By Bill Anderson

The 34th Annual Uff-Da Day Fall Festival in Rutland is coming up this Sunday, October 7. There has been some concern expressed about the weather, but, the old saying is, “The Sun always shines on Rutland, even when it’s raining!” and this year will be no exception. Rain or shine; warm, cold or somewhere in between; the show will go on! Uff-Da Day will begin with the Uff-Da Day Classic 5k Run/Walk, commencing at the intersection of First and Cooper Streets (County #10 and #3) at 8:00 a.m. followed by the opening of the craft booths by 10:00 a.m. Demonstrations, food stands and dinner at the Rutland Town Hall are all scheduled to be up and running by 11:00 a.m. The Uff-Da Day Parade will be stepping off at its assembly area on Dakota Street at 1:00 p.m., with candidates for public office of all political persuasions, from County Commission to U.S. Senate being prominently featured, and the Kids Pedal Tractor Pull is scheduled to take place on Main Street, right after the parade and the Nickel Scramble, at about 2:00 p.m. There will also be one of the best antique and classic car shows in the region, horse drawn wagon and buggy rides throughout the day, as well as inflatable games for the kids. Demonstrations of pioneer crafts will be going on throughout the day. At 3:00 p.m. the First Annual Uff-Da Day Nor-Ski competition will pit teams of 4 cross country skiers against each other with the winning team to receive bragging rights for 1 year and other fabulous trophies. Unlike most cross-country ski races, though, this one will put all 4 team members on the same pair of skis at the same time. The Kulzer Family Team of Kalispell MT has challenged all comers, so get your teams and strap on those skis! Lefse Lena and the Rommegrot Queen will be on hand all day long at the Senior’s Center to show folks how to create those Scandinavian staples the old-fashioned way, the way Grandma made them. Over in the Rutland Fire Hall, the Park Board will be serving up Uff-Da Tacos, something that Grandma and Grandpa never heard of, but which they would have wished that they had. Visitors can pick up a free copy of the 2018 issue of The Rutland Leader that contains more information about Uff-Da Day activities and events, as well as local history, at the Information Booth on Main Street. Uff-Da Day XXXIV chairperson Marcia Brakke, and the entire Uff-Da Day Committee, invite everyone who enjoys good food, good friends and a good time to come on over to Rutland on Sunday, October 7, for Uff-Da Day XXXIV. Uff-Da Day XXXV is scheduled for the first Sunday in October, October 6, 2019.

The Prairiewood Vineyard & Winery of Elliot ND has presented an Uff-Da Day wine tasting display of its North Dakota vintages on the porch of The Old Parsonage for the past several years, but, with The Old Parsonage up in the air, the Uff-Da Day wine tasting will be held in the Pioneer House, just south of The Rutland Depot Museum, on the west side of Main Street. John & Julie Steffes, owners of Prairiewood Vineyard & Winery will also have their North Dakota wines on sale, by the bottle or by the case. Try it, you’ll like it.

The Old Parsonage at 217 First Street, that’s Main Street in Rutland, is out of commission for the foreseeable future, states proprietor Kathy Brakke. The old house is now sitting high, 5 feet high, that is, on steel beams and it won’t be back to ground level until the new foundation has been constructed and the house relocated to it. For Uff-Da Day, Kathy has moved the Old Parsonage business to her home at 116 Dakota Street, on the east edge of town. The business will be accessed through the west door on the west end of the house. The Old Parsonage will reopen at its former location when customers do not need the power of flight to get to the front door, according to Kathy.

Summer resident Richard “Dick” Meyers departed Rutland on the morning of Saturday, September 29, bound for his winter roost in Sun City AZ. Dick plans to spend a few weeks in the Twin Cities area, visiting children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, prior to making the flight to the sunny south. Before leaving, Dick stopped in at The Lariat for one more discussion of local history and current events with The Assembled Wise Men, admonishing the group to keep the debate going until he returns with the Meadowlarks in the Spring.

The Sargent County Health District conducted a flu clinic in Rutland from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 Noon on Monday, October 1, at the Rutland Seniors’ Center. According to community volunteer Joanne Harris, 27 flu vaccinations and 9 PCV13 pneumonia booster shots were administered by County Health Nurses Joyce Chapin and Briana Spellerberg, a pair of “Painless Pokers,” during the 2-hour clinic. In addition to the 2 Health District Nurses, Sargent County Family & Community Wellness Agent Cindy Klapperich of the Sargent County NDSU Extension Office was on hand to conduct hand washing demonstrations. According to Agent Klapperich, 1/3 of bacterial infections and 20% of viral infections can be prevented by proper hand washing techniques. The proper technique is as follows: (1) water on the hands; (2) soap on the hands; (3) soap & scrub for a minimum of 20 seconds or until you have sung the Happy Birthday song to yourself twice; (4) rinse; (5) dry; and, (6) turn off the water faucet using a paper towel to avoid recontamination. Ms. Klapperich reports that she conducted 11 hand washing demonstrations during the Flu Clinic’s 2 hours. Insurance policies that comply with the requirements of the Affordable Care Act of 2010 (ObamaCare), including MediCare, cover the full cost of preventative care such as vaccinations, at no additional cost to the recipient. For additional information about the availability of flu and pneumonia vaccinations, contact the Sargent County Health District’s office on Main Street in Forman at 724-3725.

