that 1.2 million buildings could be damaged, leaving around 142,000 families without homes.

Florida Power and Light Co. said 12,000 of its customers were without electricity. The utility appealed nationwide for more linemen and tree-cutters to supplement the crews still repairing damage from the last hurricanes.

"Our resources are clearly stretched," FPL President Armando Olivera said. "In all candor we must tell our customers that they must be prepared for extended outages, perhaps three weeks or more."

When Jeanne comes ashore, it will mark the first time since records began in 1851 that Florida has been walloped by four hurricanes in a single season. The season lasts from June to the end of November.

In the Bahamas, residents of Grand Bahama and Great Abaco islands, both still recovering from the ravages of Frances, packed into shelters.

On Great Abaco, Jeanne felled trees and power lines, destroyed one house and tore the roofs off several others. Rising water submerged roads and flooded two shantytowns full of Haitian immigrants, many of them illegal aliens who resisted moving to government shelters.

Torrential rains lashed Grand Bahama Island. The center of the storm was expected to pass north of Freeport, where most of the island's 50,000 residents live.

"The warm waters of the Bahamas are fueling the storm," meteorologist Basil Dean said. "Grand Bahama will be under the gun for several hours."

In Florida, Hurricane Charley kicked off the season of misery when it slammed ashore on the southwest Gulf Coast on Aug. 13. It killed 33 people and caused $7.4 billion in insured damages.

Frances hit the Atlantic coast on Sept. 5, killing 30 and causing $4.4 billion in damages.

Ivan ripped into the Gulf Coast between Florida and Alabama with 130 mph winds on Sept. 16, killing at least 45 people across the United States and causing up to $6 billion in damages.

Please remember Ward and Melanie Shaklee in Melbourne, Fl. and Neice Cortney in your prayers...

Good source for hurricane information.. lots of links..
Drudge Report... as of this hour, 9:30PM Sat.. Florida is getting hit and there has been tornadoes at Cape Kennedy.. not far from Ward's... and Melbourne is getting hit now with 115 mile per hour winds.. and the eye is about an hour away yet... These folks need our prayers and after the storm, they might need our support as we can... Please Ward and family, please, when you get a chance, let us know how you guys are doing and what we can do to help you guys.... please??? YOU are all in our prayers that God will hold you in his palm and keep you safe... and give you strength... be safe!

The ole "Hoopie" dad talked about often....

The one picture that did not make it into the pics for Dad's photojam.. some day I will fix that, I hope.
Dad and Carlyle Troubant went to Galveston, TX in this ole Hoopie.. from Okarche, OK. for a bit of a Senior trip, in 1937, when Dad was 19. His father died later that Fall I believe. Carl was the son of a preacher at Mt. Zion United Brethren Church at El Reno, and he and Dad were life long friends. The trip to Galveston was 550 miles via interstate highways.. not sure how much longer via old roads, and if you notice.. there was NO top! No protection from the rain, sun, other cars, etc! And I can still remember so clearly him telling about this big event in his life... two guys, open car, open road, sunburn, headaches, windblown, distance, etc.... I am sure that besides the marriage to my mom... this was like ... second in his memory collection!!! Usually about once a year we heard of this.. one year, Cousin Leon and wife Nita went to lake with her parents and Leon came home so sunburned he had to go to the field in a dress to plow... cause jeans hurt so bad to put on.. oh yes, I remember... the stories... life's foundation! Enjoy..

(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Was peaking out the front door watching Andrew... and Spot last night. We had all gathered at Great Grandma Moffat's for Pizza and to write Thank You's, and read the awesome cards she received.. Andrew wanted to play, and he is an OUTDOOR boy.. so out he went. I have captured the moment I think. There are many more from last evening, including one of "Mom" closeup I think is awesome.. but more on that later. Everyone is getting ready today to head to Jonathan and Randi's "sort of" shower in Stratford this afternoon, and then head on down to Jon's to mess around a bit and keep them from resting afterward.. haha... More on that later, but the granddaughter is progressing right on schedule... oh boy.. can not wait.. ~~
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Another pic of the AWESOME sunset from our yard last Thursday evening... Can not help but think Dad, Gene, Leon, Larry, and others going before us, are sending us these to enjoy!!!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

I looked out side last night and saw the yard and field bathed in red and yellow light... and grabbed the camera, so you will have to bear with me, you will have another album to look at of the sunset from yesterday... it was AWESOME! I am sure I would not be as excited about the photos if I didn't know that I have been after these type pics my whole life.. and finally getting to figure out how to take them... well, sort of, but you be the judge! I will put the rest of later this am... in an album on the left... later all... have a great day!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Here is another view of the wreck. Many thanks to the Perkins Journal for the pics. wow.. could have been a big deal. Jake said he usually bales off on the right side of tractor and his shirt always hangs up on the throttle.. thank goodness it did not hang up as it threw him off of the tractor as it rolled. Normally on these deals, the driver is pinned under the steering wheel, and as you can see, it would have been a very different outcome! Jake is on the right with the ambulance driver, our neighbor Puddin Payne informing Jake "He is GOING to the emergency room". He was pretty sore, and had stiches in one finger, and a BIG knot on his head, otherwise he is ok. And No... no replacement tractor in sight yet, but soon he hopes. The mailbox is the driveway entrance to Mom and Dad's to the right. He was turning left, and the black truck flew around him... on his left, even after he signaled, completely shearing off the front wheel of the tractor on the left!! He had a brush hog that pulled from the drawbar on the tractor behind it. sigh.. lucky I guess!!!
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Another view of Jake's near tragic tractor upset. You can see the rescue folks in this one.. jake is standing in the red shirt talking with OHP. looking northwest.
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Look inside the circle.... yelp.. ...

