August 21st Ramblings from The Grand Lake Bum
Last weekend on Grand Lake was absolutely perfect – and it looks like another one just like it coming up this weekend. There was so much happening Saturday night, it was hard to keep a scorecard. It’s a good thing it was beautiful boating weather because the Barkarita Party at Honey Creek Landing in Grove and the big Luau Party at Mooney’s in Disney would have been impossible to make via land travel. It’s true with every Grand Lake destination, of course. It seems like every destination is about 10 minutes by boat – or and hour-and-a-half by car. That’s why I recommend a boat as Grand Lake’s preferred form of transportation. I must admit, the costume change between Mooney’s Luau and Monkey Island Pub’s Roaring 20’s Party did present a bit of a problem. Good thing no one was watching.
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It was fun to spend a little time at the Balcony Bar at The Shebang this weekend, too. To be honest, I had forgotten how much fun it is to watch a bunch of would-be singers join in some karaoke fun!
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Labor Day Weekend boaters can breathe easily this year – and into the foreseeable future! If you haven’t already heard, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved GRDA’s requested permanent amendment to the Rule Curve regulating Grand Lake’s water level. It means the lake will never again be dropped dangerously low prior to Labor Day – and will never intentionally drop below the manageable 742’ elevation again. “No,” FERC said, “the water level in Grand Lake does not impact flooding in Miami.” It took 22 years and a scientific study conducted by OU and blessed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers – but the powers that be finally agreed that water flows north to south in this hemisphere, not the opposite direction. By the way, the earth is not flat, either.
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I never could figure out a way to get my mailing address or my bank account information to Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling. I’m probably too late now. She became the first person to fall off the Forbes list of billionaires due to her charitable contributions. I’ve been called a “charity case” before – but I probably wouldn’t have been able to convince her, anyway.
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I hope everybody figured out how to follow directions for the eclipse – and we don’t end up with a bunch of additional blind people. Some fanatics went to Oregon so they could be the first Americans to see it. I’m astonished at the number of people who traveled to Wichita – or further – even Nebraska to see a little bit more eclipse than the 93% coverage on Grand Lake. If you don’t want to see the sun, close your eyes. If you want to see the moon instead of the sun, it’s not that hard. It’s called “night.” I couldn’t help but laugh at the newscaster I heard say, “Monday, August 21, daytime will become nighttime.” I think that pretty much happens every day, doesn’t it?
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The late, great Andy Rooney said it: “Only in this country do we make sick people walk all the way to the back of the drugstore to get their prescriptions while healthy people can buy cigarettes right up at the front.
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I saw the best Facebook post ever by a total idiot last week. The primary post was about the upcoming total eclipse of the sun August 21. Some lady actually commented, “Most kids go back to school that day. Can’t it be done on a weekend.” No, really. She actually wanted someone to reschedule the sun! You can’t fix stupid.
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I don’t know who was more surprised in Bixby last week – the 52-year-old guy who called for a prostitute – or the 43-year-old prostitute who was surprised when she discovered the identity of her “john” when she showed up at the motel to go to work. It was her husband. Awkward.
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LIFE’S LESSON OF THE WEEK: The average life of a rabbit is five years. Dogs, on the average, live 15 years. Turtles live to be 150. Life’s lesson? Live at the beach and spend plenty of time in the water.
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BEST FACEBOOK POST THIS WEEK: Please boycott and do not use the $1.00, $20.00, $50.00 and $100.00 bills as they depict slave owners on them. Please send them to me and I will see that they are disposed of properly. Thank you very much.
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RANDY KREHBEIL’S FACTOID OF THE WEEK – Random Factoid of the Day: The U.S. government spends three times as much on military bands as it does on the National Endowment for the Arts.
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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy Birthday wishes go out this week to Kaylea Hutson-Miller, Russell Carter, Larry Steckline, Debbie Howell, Everett Lees, Randy Krehbiel, Gretchen Casto, Jim Basgall, Brittney Keating, Jenean Perryman, Tarik Masri, DiAnna Wescott, Patty Davis, Brian Broaddus, and Seth Smiley.
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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Why is lemon juice made with artificial flavoring and dishwashing detergent is made with real lemons?
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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: There’s plenty to do around the lake this weekend. Friday night is Fight Night in Downtown Miami (free outdoor professional boxing exhibition to be televised nationally on Fox Sports 1). Friday is also the Grand Lake Casino Charity Golf & Blackjack Tournament. Sunday, have a little fun at Gospel & Giggles with Terry Jordanand Willamae (6:00 p.m.) at St. Andrews Episcopal Church in Grove; and the annual Shangri-La Couples Invitational Golf Tournament festivities get underway Sunday and continue through next Wednesday.
