April 22 Random Observations of The Grand Lake Bum
How about that Grand Lake weather for Easter weekend? If you didn’t spend your Easter weekend at Oklahoma’s favorite lake, you missed a picture perfect weekend. I started to say, “it doesn’t get any better than that,” but I’m sure it WILL get better than that as we wrap up the month of April this weekend and the Memorial Day holiday weekend approaches.
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By the way, with the Oklahoma spring storm season approaching, I saw some excellent severe weather advice this week: “In case of a tornado warning, put some wieners in your pockets. That way the rescue dogs will find you first!
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The boat shows are underway – and early season sales indicate this may be a blockbuster year for Grand Lake boat dealers. Arrowhead had a big Easter weekend boat show in conjunction with their Open House – and Nichols Marine at Shangri-La has another one scheduled for the first weekend in May. If you don’t have a new boat yet – it’s time to start looking!
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An unidentified gambler placed an $85,000 bet in Nevada, picking Tiger Woods to win The Masters at 14-1 odds. His paycheck was $1.19 million – still almost a million dollars less than Tiger’s $2.07 million paycheck for the tournament.
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I learned something about The Masters golf tournament that I never knew. How many of those green jackets do you think Tiger has now? Four? Or is it five? Nope. It’s one! Seriously. The clothing budget at Augusta National must not be as big as I thought it was. If you win the Masters, you get a green jacket. If you win it again, you are clothed in a green jacket again…but it’s the same jacket. Winners get to take the jacket for a year, then they have to return it to Augusta National and they can only wear it on the grounds at Augusta. If and when then win again – out comes that same green jacket for the award ceremonies. That’s why Tiger seemed a little surprised that the green jacket fit so well after winning the 2019 Masters – because they just pulled it out of moth balls and put it on him again. It’s the same jacket he was awarded in 1997. It seems like such an historic event as Tiger’s comeback could have been commemorated with something a little better than slipping him into a jacket that’s old enough to buy booze. Oh, well. I guess with that $2.07 million he won he can probably buy his own jacket – and one that’s not a style more than two decades old!
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No good deed goes unpunished. A couple in Muncie, Indiana allowed their divorced son to move back in with them for ten months while he got resettled. When he finally found a new house, they delivered his belongings to him – minus 12 boxes on pornographic videos and magazines they had discovered. “I did you a big favor by getting rid of all that stuff,” the father reportedly told his son. Apparently, he son did not agree. He’s suing his parents for $87,000 for destroying his porn collection.
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In Newtown, Connecticut, a family got quite a surprise when they returned home from a morning shopping excursion. There was a naked man wandering around their house. He had apparently wrecked his car in their back yard and found his way into their home. Cops picked him up, but they never found any clothes. Apparently he had gone for a drive without remembering to get dressed. Might have been alcohol involved.
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DINING AND DRINKING ON GRAND LAKE: We’re just a week away from a couple of more entertainment & dining options available by water. Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina open for the season Friday night, May 3 – and the newly expanded Quarterdeck Café at Tera Miranda Harbor opens Saturday morning, May 4.
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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: "Whiskey" is derived from the Gaelic "uisce beatha," or "water of life."
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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: My Dad always said “Work until your bank account looks like a phone number.” Well, I did. Available balance: $9.11.
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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: Pre-school rules and bar rules are the same – you pee your pants, you go home.
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TWEET OF THE WEEK: A kid in the park informed me smoking was bad for you. So I popped his balloon with my cigarette and told him so was talking to strangers.
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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: Croutons are a great comeback story, when you think about it. Bread no one ate yesterday becomes the best part of the salad today. Inspiring.
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FEEL-OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: “Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In” by the 5th Dimension was the number one song in America…50 years ago this week! Those commercial where you hear singer/sausage king Jimmy Dean are a good example of saving audio files. He actually died in 2010, but the tapes are even older than that. He would have been 90 years old this week.
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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Leah Lewandowski, Nina Landers, Cindy Estes, Judi Barber, John Lewis, Brad Putnam, Charlotte Lindley, Julie Morgan, Bonnie Carpenter, Tom Haynes, Emily Tyrrell, Robin Markwell, Lori Stanphill, Dick Lane, and Nancy Brandwein. Congratulations to the OU Women’s Gymnastic squad – National Champions…again!
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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Is an argument between two vegans still called “a beef?”
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BEST EVENT OF THE WEEK: The fabulous Old Bulldog Band returns to Big Shots on Monkey Island Saturday night for a fabulous fundraising show & dance benefiting the Monkey Island Golf Cart Trail extension. Advance reservations $25.