Look inside the circle... This is Main Street in Perkins, Oklahoma at noon. The tall building on the left corner of the picture is the local water hole and picture was taken at noon. Yelp, Perkins is a rural community... and it's neat. All the Moffat kiddos... from Stan and Marilyn thru Phillip, Heather, Jonathan and Jake graduated from school there. At one point, a kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Spillars who graduated with Stan, said, "There has been a Moffat kiddo in the Perkins School system for 25 straight years! wow! feeling old.. haha.. enjoy
(photo by stan click to enlarge)

Thinking out loud!

Guess it is an age thing... but I have come to realize I do NOT remember dates very well! HAhaHA! (most of my family knows this, I reckon!) I would like to post a calendar on this website that has all of our anniversarys and birthdays, and other important dates on it. I will do so, but from each family, including my own, I need to receive via eamail, the person and their birthdate, and wedding anniversary, and other dates of importance, plus your contact information for your family. I will not post the contact information online, unless you say it is ok to do so. I will post the other information on the calendar, as part of the heritage of the family of John K Moffat. Hope this does not offend those of you with GREAT memories... and that you take this in the spirit it is meant. Please, as you read this, send the needed information to me, please???

Life goes on, and on, and on....

Not much happening today. I am back at my pretend job on web... Jake is over at the Shultz Ranch, after making his second trip back this am. He arrived at work, jumped out of car and turned around and there was our "Momma Kitty" following him. He quickly grabbed her and put her back in his car (he left the windows down!) and then went to tell Fred he was bringing her home. Fred walked to car with Jake, and got to looking around and guess what.. .??? YELP... 6 baby kittens under his seat..haha.. so he brought them all back and returned to work!
Grandma Moffat decided that she was going to take a Senior Citzen Driving Course offered at the Senior Citzen Center in Perkins and she enrolled and attended her first class yesterday. I understand it finishes up today in afternoon. She still drives uptown as needed and chases parts for the farm, and Charlies Chicken for her lunch...
Phil, Tammy and Austyn took Grandma out for Sunday Dinner after church, for Grandparents Day that she missed.
Marilyn and Mom have been busy returning dishes to folks and flowers to those they want to share with.
Jonathan and Randi have a baby shower this Saturday, I think, in Roff?? not sure but the one thing I do know, it is an exciting time here at the ole ranch waiting on the arrival of our first granddaughter!!! We are on pins and needles...
Heather is back at work this week, and so is Paul. Andrew is sort of well... for those who do not know, he suffers from ashama and bad sinius and ear aches... etc. He is taking shots for the allergies, .... I remember when I did the same.. but I quit taking them as I felt worse from the shots than from the allergies!!
Mom and MK stopped by Sunday evening and Mom got to see the In Loving Memory of OLM on this site.. and the site in general. She had not seen such!! haha...
I have one field to put up for hay south of Mom's home, but the weather is not looking like it is drying weather, so will wait a bit. Got lots to do, and seem to run out of time before I get started.. haha... sounds good, right???
Have a great day... s

found these on another computer... the "boys" at play....

found these on another computer... pics everywhere!!! Twas a happier time!!  

Grasshoppers.... Oklahoma Style, and this was the least I found on post last summer!!

Another "hopper" picture... really had them bad one year ago, and were really bad this past summer.
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Rangeland and Pasture: Damage Grasshoppers compete for forage with cattle. If enough grasshoppers are present, they can reduce the quality and quantity of forage that is produced. This can affect the rancher’s ability to use the pasture effectively for grazing. Grasshoppers consume up to 50% of their body weight every day in forage. Cattle consume abut 1.5-2.5% of their body weight in forage, so pound for pound, a grasshopper will eat 12-20 times as much plant material as a steer. Another way to look at it is that 30 pounds of grasshoppers will eat as much as a 600-pound steer. In addition, some grasshoppers feed on the most desirable forage plants in the rangeland, leaving the less desirable plants. Their feeding, if coupled with drought conditions, can cause long-term deterioration of the forage plant community.

Another pics of the villians.... haha....

Couple of pics from last summer regarding grasshoppers... Dad and Mom have had their share of them.
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Cindy, I know these photos are not even close to yours, but it does show how they will even eat the bark off of a tree... the wild side... haha!! We had the little fellows so bad this summer that the ground would be yellow with them as I followed the rake, baling hay in round bales. They would jump from the window row in a "cloud" of yellow and land and the yellow ground would "move".
I just wanted to share our Oklahoma fellows with you as I know of your interest in Nature and insects...etc. through your blog, Bug Jar Diaries. Thanks also for your kind words to our family... We truly appreciate them very much. s

Great Grandma Moffat and Andrew....

Great grandma and Andrew Friday evening. He was having a ball, riding three wheeler with Jake and then having Great grandma show him how to write his name!
Also wanted to let everyone know that the pictures from Dad's funeral are in a photojam on the left side of this page at the link In Loving Memory of Oscar Lee Moffat. It is a big file with music so it takes a while to download. If you do not have shockwave viewer it will direct you to the site to get it first. The tune with the album is Amazing Grace, played by Dennis Cooper, an amazing harpist that I have met through his music. He has entered major competition several times with his playing and has won second many times... But in my heart of hearts, I know he will win first soon. He is a great harpist. Dad... loved the mouth harp, and even could play one a bit, but a real juice harp, not the harmonica. He truly loved to listen to folks play the harmonica, and loved this when I played it for him months ago. He sat in his chair at home, and the tears rolled down his cheeks, when he set and listened to this tune... Dennis, thanks for allowing me to use it! Enjoy the album...
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Here I am to save the day!!! haha...

Ok. The archives are now working. Dad, I'll send the bill.. haha..

