January 4 Random Observations Of The Grand Lake Bum
It’s like Groundhog Day. We’re starting 2021 the same way we ended 2020 – electing a President and fighting the Coronavirus. We do have a new way of dealing with the virus, though. Those pesky White House Coronavirus Task Force Reports kept listing Oklahoma as the state with the worst infection rate and recommending a mandatory statewide mask rule. So, Governor Stitt handled it. He dropped our participation in the reports and recommendations. It reminds me of a buddy of mine. He read somewhere that drinking was bad for him – so he gave up reading. No news is good news, right?
*****
With the issue of Governor Stitt’s ordered 11:00 p.m. curfew for bars and restaurants tied up in court, everybody got to stay open until 2:00 a.m. for New Year’s Eve celebrations. As far as I could tell from parking lots and courtesy docks, a lot of people took the opportunity to leave both caution and social distancing at the door. We probably won’t be over the Christmas Covid-19 surge before the New Year celebration surge hits. There’s good news on the horizon, though. Vaccinations are now available to 65 & over folks in the Grand Lake area and everybody else will follow shortly thereafter. By the way, that bar & restaurant curfew question is before an Oklahoma County District Court Judge Friday morning. We’ll see how that goes.
*****
Congratulations to the Big 12 football teams for going 5-0 in this year’s Bowl Games. Oklahoma teams almost pulled off the hat trick, but Tulsa couldn’t quite hold on. It’s particularly irritating for Tulsa to lose to a team whose quarterback is named Will Rogers. They all had great seasons, though – and OU and OSU both came home with big wins. OSU Coach Mike Gundy got the best of the coaches’ treatment. In the Cheez-It Bowl, his players dumped a container of Cheez-Its on him to celebrate the victory. Down in the Cotton Bowl, OU Coach Lincoln Riley got showered with the more traditional cold, sticky Gatorade. I guess it’s better for coaches to take whatever medicine their happy players dish out to them, though. Texas A&M Coach Jimbo Fisher tried to avoid the Gatorade dousing by trying to run faster than his young players. Now he’s nursing a pulled hamstring muscle.
*****
Oklahoma Congressman Kevin Hern, whose District includes Tulsa, tried to send a message wishing TU good luck in their bowl game, but he called them the “Golden Hurricanes.” It’s “Hurricane,” Congressman. Singular. Oklahomans will forgive a lot of things, but not getting the names of our athletic teams wrong.
*****
If you were on the water New Year’s morning, did you see a boat named Windy City II? If so, you were either out early or you saw them heading home. Congratulations to Steve & Alison Spiegel – first boat arrival of the new year at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill. The trophy is theirs. A consolation prize goes to Jim and Lynda Forrester who were a close second, reminding my pal Jim that second place pays the same as last.
*****
DINING AND DRINKING UPDATE: The Grill at Indian Hills didn’t make their scheduled re-opening last weekend, but they’ll be ready this weekend. They reopen Thursday. Grand Lake Public House is now open for lunch at 11:00 in addition to dinner service. Sunday Brunch is offered to the public at Doc’s Bar & Grill (9:00-2:00) and Mulligans at Patricia Island (10:00-2:00). The Café at Har-Ber Village is open year-round (8:00-4:00) – and Mooney’s has reopened to kick off the new year. Shangri-La Resort begins work on yet another new venue this week. Monkey Grind is the name of the newest facility. It will be built in the Pensacola Lounge at the Resort Hotel and will be a purveyor of Starbucks Coffee. It should be open sometime in the next 60 days.
*****
BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: Following all the holidays, the weekly special events are back at Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La. Italian/Wine Wednesday, Prime Rib & Karaoke Thursday, and All-You-Can-Eat ribs with live entertainment Fridays.
*****
BEST WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: Thursday Night Karaoke with Jason Morgan returns to the weekly schedule at Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La this week. Friday night, Jacob Dement performs at Doc’s. There’s Karaoke with Tim Saturday night at Monkey Island Pub.
Indigo Sky Casino this week presents Brett & Terri in the Echo Bar Thursday night, followed by Constant Chaos Friday and The Rumor Saturday. At Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar. Taria Lee will entertain both Friday and Saturday nights. At Cherokee Casino Grove, Jesse Joice will provide Friday night’s musical entertainment. Saturday night, it’s the George Brothers!
*****
RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: Metropolitan London Police officers, known as bobbies for Sir Robert Peel, originally carried only truncheons and, for summoning assistance, rattles.
*****
FUN FACT OF THE WEEK: If a cow doesn’t produce milk, she could just be a milk dud. On the other hand, she could just be an udder failure.
*****
BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: You come from dust. You will return to dust. That’s why I don’t dust. It might be someone I know. (thanks to Bob Graper for sharing this one)
*****
BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: Don we now our plague apparel.
*****
TWEET OF THE WEEK: How does a farmer find new cows to buy? He looks through the cattlelog.
*****
BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: Don’t blame anybody else for the road you’re on. That’s your own asphalt!
*****
OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: Relationships are just two people constantly asking each other what they want to eat, until one of them dies.
*****
FEEL-OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: Actress Dawn Wells, best remembered as Mary Ann in the TV hit series “Gilligan’s Island,” died last week at the age of 82. I was saddened to hear that legendary talk show host Larry King is also fighting the virus; but I was equally surprised to find out he is also 87 years old.