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GRAND LAKE WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: There’s plenty of great entertainment around the lake this Easter weekend. On Monkey Island, the weekend entertainment highlight is the annual fundraising performance by The Old Bulldog Band at Big Shots Saturday night. The extension of the Monkey Island Trail is this year’s beneficiary of the show. 7:30 Saturday. $25 for reserved seating. Tthere is karaoke at Monkey Island Pub and Saturday night DJ. At the Blind Swine, Erin Fitzgibbon will be on stage Friday night, and KJ Flip hosts karaoke Sunday and Tuesday. At Littlefield Corner, there’s always live entertainment Saturday night at Road Hog Saloon.
On South Grand Lake, Thursday night is Trivia Contest night at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney. Friday night is Karaoke Night at Michelle’s Bar & Grill at Grand Lodge in Ketchum – and there’s always live entertainment at Michelle’s on Saturday night. Juan Montez at Red Arrow Marina also has Saturday night entertainment.
Area casinos have big entertainment plans, too. Cherokee Casino-Grove features music from Jesse Joice Friday night followed by Thomas Martinez Saturday. At Bordertown Casino’s Lost Creek Saloon, you are the star at Thursday night karaoke. Brent Giddens will be on stage at Bordertown Friday night, followed by a Saturday night performance by Cedar Creek. At River Bend Casino’s Club 60 West, Lickitty Split will be on stage Friday night, and D.J. Matt will provide the entertainment Saturday night. Buffalo Run Casino’s Trailer Park Bar & Grill, Sugarpill entertains Saturday night. At Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar, Retrorockerz perform Friday night, followed by D’ElegantzSaturday night. Indigo Sky Casino offers three nights of musical entertainment this week. Jeff Tatum performs Thursday night in the Echo Bar, followed by Oreo Blue Friday night and Uncrowned Kings Saturday night.
The best spots to catch all your favorite sports action, including NBA playoff games, Major League Baseball, PGA Golf, and NASCAR are Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort, the Standing Room Only Bar at The Shebang, Blind Swine, Road Hog Saloon, 1909 in Grove, Pickles at the Lake in Langley, and Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney.
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BUM MUST-SEE TV: Chambers and She-Ra and the Princess of Power are available on NETFLIX Friday. The NFL Draft airs Thursday night at 7:00 on ABC. Saturday night is a great TV night with The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony at 7:00 on HBO and Not the White House Correspondents Dinner on Comedy Central at 9:00. The series premier of The Red Line is Sunday night at 7:00 on CBS.
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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Avengers: End Game and Breakthrough
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I used to jog, but the ice cubes kept falling out of my glass.” – David Lee Roth
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SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, May 2 – Vinita Chamber Classic Golf Tournament at The Coves. Friday-Sunday, May 3-5 – In-Water Boat Show by Nichols Marine at Shangri-La Marina. Friday-Saturday, May 3-4 – Miami Rodeo. Saturday, May 4 – Ping, Callaway, and Titleist Demo Da at Shangri-La Golf Club (9-1). Saturday, May 4 – Cedar Port Scavenger Hunt benefiting the Lions Club Ketchum Backpack Program. Saturday, May 4 – Ladies Night “Sip & Paint” at Doc’s covered patio at Shangri-La Resort. Saturday, May 4 – Burning of the Socks at Harbors View Marina – music by 5th Element. Friday, May 10 – Eggs & Issues Legislative Breakfast at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Grove at 8:00 a.m. Friday, May 17 – Grove Rotary Club Boot Scootin’ BBQ at Woody Crest Farms, Monkey Island. Saturday, May 18 – Ales & Tails at the Craig County Fairgrounds in Vinita. Saturday, May 18 – Barkaritaville Party (fundraiser for 2nd Chance Pet Rescue) at The Parrot in Grove (5:30-9:00). Friday-Saturday, May 31-June 1 – Toes in the Grand celebration at Wolf Creek Park in Grove. Friday-Wednesday, May 31-June 5 – MLF Stage Seven Bass Pro Tour out of Wolf Creek Park. Saturday, June 8 – Camp Bandage (10-2) at Grand Lake RV Resort. Saturday, June 8 – Home of Hope Annual Gala at Shangri-La. Monday-Wednesday, June 17-19 – Junior Players Academy at Shangri-La Golf Club. Saturday, July 20 – Grand Bobber Drop. Saturday, July 20 – Aquapalooza adjacent to Grand Lake RV Resort. Friday-Saturday, July 26-27 – GLOC Performance Boat Challenge.
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NBA Playoffs continues this week – at least some of them. For the series that require it, Game 6 of round one play kicks off the weekend Thursday. First round Playoff games continue, as necessary, through Sunday. Round two play begins Thursday, May 2.
NFL fans will be huddled around televisions Thursday night. The NFL Draft airs live on ABC at 7:00 Thursday.
PGA players are in the Crescent City this weekend. Coverage of the Zurich Classic of New Orleans begins at 2:00 Thursday & Friday and noon Saturday & Sunday on the Golf Channel. CBS picks up the final two rounds at 2:00 Saturday & Sunday.