So, if you want to see some old posts that dad has on here, then select an archive link in the left-hand menu. Now, I'm off to bed to catch up on some sleep that I need. Everybody take care, and hopefully we will get around and see everyone again soon.

Archives Link NOT working right now..

Jonathan is going to fix the archive link on the left side of page, so you can go back and see all that has been put on this site... thanks.. jon... dad

Rare capture... Jonathan with Randi....

Rare capture... Jonathan with Randi.... She hates cameras, as does Paul, haha... but we got her in this one. And Yelp... new granddaughter will be here in 6 weeks... Ann and I are very happy 'bout this development!
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Andrew with his Uncle Phil and his cousin Austyn...

Andrew with his Uncle Phil and his cousin Austyn.... messing around at Grandma Moffat's last evening... watch out if these three get together in your home... haha...!
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Uncle Jake and Nephews Andrew and Austyn ...

Uncle Jake and Nephews Andrew and Austyn "gettin' it" on...... last evening at Grandma Moffat's. Just wanted to share this picture with ya...
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

New arrival at Lost Creek Ranch......

New arrival at the "Lost Creek Ranch", 1/2 mile west of Lost Creek Church, or 2 1/2 miles north of Mom's, found by owner Charlie Rushmore, who owned the Perkins Y Livestock Sale for many years, and was the place Mom and Dad sold their livestock through over the years after moving to Stillwater in 1960. Mr. Rushmore runs cattle, some goats and some llamas as guard animals, I think. Have asked his daughter Cathey Rushmore Wollenberg, who works with Heather, to ... give us the straight story..!! Anyway, this new arrival was found unexpectly on the ranch and caused lots of furry..... ah yes, life goes on...
photo by cathey! click on photo to enlarge

from Cathey.....GLAD YOU GOT THE LLAMA PICTURE, THERE IS NOT A LOT TO SAY ABOUT THE
ARRIVAL. WE WERE ALL REALLY SURPRIZED TO SEE A BABY LAST FRI. EVENING.
WHEN DAD BOUGHT HER IN APRIL THE OWNER TOLD US SHE MIGHT BE BRED. LLAMAS DON'T SHOW SIGNS OF PREGNANCY LIKE CATTLE DO!! THE LLAMAS ARE QUITE AN EXPERIENCE FOR US "COW-HERDERS"!! TAKE CARE, CATHEY Thanks Cathey... loved the photo...

Long day, but .. it went fast!`

Wonderful service for Dad. He would have been proud, and embarrased by the number of folks who came out for his service. Many wonderful friends, acquaintances, neighbors, and family members from all over. And his family wants to thank everyone who came out. It was most thoughtful and very appreciated!
More later... S

Refreshing rain last night... and ....

What a glorious day this will be .... Dad's favorite time outside was after a rain. Being a farmer, he loved it and never complained about Toooooo much of it. I guess maybe we now have a direct line to heaven... cuz I mentioned to Ann how wonderful it would be if it rained a bit the night before to clean up things, and make the day brighter, the sky more clear.. and the temps a bit cooler, and what do you know.. it rained....... a bit, and the rest has happened..
This day will be tough for the family, but we need to remember, Dad was saved, and lived his beliefs ... not telling people how to live but living it... and showing them how, and he was a man of great character!! To me, character is what you do when handling things and NO one is watching... what helped dad in those times was his deep abiding faith that one is NEVER alone here, if you truly believe in Jesus Christ as your saviour, you realize that every step of the way, He is with you and you are never alone, you will live your life to its fullest and in the most correct fashion possible. And Dad was NEVER alone!!

Family Photo of the John K Moffat Family, about 1930.

John K Moffat family, Front row: Father John K., Brother Ivan, and Mother Bertha. Rear row: Sister Mariel, Brother John J., Brother Mervil, and Oscar. Picture date to be determined, but believe it to be around 1930.
photo from Moffat Family Album; click on photo to enlarge

Dad's service tomorrow, Thursday, 10:30am

Lost Creek United Methodist Church, 8002 S Washington St., Stillwater, OK. is the site for Dad's funeral Thursday, 10:30am. There will be a dinner for friends and family following the service. The location is 6 miles south of Stillwater on highway 177 and 1 mile west on 80th street, or 6 miles south on Western from highway 51 and 1 mile east..... or from the south..... 3 miles north on Western from Highway 33 and one mile east... or 3 miles north of highway 33 on highway 177 and one mile west.
Lost Creek United Methodist Church webpage

photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Also, more details at Strode's Funeral Home site... and some family pics there as well.

Obit from Stillwater NewsPress.. the picture below ran with it.

Oscar Lee Moffat
Payne County Cattleman, Oscar Lee Moffat, 85, of Perkins, died Monday, Sept. 13, 2004, in Stillwater Medical Center.

Services are Thursday at 10:30 a.m. at Lost Creek United Methodist Church. Pastor Max Rudd will officiate. Interment is in Sunset Memorial Gardens, Stillwater. Strode Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

He was born on a farm near Piedmont on Oct. 13, 1918 to John K. Moffat and Bertha Isabel Nelson. He married Elinore Mae Siegrist in Mt. Zion Country Church, El Reno, on March 14, 1942.

Moffat attended Racine Country School and attended El Reno High School. After the death of his father, he quit school to help his mother on the farm. After his marriage, they purchased a neighbor’s LACase tractor and plow for $800 and started their dairying that lasted 45 years. They began milking 23 cows by hand in Canadian County, then bucket milkers, then pipeline milkers in Payne County. They farmed several places in Canadian County and then moved all livestock, machinery, household and family to a farm six miles south of Stillwater in September of 1960.

The family joined Lost Creek United Methodist Church and later joined Perkins First Baptist Church. They had two children: Stanley, born in El Reno and Marilyn, born in Okarche. In 1962, they moved to a farm on Highway 33, west of Perkins, after building a dairy barn. He delivered the first load of wheat in the county to Ahrberg’s Elevator in 1962.