The Rutland City Council met at 5:00 p.m. on Monday, October 1, in the Rutland Town Hall, with Mayor Ron Narum; Auditor Debbie Banish; and, Council members Rodney Erickson; Mike Mahrer; and, Bertha Siemieniewski; present. Council member Delores Lysne was absent. Also present was Rutland resident Bill Anderson. The City’s financial reports indicated that all funds are in the black. The Council approved the Emergency Management Resolution notifying the ND Department of Emergency Management of the manner in which the City of Rutland is securing its emergency management capability. The City’s Resolution states that Rutland will be a participant in the Sargent County Emergency Management Agency’s plan. Rutland will also cooperate with Sargent County in updating its Multi-Hazard Mitigation Plan. The Council held the second reading of the proposed revised Zoning Ordinance and adopted the ordinance with a few minor changes. The second reading of a proposed Tree Ordinance designating the types of trees which may be planted on the City’s boulevards was also held, and the ordinance was adopted. The Tree Ordinance is required for Rutland to be eligible for the “Tree City USA!” designation, and in order to qualify for tree replacement and maintenance grants. The proposed Dutch Elm Disease Ordinance was postponed for consideration at a future meeting. Auditor Banish reported that there was no update of information on the acquisition and installation of electronic speed limit signs that had been discussed during several previous meetings. After reviewing the City’s bills and authorizing payment, the Council Adjourned. The next meeting of the Rutland City Council is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Monday, November 5, in the Rutland Town Hall. All meetings of the Rutland City Council are open to the public, and Rutland residents are encouraged to attend and witness their City’s governing board in action.

David & Pat Kulzer, accompanied by their dog, Buster, a Standard Poodle, arrived in Rutland on the afternoon of Monday, October 1, at the conclusion of a 4-day drive from their home in the Swan Valley of western Montana. The Kulzers spent most of the 2nd day of their trip in Billings MT, where they visited with David’s aunt, Wanda (Preble) Aus. Wanda is now a nursing home resident, but still carries on a lively conversation, especially about good friends, good times and the good old days in Rutland. The Kulzers plan to be on hand for Uff-Da Day, and to begin their homeward trek on Wednesday, October 10. Their younger son, daughter in law, and 2 grandchildren: Ross, Miranda, Lilah & Cohn Kulzer are expected to arrive in Rutland on Friday, October 5. David & Pat are residing in their travel trailer, which is parked on their lots on the east side of Dakota Street, while the younger Kulzers will be residing with Pat’s brother, Paul Anderson, at 309 Gay Street.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary’s Word Of The Day for Sunday, September 30, 2018, was “Rodomontade,” an English word with its roots in 15th Century Renaissance Italy. It is defined as: 1: a bragging speech; 2: vain boasting or bluster: rant. Just in case you hadn’t heard of the word before, the Merriam-Webster folks, in business since 1828, provided the following information: Rodomontade (which can also be spelled rhodomontade) originated in Italian poetry. Rodomonte was a fierce and boastful king in Orlando Innamorato, Count Matteo M. Boiardo’s late 15th century epic, and later in the 1516 sequel Orlando Furioso, written by poet Lodovico Ariosto. In the late 16th century, English speakers began to use rodomont as a noun meaning “braggart.” Soon afterwards, rodomontade entered the language as a noun meaning “empty bluster” or “bragging speech,” and later as an adjective meaning “boastful” or “ranting.” Some examples of RODOMONTADE are: “In the hands of the Philadelphia Artists’ Collective, [Maria Marten, or, Murder in the Red Barn] becomes a rowdy lark full of rodomontade and dastardly deeds. Directed by Charlotte Northeast with gusto and goofiness, this is both a 19th-century melodrama and a burlesque of a 19th-century melodrama.” — Toby Zinman, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 5 Jan. 2018; and, “That he should credit such a rodomontade, and carry the pamphlet on his bosom and the words in his heart, is the clear proof of the man’s lunacy.” — Robert Louis Stevenson, The Master of Ballantrae, 1889. Although it would have taken a tremendous amount of foresight 500 years ago, the word seems to have been invented for the Current President of the United States of America. An unmistakable rodomont through and through, and a master of the rodomontade, that’s for sure, too. As of Friday, October 5, 2018, there will be 88 weeks down and 120 weeks to go until January 20, 2021, and that ain’t no rodomontade.

Well, that’s the news from Rutland for this week. For additional information about what’s going on in the little city that can, check out the community’s internet web site at http://www.rutlandnd.com, and take a look at the Rutland Facebook page, too. Remember to patronize your local Post Office, and don’t forget to keep the pressure on the North Dakota Congressional delegation to SAVE OUR POST OFFICE! The Rutland Community is looking forward to having a good time with you, Senator Heidi Heitkamp, Congressman Kevin Cramer and all of the Scandinavians who enjoy Uff-Da Day, whether their last names end in “son,” “sen,” or “ski.” Later.