There’s some good Major League Baseball action on the tube this week. Astros fans really have a lot to watch. Houston hosts Cleveland Saturday afternoon at 3:00 (FS1) and Sunday night at 6:00 (ESPN). Milwaukee is at the New York Mets Saturday at 6:00 on FS1. Monday night at 6:00 Oakland is in Boston (ESPN); and next Wednesday night, it’s the Astros again, on the road at Minnesota at 7:00 (ESPN).
NASCAR drivers are back on the track this weekend for the GEICO 500 at Talladega. Coverage is Sunday afternoon at 1:00 on Fox.
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You can’t really get weather better than last weekend’s lake climate – but the weekend ahead is going to be pretty darn close. We’ll have mostly sunny skies, highs around 80 and lows around 60. That should fill up both the golf courses and the raft-up coves. Of course, the weather is always perfect for indoor dining & drinking at Grand Lake. So, party on! Remember, though… be sure to buy a drink for the guy next to you. It could be me.
GRAND LAKE BUM
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Looking for places to go, things to do, services to use or property to buy in the Grand Lake area? Here’s a starter kit listing of “open to the public” fun places to spend time at Grand Lake.
1909 in Downtown Grove
Ailey’s Café in Langley
American Grill in Grove
Aquabar & Grill at The Landings Marina on Monkey Island (smoking on the deck)
Artichoke Restaurant & Bar in Langley
Balcony Bar at The Shebang (Smoking – open Friday & Saturday nights)
Big Shots on Monkey Island (Open Friday & Saturday nights)
Blind Swine on Monkey Island
Blue Bluff Café at Blue Bluff Harbor
Buffalo Run Casino in Miami (smoking)
Café Italia on Monkey Island
Café Yum in Grove
Carlos Montez in Langley (smoking in bar)
Ceasar’s Place in Vinita and at Littlefield Corner
Checkered Past in Grove
Chickanella’s in Grove
Chicken Coop West of Langley
Clanton’s Café in Vinita
Coffee Shelter in Ketchum
Cosby’s Catfish on Highway 28 in Eucha (East of Disney)
Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort Hotel
Docks Bar at Harbors View Marina
Downstream Casino in Quapaw (smoking)
Drake’s on the Lake at Blue Bluff Harbor
Drake’s Restaurant in Grove
Eddy’s Lakeside Bar at Shangri-La Marina
Gabby’s Place in downtown Grove
Goodfella’s Pizza (Cleora and Grove)
Grand Lake Casino, north of Grove on Highway 10 (smoking)
Grand Lodge in Ketchum (smoking)
Hatfield’s Saloon in Grove
Henrie’s Grill in Grove
High Winds Casino east of Miami (smoking)
Hilltop Café in Grove
Indigo Sky Casino west of Seneca, Mo. (smoking)
Juan Montez Restaurant & Cantina at Red Arrow Marina
Karrie's Kaboose in Langley (smoking)
La Casita de Martin in downtown Grove
Lighthouse Supper Club in Ketchum
Los Garcias in Langley
Lupe's Mexican Restaurant in Grove
Monkey Island Pub (Smoking)
Monkey’s Uncle at Littlefield Corner (Breakfast & lunch)
Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney (smoking, etc.)
Mulligan’s at Patricia Island Golf Club in Grove
Nu Taste Restaurant in Grove
Pappy’s Bar on Hwy 10 east of Grove
Pickles at the Lake in Langley
Pit Stop Café in Grove
Quarterdeck Cafe at Tera Miranda Harbor (smoking on the deck)
Raggedy’s in Grove
Rancho Viejo in Grove
Riggs & Company in Langley
River Bend Casino in Wyandotte (smoking)
Road Hog Saloon at the entrance to Monkey Island (smoking...but not at lunch)
Rusty Anchor (next to the cliffs at Dripping Springs)
Scooters in Langley (smoking)
Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina (smoking)
Sticky Fingers Barbecue in Ketchum
Stuffn’s Restaurant in Ketchum (Smoking on patio)
The Grill at Indian Hills Resort & Marina in Bernice
The Landings Marina (smoking on the deck)
The Landings Market and Grill on Monkey Island (smoking on the patio)
The Parrot at Honey Creek Landing in Grove (Smoking on the patio)
The Stables Casino in Miami (smoking)
The Shebang on Monkey Island (smoking on patio and Balcony Bar)
Ugly’s Grill & Bar, Thunder Bay Marina (smoking)
VIP Pizza at Hammerhead Marina (smoking on deck)
Water Side Bar & Grill in Grove
Waterway Café, Harbors View Marina (smoking on breakwater dining deck)
Wolf Creek Diner in Grove