In 1972, he received the Stillwater NewsPress Top Stockman Award, 1995 Stillwater Chamber of Commerce Farm Family of the Year Award and 2001 Payne County Soil Conservation Award.

He always raised wheat and milked cows. He took trips with his family, churches and co-ops. He ended his dairy career in 1987.

He continued to farm with Angus cattle. His grandparents came from near Moffat, Scotland. He was known by his great-grandson, Austyn, as “Grandpa Music” because he loved to listen to gospel and bluegrass music.

He belonged to Payne County Cattlemen’s Association, Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, Cimarron Valley Co-op and was a Life Member of the American Angus Association.

He was predeceased by his father; mother; sister, Mariel Liebscher; brother, Mervil; three nephews and one niece.

He is survived by his wife; one son, Stanley Moffat and wife, Ann, of Stillwater; one daughter, Marilyn Moffat, also of Stillwater; four grandchildren, Phillip Moffat and wife, Tammy, Heather Blankinship and husband, Paul, and Jacob Moffat, all of Stillwater and Jonathan Moffat and wife, Randi, of Roff; two great-grandchildren, Austyn Lee Moffat and Andrew Blankinship, both of Stillwater; two brothers, John J. Moffat, of Lexington and Ivan Moffat and wife, Freda, of El Reno and one sister-in-law, Fannie Moffat, of El Reno.

Memorials may be made to the American Heart Association, Oklahoma Affiliate, 3545 N.W. 58th St., #400C, OKC, OK 73112 or American Diabetes Association, 6600 S. Yale #1310, Tulsa, OK 74136.

Condolences may be e-mailed to the family at http://www.strodefh.com/.

Service for Dad will be....

The service for Dad will be at Lost Creek United Methodist Church, Stillwater, OK with Rev. Max Rudd. Strode Funeral Home in Stillwater, OK. is in charge of arrangements and burial will be at Sunset Memorial Gardens in Stillwater, OK.
It will be at 10:30am this coming Thursday Morning, with a family dinner at the church following the service and all are invited to attend. The grandson's and Dennis Henry and Bruce Fields will be pallbears.

All I know for now. Many thanks for the prayers, flowers, etc.. God Bless you All!!

Family condolences may also be left online at: Strode Funeral Home

We will print the obit a bit later today. Dad was most honored as Payne County Cattleman of the Year... and his obit starts... Payne County Cattleman Oscar....

A wonderful memory was the trip he and I took three weeks ago... I loaded up Dad in his own 4 wheel drive Chevy truck... and headed to his kingdom... We traveled all the land that day.. all... went places chevy trucks are not supposed to go.. and one place we ended up was up high on the place across the road from his home.. up high on the ole sand hill... and dad set there and wept.... and said he had not been up there in years.. and how wonderful it was to see things he had not seen in years... and .............................. we both wept.... little did we know.. but maybe both suspected....

life is but fleeting memories..

thanks again to all, even those wonderfully nice NON family viewers who in a way are now part of OUR extended Oklahoma... family... God bless you all!!!

Our family "King" is gone.... but never forgotten.....

Family Christmas, 2003, with the family.
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Payne County Cattleman Oscar Lee Moffat passed away in restful sleep at 3:20am today, September 13, 2004, one month before his next birthday. Son Stan was with him and reported that it was very peaceful, and that Oscar in fact knew he was "going home" to be with loved ones he had not seen in years.
He will be missed and loved forever.

Arrangements will be with Strode's Funeral Home, Stillwater, OK. Interment will be in Sunset Memorial Garden, South of Stillwater on Highway 177. Services will be set and more details later today on site. Family meets at Strodes at 10am. to make plans.

May God watch over and bless Elinore (Mom) through her time of need. She has been a real inspiration to the family and our corner stone through all this. And Dad and her were soulmates, not just husband and wife, or mom and dad, or grandpa and grandma, or great grandmother and father...... There is no doubt he is in Heaven and rejoicing and not having any pain!

Family condolences may also be left online at: Strode Funeral Home

Morning report....

This shot ..... just looks like trouble~!! Austyn and his spiked hair... getting old Jake!! More pics later.. Took this when Jake and Ann got back from visiting Grandpa Moffat at hospital. Austyn stayed with me and we watched the movie "Toy Story 2". I think he was ready for Jake to play...
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge
Dad rested throughout the night. He was kind of "yucky" the nurses said this am. His white cell count was up, sodium was down, and several other things to indicate he was not doing very well. This report was given to the "Dr. In Charge" on weekends, and he said... not to change things yet. All I know for now.. have a great day...

Dad holding his own...

as of this writing Dad is holding his own. He did eat a bit of each meal today. He is not in any pain, but is not doing well, and as of this afternoon, I know he has figured it out! Phillip, Jake, Mom, Marilyn, Heather and I were there this afternoon, along with Marilyn's friend, Peggy and her Mom, and Lewis Kinzie. Mom was going to eat supper with him and then head home. She went to the Doctor this morning with tugmmy ache, etc. and got some med's for her to take. She rested this afternoon and was then heading home to get to bed early this evening. Mk and Peggy were off to the OSU Tulsa ballgame in Stillwater, and Phil was heading home to keep Austyn so Tammy could head to town, and Heather, who had made one trip to Stillwater for med's for Andrew, was off to pick him up from Grandma Ann's who had been keeping him. I spent the afternoon so Mom could cat nap and Dad slept, or sort of!!
Jon and Randi are coming up tomorrow.. I think along with some other family coming up to see Dad...
All for now.. Go Pokes.. Go Sooners!!!