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GRAND LAKE WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: There’s great entertainment around the lake this weekend. On Monkey Island, you provide a big part of the entertainment at The Balcony Bar at The Shebang, with Friday and Saturdaynight karaoke. Downstairs in the Burlesque Room, Randy Lunsford provides the weekend entertainment; and across the street at Big Shots Rhythm & Booze, enjoy all the best dance tunes Friday & Saturday nights with DJ Deeko. Just down the highway from there, Friday night is Karaoke Night at Monkey Island Pub. Erin Fitzgibbon performs Sunday nights at Blind Swine, and there’s always great live weekend entertainment at the Road Hog Saloon.
On South Grand Lake, Rick Heckenkemper will entertain Saturday night at Juan Montez at Red Arrow Marina. Saturdaynight Rockfisch will be at Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina.
Area casinos have excellent musical options this weekend, as well. Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar features the music of Southern Ground both Friday and Saturday nights. Grand Lake Casino’s Venue 655 will spotligh Western JusticeFriday night. Buffalo Run Casino’s Venue will host Fox Sports Premier Boxing Champions Live Friday night. Buffalo Run’s Trailer Park Bar & Grill will host Solace both Friday and Saturday nights. At River Bend Casino in Wyandotte, Club 60 West spotlights Nathan Bryce and Loaded Dice Friday night. At Indigo Sky Casino, there is live entertainment in the Echo Bar starting Thursday night with music by Dewayne Bowman. Friday night features the music of Diversity followed by Rocked and Loaded Saturday night. Paralandra will be on stage at Lost Creek Saloon at Bordertown Casino Fridaynight, with Brent Giddens wrapping up the weekend entertainment Saturday night.
The best spots to catch all your favorite sports action, including NFL Preseason Football, NASCAR and PGA Golf are Eddy’s Lakeside Bar at Shangri-La Marina, Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort Hotel, Monkey Island Pub, the Standing Room Only Bar at The Shebang, Road Hog Saloon, 1909 in Grove, and Pickles at the Lake in Langley.
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BUM MUST-SEE TV: The new series Disjointed will be available Friday on NETFLIX along with a great movie, Death Note. Katy Perry hosts The 2017 MTV Music Video Awards Sunday night at 7:00 on MTV.
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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: All Saints, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, and Leap!
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “All these folks worried about erasing history when the Confederate statues come down will be thrilled to learn about the existence of books.” – Jamil Smith
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SAVE THE DATE: Sunday, September 3 – Monkey Island Fireworks at Grand Lake Regional Airport. Saturday, September 16 – REC Day at the Grove Civic Center (8:00-noon). Saturday, September 16 – Shangri-La Member Appreciation Party at Doc’s outdoor bar, Shangri-La Resort Hotel. Saturday, September 30 – Hook ‘N’ Cookoff, South Grand Lake Regional Airport. Saturday, September 30 – Monkey Island Block Party sponsored by WAAMI at the Monkey Island Airport 4:00-7:00. Sunday, October 1 – Jim Beam Folds of Honor Classic at Shangri-La Golf Club
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The PGA Tour is in New York this week for The Northern Trust. Coverage begins on the Golf Channel Thursday & Fridayat 1:00, Saturday at noon, and Sunday at 11:00 a.m. CBS picks up coverage of the final two rounds Saturday at 2:00 and Sunday at 1:00.
Week 3 of the NFL Preseason has some good match-ups beginning with at Philadelphia Thursday night (6:00 on NFL).Friday night, the Kansas City Chiefs are in Seattle (7:00 on CBS). Saturday, it’s a cross-city rivalry as the L.A. Rams host the L.A. Chargers. Sunday, Chicago travels to Tennessee at noon and Cincinnati is at Washington at 3:30, both on Fox. Sunday night football features San Francisco at Minnesota to face the Vikings at 7:00 on NBC.
The NASCAR boys are taking the weekend off this week.
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The weather forecast for the weekend is a little warmer but, other than that, it’s pretty much what we have been seeing for the last few weeks. Maybe a scattered shower or two Friday night & possibly Saturday morning. Otherwise, mostly sunny with highs pushing 90. It should be a great weekend for outdoor activities – and there are certainly lots of choices! Enjoy all the fun stuff Grand Lake has to offer, but remember, 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
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 (smoking upstairs—open Friday & Saturday nights)
Blind Swine on Monkey Island
Bobbers Café in Langley
Buffalo Run Casino in Miami (smoking)
Café Italia on Monkey Island
Carlos Montez in Langley (smoking in bar)
Ceasar’s Place in Vinita and on Monkey Island
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
Frosty & Edna’s (west of the dam in Langley)
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
High Winds Casino east of Miami (smoking)
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
Lakeside Bar & Grill in Grove at Sail Boat Bridge
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.)
Morrows Bar & Grill in Raper Hollow
Nu Taste Restaurant in Grove
Okie Smokies Barbecue in Grove on Hwy 59 South
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)
Roadhouse 125 on Monkey Island (smoking deck)
Rusty Anchor (next to the cliffs at Dripping Springs)
Scooters in Langley (smoking)
Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina (smoking)
Smokin’ Spur BBQ & Trading Post at Old Towne Plaza, Cleora
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 Office on Monkey Island (smoking)
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