*****
GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Susan Graham, Danny Banning, Carol Cable, Kendra McGeady, Tracie Gelinas, Morgan Grubb, Bill Sanford, Doug Schoppa, Carrie Connor, Blair Bunch, Mark Cavins, and Briana Baker.
*****
UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Does it bother anybody else that the current year is pronounced “2020 won?”
*****
BUM MUST-SEE TV: The new Ted Danson comedy series Mr. Mayor premiers Thursday at 7:00 on NBC followed by the season debut of Law & Order: SVU. Tiger, the mini-series documenting the life of Tiger Woods premieres Sunday night at 8:00 on HBO. Next Tuesday is the debut of a new series The Resident at 7:00 on Fox followed by another new series Prodigal Son.
*****
BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Herself is available on Prime Video and Redemption Day is available in limited theaters prior to its release on Prime Video next Tuesday. The Reason I Jump and Stars Fell on Alabama are available streaming. Pieces of a Woman is available Thursday on NETFLIX.
*****
QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Here’s to cheating, stealing, fighting, and drinking. If you cheat, may you cheat death. If you steal, may you steal a woman’s heart. If you fight, may you fight for a brother; and if you drink, may you drink with me.” – Old Irish Toast
*****
SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, January 14 – Grove Chamber Connection Membership Luncheon at Grove Community Center (11:30). Thursday, January 28-Sunday, February 14 - Official opening online of the 2021 Tulsa Virtual Boat Show. Monday-Sunday, February 1-7 – Tulsa Boat, Sport & Travel Show at River Spirit Expo Square in Tulsa. Friday-Sunday, February 12-14 – Grove Home & Garden Show at the Grove Civic Center. Friday-Sunday, February 12-14 – Valentine’s Special Sweetheart Dinner service at Doc’s Bar & Grill.
*****
SPORTS WATCH: The college football Bowl Season is almost over. All that remains is the National Championship Game - Alabama vs. Ohio State Monday night, January 11 at 7:00 on ESPN.
The NFL moves into playoff mode. It’s Wild Card weekend with games both Saturday and Sunday this week.
The NBA regular season is in full operating mode, and the OKC Thunder have a grueling schedule. They’re on the road Monday at Miami, Wednesday at New Orleans, Friday at the NY Knicks, Sunday at Brooklyn before returning home to face the Spurs and Lakers in back-to-back games next Tuesday & Wednesday.
PGA players are back on the course this week in Hawaii for the Sentry Tournament of Champions. Live coverage begins on the Golf Channel at 5:00 Thursday & Friday. NBC will air the beginning of play Saturday at 3:00, with the Golf Channel taking over at 5:00. Sunday’s final round coverage is all on the Golf Channel beginning at 5:00.
*****
Weather for the weekend ahead doesn’t look too bad, considering it’s January. We’ll probably see a little sunshine and winds will be light, but highs will only make it to the low 40s with lows around 30. It’s a good weekend to drink inside! But remember, wherever you party, be sure to buy a drink for the guy next to you.. It could be me!
GRAND LAKE BUM
Want more information on advertisers you see in the Grand Lake Bum? No problem. Just click on their ad and you will be connected to their web site. If you would like to join the growing list of sponsors of The Grand Lake Bum e-blast and the Bum’s page on both Grand Lake Living and www.360grandlake.com, the cost is only $50 a week and the list of readers is growing. E-mail or contact grandlakebum@gmail.com to sign up. The Grand Lake Bum column is also published in The Grand Laker newspaper.
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.
Ailey’s Café in Langley
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 Bar at Shangri-La on Monkey Island
Buffalo Run Casino in Miami (smoking)
Café at Har-Ber Village
Café Yum in Grove
Cesar’s Place in Vinita
Cesar’s Place in Langley
Checkered Past in Grove
Chickanella’s in Grove
Chicken Coop West of Langley
Clanton’s Café in Vinita
Copper Penny Bar in Ketchum
Coppers Tea & Coffee House in Grove
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
Domino’s in Grove
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 (smoking)
Gabby’s Place in downtown Grove
Goodfella’s Pizza (Cleora and Grove)
Grand Lake Casino, north of Grove on Highway 10 (smoking)
Grand Lake Public House in Grove
Hatfield’s Saloon in Grove
High Winds Casino east of Miami (smoking)
Honey Creek BBQ in Grove (south of Honey Creek bridge)
Indigo Sky Casino west of Seneca, Mo. (smoking)
Juan Montez Restaurant & Cantina at Red Arrow Marina
La Casita de Martin in downtown Grove
Lester’s Third Street Diner in Grove
Lighthouse Supper Club in Ketchum
Los Garcias in Langley
Lupe's Mexican Restaurant in Grove
Marina’s Place at Littlefield Corner
Matt’s Place in Grove
Monkey Island Pub (Smoking)
Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney (smoking, etc.)
Monkey Island Trail Rides
Monkey Island Winery
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)
Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina (smoking)
Stuffn’s Restaurant in Ketchum (Smoking on patio)
Summit Restaurant at Shangri-La on Monkey Island
The Grill at Indian Hills Resort & Marina in Bernice
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 Pouhouse at The Regatta in Grove
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