My In-Laws, Ann's Parents, Harold O and Mary Cathrene Shaklee on their 50th Wedding Anniversary Feb. 1st, 1992 in Jet, OK. at the Community Center. The room was packed with friends and family. Was a very very special day for all....
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

The happy kiddo's shoving it in on Wedding Day.
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Phillip and his Mom, Sharon, on Phillip and Tammy's Wedding Day.... Phil lost his Mom this past February. Jake wrote a special song for Phillip and performed it at her funeral for all, and Stan served as a pallbear.
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Tammy and Phillip on Wedding Day...
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Some pics from the past..... Jonathan, Jacob and Phil and Tammy on Wedding Day.... 3 09 1992.
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Last night.... dad...

I stayed with Dad till about 4:30am last night. He had rattling in his lungs however they came in and sucked it out and gave him his meds and he then drifted off in to a good sleep. As he drifted off, he asked me to go home and rest in case he needed me back there again later. He asked me to give them my phone number and tell them if he said to them "call" they would know to call me and I was to come in and set. He figured this out on his own and told me his plan, so he is still "putting" things together. He did have a tough early part of the night with his lungs filling with fluid, however, they did suction it off and gave him latex and that helped a bunch. He is in good spirits and resting comfortably. Sometimes the weight of it all gets to him, but overall he is at peace. He did feel a lot better this am when I left. at this writing I have not talked with anyone to see how he is doing, but the call did not come during the night, and that is good! Please remember him in your prayers. And Mom and Marilyn too.
............... Phillip, Heather, Jonathan, and Jacob were there yesterday all at one time and all stood around his bed... and he told me last night... in tears... that it was great to have such wonderful loving grandchildren. He said he bet there were lots of grandparents who never see all their grandkids at one time!! So he knows, and cares, and loves........ He looks at the wall where we have a picture taken at Christmas 2003 blown up so he can see... and mumbles how it is amazing all those folks in it came from "me and your mother"! It is a wonderful comfort for him to be able to see it still.
All for now.. more later.. as day progresses.
Love to all... Stan

The dreaded 2am phone call.....

yes. The dreaded call came. We rushed to hospital, and at this hour Dad is still holding on. His lungs have only one spot in the left upper side that is working at all. The rest of them are filled with fluid. His system is basically shutting down. He is having a bit of trouble breathing, and in some pain as the medication they give him for it ruins out and they give him a bit more. Our goal is to keep him resting comfortably and to not be in any pain. We are following his wishes at this time. Marilyn, Mom, Ann and I were there from 2:30am on, and then Jake came up. Later, Phillip and Tammy and Heather came up to set with him. Jonathan is on his way up, and Marilyn, Mom and Ann are there now.
Today is Grandparents Day at Austyn's school, and he invited Ann and I up along with Grandma Moffat. Ann went and I came home to get a cat nap and go back up with Dad, in case I need to stay the night.
Just in case you all missed it, Heather and Paul are expecting their next kiddo, Heather found out. She had a picture of the baby, bout the size of a big peanut to show us. Awesome! Ann and I are very excited!! VERY! So there are two new additions coming to this end of the Moffat family .... Jon and Randi's in October and Heather and Paul's in May... OH BOY OH BOY....

life goes on....
Love to all... s

Lightning.. and Jake's AM report on Dad...

I have been trying to photograph lightning.. and got this pic and a couple of others.. enjoy!
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Jake called and Dad slept peacefully last night. He spent the night and said he rested and slept all night. He reported that Dad said he felt a bit better this am, and that Marilyn, Phillip, and Phillip's barber, Richard, had come up and Richard had cut Dad's hair. This made him feel a bit better too. Will report more as I learn it.

**************Be sure and check out Randi and Jonathan's Blog for some new exciting news... that I "have to keep secret!"...

Austyn and Zoe!

A boy and his dog...... Austyn would throw the ball down the hallway and Zoe would get it and bring it back to him... and they played a bunch ... while Phillip and Tammy went in to see Grandpa.
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Just a quick note... Dad is not doing very well. Jake is up there and will spend the night tonight with him. Phillip and Tammy were up this evening along with Mom and MK. I spent the morning with him and with Mom. Ann and Jake went by at noon to see him and set a bit.
He is wearing out...
later.. s

Dad not doing so good!

View of an awesome sunset at our home last spring.
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Just wanted to share that Dad has taken a turn for the worst. He is really struggles to breath, and his breaths are very labored. He is really having a tough time. Mom and I contacted Hospice and visited with them this am about help with Dad. Not sure at this writing when we are moving from hospital or where, or how. He may go to the fourth floor into skilled nursing part of the fourth floor wing. Both of his doctors visited with me this am and assured me we are in the final days, or the short rows, as Dad would say. He is aware of it too, but is really struggling to just breath. Not sure what is ahead, but will post as we learn things. He is being a trooper, strong, yet loving... and always trying to do his best at what he is asked to do by the doctors and nurses. Mom and MK are holding up ok, or ... as well as can be expected. Mom needs your prayers, as does Dad.
Our best to you all.... OH BY THE WAY.... Heather has some exciting news for us too... but I promised not to tell yet till she says I can...................

Can one believe this is September and the grass is this green, trees have their leaves, etc.? Part of the herd enjoying some brunch on a wonderful day in September.
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

CONGRATULATIONS TO....

SOONERS AND COWBOYS ON BOTH WINNING THEIR KICKOFF SEASON GAMES.. WAY TO GO.. MANY MORE WINS TO YA BOTH!!!!

Not much change in Dad's condition.

He is still on full oxygen, and the swelling in his arm has gone down a bit. He is setting up in a chair today, first time in a week. He does not want to eat much, however, he did eat his meat and pudding, and the grapes and cherry out of his mixed fruit, and a couple of bites of mashed potatoes. He did sip on his diet Dr. Pepper a bit and still drinks a good deal of water.
All I know for now... more later..
Stan
PS. He did talk about Heather seeing him other day and Jake and Ann coming by a couple of times and friends Ed and Ethel came by, along with Lewis Kinzie. He also talked about Jon and Randi's visit, too.

OSU celebrates being in the Final Four!!!

... OLD NEWS... Great photos by Phillip Moffat! OSU Cowboys last visit home before heading to the Final Four in Field House at OSU. Picture taken by Phil. I will put up a link to it on the left. Some great photos if you love OSU, right MK?
photo by phil moffat; click on photo to enlarge

Two Angels..... hummmmmmmm????
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

.....A boy, Austyln, and his Grandma's Dog, Zoe!
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Thought this was a good sunrise picture, especially for Oklahoma! enjoy!
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Dad's condition as of Sunday...

Jake and Ann saw Grandpa two times today, and Randi and Jonathan came up and visited with him Sunday afternoon. They all report he is doing better, but still weak and is hooked up still to IV's and to Oxygen. His years of suffering with Congestive Heart Failure is catching up with him. His heart beats ever faster and is actually moving less and less blood. His lungs are converting less and less Oxygen and is now having to be on more and more oxygen just to breath. And it amazes me how our health care system is for the elderly! And how little each independent unit talks with another. It is like ...." My way is right, to Hell with all others" when there are several doctors involved. Today, one doctor said after checking his lungs carefully the old fashion way for several minutes.."His lungs have fluid in both and are not transporting air very well, and have filled up considerably since I listened last time!" Within minutes, another Doctor waltzed in, stood there and told mom and I that he was doing great! She had no idea he had congestive heart failure till we told her, she then stated that his swelling was not related to water retention, and then ordered latex after she left! She said his lungs were fine, (She never even listened to them!) and said she thought he was doing great!!! And I could go on and on! How can these pillars of our community, those we trust with our very lives, be so completely different in their opinions??? It makes one wonder if there is any reason to even go to the doctor! If they can be this wrong... this much of the time. And we have had this time and time again. One Heart Doctor even pronounced that Dad did not have congestive heart failure!! We had a "great Doctor" in Edmond even miss the tube that Stillwater Medical Center left in dads colon.... for more than a week. In his defense, he ordered an xrayed the day dad arrived in Edmond, but admitted one week later, after ordering another and discovering the tube, that the first one was blurry!! My goodness... such POOR health care in the USA. It seems also, that if you have worked your life away, regardless of money or not, you will join the ranks of all Americans and will be warehoused with all others, so why have health insurance?? In today's world, from being around this system in the last year, if you are young and have zero insurance you will get health care that equals those who have done without and have health care insurance.... so why in the world would you want to make the sacrifice to have it??? Wow?
so my suggestion to us all...... NEVER get OLD... NEVER! Just stop it right now, because I have seen the system and it SUCKS!!

Update on Dad...

NOT Doing WELL...... He is in room 324 in Stillwater Medical Center. To call him or someone in the room dial 405 742 5324. He is very lucid and is not responding to anyone. He now has fluid in both lungs, but is resting comfortably. Mom, Ann, Jake, Marilyn, Phil, and I have been there today. Heather is going up this evening, and we have called and left word with Randi for Jonathan. Not sure there is anything anyone can do, other than pray. Will keep all informed as we learn more.

Jonathan writes about his involvement in The Dale Carnegie Course thru his work....

"Just a little note of something cool to check out if you want to. My employer is sending me through the Dale Carnegie course. It is one night a week for 12 weeks, at least the one I'm going through is. The website for the Dale Carnegie training is: http://www.dale-carnegie.com/. The training covers a lot of different areas of your personal and professional lives and how to manage the 2 and improve them.

I wasn't that sure about this course before I went. I kind of saw it like the evil speech class at OSU that killed me. But after seeing the VERY impressive list of "graduates" of the course that have done amazing things with their lives, I knew this would be a great thing. I have just been to the first class so far which was kind of an introduction and stuff. So maybe down the road I can give you all some more insite to it all. Just thought I would share this with you all." by Jonathan

Austyn and Andrew spend Friday evening with Grandpa and Grandma Moffat...

Yelp... we had both grandson's last evening, and then Austyn spent the night with us. He was a joy, and so were both boys to have around. Reminds me of a younger time LONG ago... Austyn was up and ready to rumble early this am and ate a good breakfast with us, and then was hard at playing. His mom stopped by about 9am to pick him up and I think he would have enjoyed staying longer.. but off they went and.... off we go. Jake is going to run in and see Dad this am. We are going to divide up our vists so he sees us more often.. Will let you know how Dad is doing later... s

Dad's condition ... hardly any change...

Not much change... Still waiting on Doctors to come by with some information on Dad's condition. His arm is still swollen, his scabies is now under control with proper application of medication in form of a dip... so he is not itching as bad, and he is on full oxygen all the time. His bowels are not working right yet and still has a lot of discomfort with the pressure in his stomach, so he is not eating, and is not nearly as mobil as he was. All I know right now, more later if MK calls.. s

Dad not doing very well...

Dad has a very swollen left arm. He is on full oxygen, and his bowels and tummy are really tight and pushing against his chest, making it hard to breath. Jake and I ran by about 2pm to visit for a bit. They rolled him on his side and gave him some pain medication, and the doctor is to come by and see him after four pm today. Mom and MK are there to keep us informed. will write more later...
s

Jakes Wreck from Perkins Journal....

Here is a picture from the Perkins Journal that I scanned taken by David Sasser, Owner of Publication. Jake was on the ground to the left of the tractor. He was headed the direction of the OHP car making a turn into the Shultz Ranch on the right by the sign. Mom and Dad's driveway is just behind the tractor.
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge

Family Friend dies in accident this am...

Billie Sallee died in a wreck at 8am this morning at Airport Road and Washington in Stillwater. Heather sent me the information and says it sounds like a head on wreck between his Harley and a car at the intersection.
Billie showed steers and heifers when the kids were doing it do. Super nice family! His father Lyle and I are long time friends and he was a customer of ours for many years at our feed store. We feel their loss and their pain...
May God bless them and keep them in their time of sorrow...

Yes kids, life is short, and one never knows when the master switch is going to be thrown! But sometimes, the ones that go on before us, are the lucky ones!

Sorry, just a lil' Dad coming out in me!

Democrat Zell Miller's Speech to RNC Convention...

I know.. this is not a political blog.. but this speech was AWESOME! Nothing like the truth......

Since I last stood in this spot, a whole new generation of the Miller Family has been born: Four great grandchildren. Along with all the other members of our close-knit family, they are my and Shirley's most precious possessions. And I know that's how you feel about your family also. Like you, I think of their future, the promises and the perils they will face. Like you, I believe that the next four years will determine what kind of world they will grow up in.

And like you, I ask which leader is it today that has the vision, the willpower and, yes, the backbone to best protect my family? The clear answer to that question has placed me in this hall with you tonight. For my family is more important than my party. There is but one man to whom I am willing to entrust their future and that man's name is George Bush.

In the summer of 1940, I was an 8-year-old boy living in a remote little Appalachian valley. Our country was not yet at war, but even we children knew that there were some crazy men across the ocean who would kill us if they could. President Roosevelt, in his speech that summer, told America "all private plans, all private lives, have been in a sense repealed by an overriding public danger." In 1940, Wendell Wilkie was the Republican nominee. And there is no better example of someone repealing their "private plans" than this good man. He gave Roosevelt the critical support he needed for a peacetime draft, an unpopular idea at the time. And he made it clear that he would rather lose the election than make national security a partisan campaign issue. Shortly before Wilkie died, he told a friend, that if he could write his own epitaph and had to choose between "here lies a president" or "here lies one who contributed to saving freedom," he would prefer the latter.

Where are such statesmen today? Where is the bipartisanship in this country when we need it most? Now, while young Americans are dying in the sands of Iraq (news - web sites) and the mountains of Afghanistan (news - web sites), our nation is being torn apart and made weaker because of the Democrat's manic obsession to bring down our Commander in Chief. What has happened to the party I've spent my life working in?

I can remember when Democrats believed that it was the duty of America to fight for freedom over tyranny. It was Democratic President Harry Truman who pushed the Red Army out of Iran, who came to the aid of Greece when Communists threatened to overthrow it, who stared down the Soviet blockade of West Berlin by flying in supplies and saving the city. Time after time in our history, in the face of great danger, Democrats and Republicans worked together to ensure that freedom would not falter. But not today. Motivated more by partisan politics than by national security, today's Democratic leaders see America as an occupier, not a liberator.

And nothing makes this Marine madder than someone calling American troops occupiers rather than liberators. Tell that to the one-half of Europe that was freed because Franklin Roosevelt led an army of liberators, not occupiers. Tell that to the lower half of the Korean Peninsula that is free because Dwight Eisenhower commanded an army of liberators, not occupiers. Tell that to the half a billion men, women and children who are free today from the Baltics to the Crimea, from Poland to Siberia, because Ronald Reagan (news - web sites) rebuilt a military of liberators, not occupiers. Never in the history of the world has any soldier sacrificed more for the freedom and liberty of total strangers than the American soldier. And, our soldiers don't just give freedom abroad, they preserve it for us here at home. For it has been said so truthfully that it is the soldier, not the reporter, who has given us the freedom of the press. It is the soldier, not the poet, who has given us freedom of speech. It is the soldier, not the agitator, who has given us the freedom to protest. It is the soldier who salutes the flag, serves beneath the flag, whose coffin is draped by the flag, who gives that protester the freedom to abuse and burn that flag. No one should dare to even think about being the Commander in Chief of this country if he doesn't believe with all his heart that our soldiers are liberators abroad and defenders of freedom at home.

But don't waste your breath telling that to the leaders of my party today. In their warped way of thinking America is the problem, not the solution. They don't believe there is any real danger in the world except that which America brings upon itself through our clumsy and misguided foreign policy. It is not their patriotism — it is their judgment that has been so sorely lacking. They claimed Carter's pacifism would lead to peace.

They were wrong. They claimed Reagan's defense buildup would lead to war.

They were wrong. And, no pair has been more wrong, more loudly, more often than the two Senators from Massachusetts, Ted Kennedy and John Kerry.

Together, Kennedy/Kerry have opposed the very weapons system that won the Cold War and that is now winning the War on Terror. Listing all the weapon systems that Senator Kerry tried his best to shut down sounds like an auctioneer selling off our national security but Americans need to know the facts. The B-1 bomber, that Senator Kerry opposed, dropped 40 percent of the bombs in the first six months of Operation Enduring Freedom. The B-2 bomber, that Senator Kerry opposed, delivered air strikes against the Taliban in Afghanistan and Hussein's command post in Iraq. The F-14A Tomcats, that Senator Kerry opposed, shot down Khadifi's Libyan MIGs over the Gulf of Sidra. The modernized F-14D, that Senator Kerry opposed, delivered missile strikes against Tora Bora. The Apache helicopter, that Senator Kerry opposed, took out those Republican Guard tanks in Kuwait in the Gulf War (news - web sites). The F-15 Eagles, that Senator Kerry opposed, flew cover over our Nation's Capital and this very city after 9/11. I could go on and on and on: against the Patriot Missile that shot down Saddam Hussein's scud missiles over Israel; against the Aegis air-defense cruiser; against the Strategic Defense Initiative; against the Trident missile; against, against, against. This is the man who wants to be the Commander in Chief of our U.S. Armed Forces?

U.S. forces armed with what? Spitballs?

Twenty years of votes can tell you much more about a man than twenty weeks of campaign rhetoric. Campaign talk tells people who you want them to think you are. How you vote tells people who you really are deep inside. Senator Kerry has made it clear that he would use military force only if approved by the United Nations. Kerry would let Paris decide when America needs defending. I want Bush to decide.

John Kerry, who says he doesn't like outsourcing, wants to outsource our national security. That's the most dangerous outsourcing of all. This politician wants to be leader of the free world. Free for how long?

For more than 20 years, on every one of the great issues of freedom and security, John Kerry has been more wrong, more weak and more wobbly than any other national figure. As a war protester, Kerry blamed our military. As a Senator, he voted to weaken our military. And nothing shows that more sadly and more clearly than his vote this year to deny protective armor for our troops in harms way, far away.

George Bush understands that we need new strategies to meet new threats. John Kerry wants to re-fight yesterday's war. George Bush believes we have to fight today's war and be ready for tomorrow's challenges. George Bush is committed to providing the kind of forces it takes to root out terrorists. No matter what spider hole they may hide in or what rock they crawl under. George Bush wants to grab terrorists by the throat and not let them go to get a better grip.

From John Kerry, they get a "yes-no-maybe" bowl of mush that can only encourage our enemies and confuse our friends. I first got to know George Bush when we served as governors together. I admire this man. I am moved by the respect he shows the first lady, his unabashed love for his parents and his daughters, and the fact that he is unashamed of his belief that God is not indifferent to America.

I can identify with someone who has lived that line in "Amazing Grace," "Was blind, but now I see," and I like the fact that he's the same man on Saturday night that he is on Sunday morning. He is not a slick talker but he is a straight shooter and, where I come from, deeds mean a lot more than words. I have knocked on the door of this man's soul and found someone home, a God-fearing man with a good heart and a spine of tempered steel. The man I trust to protect my most precious possession: my family. This election will change forever the course of history, and that's not any history. It's our family's history.

The only question is how. The answer lies with each of us. And, like many generations before us, we've got some hard choosing to do. Right now the world just cannot afford an indecisive America. Fainthearted self-indulgence will put at risk all we care about in this world. In this hour of danger our President has had the courage to stand up. And this Democrat is proud to stand up with him. Thank you.
God Bless this great country and God Bless George W. Bush.

Dad spent night in Stillwater Hospital...

yelp.. back in again... as Dad would say! He is doing ok.. had swelling in his arm, shortness of breath, and some brusing.. the powers that be are saying he fell... but NO one knows when or where or why??? not even dad!! He is in room 304, I think. MK says Dr. will be back after 4pm today to fill us in on what they know. All I know for now. More later.
By the way, am trying to get pictures from Perkins Journal Owner who took pics of Jakes tractor accident.. they are amazed he is not hurt worse than he was!! so are we!! Anyway... If we get them, we will post them here first..
More later... Stan

Wow.. did the GOP do good last night or what...???

Not wanting to make this a political site.. but my goodness, hasn't the GOP done quite well in presenting their side of the debate? Great great speeches, and attitude over the top. Guess one thing is for sure, kind of like football on the first day of training where the coach holds up a football and makes the grand statement... this is a football.... We are much better than on Sept 12th! And seem to be getting better with some great leadership at the top! Arnold's speech said it all!!! and said it very very well!
OK.. enough...

Update on Dad...

I wanted to share that since Sunday Dad has been having severe back pains. He ended up in the hospital ER... Monday night.. Jake there about 1 in afternoon.. so two in one day...
Dad is having some problems with bowels working and the terrible pain in his back that hurts him almost all the time. Yesterday morning he was alert and wanting to still go for rides, but was having lots of pain still. Will try to keep everyone updated on his progress.
Mom is doing ok, just busy as can be, quilting, sewing, and lots of other things at home to keep her busy, plus worrying about me and the farm, and ........... well, you know mom's!

Jake's Ophs..... in Tractor vs. Dodge Dually Truck

Jake's Ophs..... in Tractor vs. Dodge Dually Truck, Starring Jake Moffat, we can see what effects the speeding truck had on the turning tractor... Jake was turning into the driveway of the Shultz Ranch where he works, across the street from his Grandma Moffat's home place, with his hand out signaling a left turn.. he was headed south, pulling a John Deere brushhog that he had just mowed the roadside with, when a 2000 Dodge Dually with a 20 year old driver, going at a fast rate of speed, topped the hill and decided he could not stop, so he tried to pass Jake on the 'LEFT" of all places... well, tractor turns over upside down and lands on Jake's grandmothers side of the road, jake goes flying through the air and lands unconcious, and the Dually ends up on the Shultz Side of the road in the Shultz pasture. The mircale of this is... in almost every type of accident of this type, small tractor roll over happening fast, the driver gets pinned underneath the tractor and is usually dead. Our neighbor Nathan Payne, barber who cuts Dad's hair sometimes, son, Puddin.. drove the ambulance and was on the seen quickly, telling Jake when he heard the call come in, he remembered Jake was working for the Shultz Ranch and it was just across from Jake's Grandma's. He said something just told him to hurry cuz it could be Jake... Jake says " It was really awesome to open my eyes and see Pudding standing there to help me! He did an Awesome Job! I was on way to the hay field of our just south of where this happened, but for the first time since 1963, I went down the road a mile east, or else I would have come upon this... and probably would not have been much good to anyone!!! The album of the damage will be posted shortly on the left in photos links.
photo by stan click on photo to enlarge