April 27 Random Observations Of The Grand Lake Bum

Here we go, kids. I hope this works! Governor Stitt says open up the restaurants Friday, along with most other businesses. Be careful out there. The Mayor of Las Vegas was almost run out of town on a rail for volunteering her city to be the “control group” to abandon all the CDC rules and social distancing to see how many people died. Let’s don’t be Las Vegas. Have fun. Enjoy dinner. But don’t be stupid.

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When President Trump asked questions about the possibility of injecting or ingesting disinfectant to fight COVID-19, so many stupid people reacted that the manufacturer of Lysol had to issue a statement begging people not to do that. So, some of the same old rules of life apply as we begin reopening: don’t drink bleach. (To be fair, if you inject disinfectant into your body, you will not likely die of COVID-19.)

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Flipping through my TV channels the other night, I ran across a television evangelist who was really wound up about churches being closed due to the COVID-19 crisis. I must admit, I had to scratch my head a little at an evangelist saying, “we shouldn’t let something invisible control our lives.” Things that make you go, “hmmmm.”

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I’ve been an advocate of legalized sports betting in Oklahoma for a long time (as opposed to the plethora of illegal sports betting we have now). It never occurred to me that I could just step out on my own and declare it to be legal. I guess Governor Stitt didn’t get the memo. In new gaming compacts signed with the Otoe-Missouria and Comanche tribes, he tossed them that bone in exchange for getting out of the lawsuit all the other tribes have filed against him. Attorney General Mike Hunter quickly pointed out that the Governor doesn’t have the right to make laws all by himself. “Divide and conquer” is a good strategy sometimes. But you can’t make up your own facts…and you probably can’t make up your own laws, either. By the way, that’s kind of a dirty trick to tempt us with sports betting at a time when there are no sports to bet on.

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A Houston restaurant has found a way to provide a pleasant break from Coronavirus quarantine. Bovine & Barley Restaurant has hit the road – literally – not with a food truck and not with the familiar neighborhood ice cream truck, but with a “frozen cocktail truck.” It’s like an ice cream truck, only better. You can even get that Mexican restaurant fix. For an extra six bucks, you can add chips and salsa to your frozen margarita order. Necessity truly is the mother of invention!

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Hey, Grand Lakers…we have our own beer! The new Grand Lake Light Ale, brewed by Tulsa-based Marshall Brewing, is now on the market (although initial orders last week sold out almost everywhere). It’s good – and it’s a fabulous marketing tool for our little piece of paradise. Now, where are the adventurous distillers? The time has arrived for Grand Lake Bum Bourbon!

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DINING AND DRINKING UPDATE: The Shebang reopens for dine-in Friday. The Artichoke will also open with limited dine-in space (both continue to offer takeout). Monkey Island Pub will also re-open Friday.  Eddy’s, Sharky’s, and Quarterdeck, all originally scheduled to open this week, will NOT open yet. Blind Swine expects to open May 15. Quarterdeck plans to open Memorial Weekend. Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill expects to re-open with at least curbside pick-up May 15. Sharky’s and Eddy’s have set no firm opening dates. Doc’s at Shangri-La is offering curbside pickup of grocery packages and weekend “family meal” packages, but will not re-open for dine-in service this week. 

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PUBLIC EVENT CANCELLATION NOTICE: The Cedar Port Marina Scavenger Hunt benefiting the Ketchum Backpack Program, originally scheduled for Saturday, has been canceled. Nichols Marine In-Water Boat Show at Shangri-La Marina May 1-3 has been canceled, as has the May 4 “Burning of the Socks” at Safe Harbor Harbors View Marina. The May 8 Grove Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament, originally scheduled for Friday, May 8, has been postponed until Friday, June 26. GRDA’s Rush for Brush meeting Saturday, May 9 has also been canceled.

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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: Boaters on the water and golfers on the course during the beautiful Grand Lake weekend ahead. And you can probably find someplace to eat out this weekend – starting Friday.

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GRAND LAKE DINING & DRINKING UPDATE: Shebang will open for dine-in Friday. Eddy’s, Sharky’s, and Quarterdeck, all originally scheduled to open this week, will NOT open this week. Quarterdeck will open Memorial Weekend. Doc’s at Shangri-La is offering curbside pickup of grocery packages and weekend “family meal” packages. Monkey Island Pub has announced plans to reopen May 1.  

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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: The color we call "orange" was named for the fruit, not the other way around. Before oranges were brought to Europe in the 16th century, the color was called "yellow-red."

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NEW CORONAVIRUS DRINKING GAME: Take a drink every time you hear someone say, “We’ll get through this…together.”

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PERFECT CORONAVIRUS RELIEF CHECK RETAIL PRICING: Costco has priced an 82-inch Samsung TV at $1,200. I don’t think that’s a coincidence.

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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: Just to clarify, the medical term for injecting disinfectants into the body is called embalming.

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HOME SCHOOLING THOUGHT OF THE WEEK: Twenty-five years from now, kids everywhere will be like, “I remember the Spring of 2020. That’s when I learned how much liquor it takes to be a parent.”

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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK (seen at a trail ride operation): For fast riders, we have fast horses. For slow riders, we have slow horses. For those who have never ridden, we have horses that have never been ridden.

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TWEET OF THE WEEK: When my mother was 68, she started walking five miles a day. Now she’s 82, and we have no idea where she is.

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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: Rest in peace, boiling water. You will be mist.

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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK (courtesy of Argus Hamilton): Kim Jong-un could become the first world leader to win the Nobel Peace Prize just by dying.

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FEEL OLD MOMENT OF THE WEEK: Do you remember cute little Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5?  Do you remember their hit sone, “ABC?” That was the number one song to wrap up the month of April…50 years ago.

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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Tom Haynes, Emily Tyrrell, Robin Markwell, Nancy Brandwein, Lori Stanphill, Dick Lane, Gregg Lorimor, Chad Borein, Carla Lillie, Cale DeLozier, Charlie Wallace, Josh Goff, Michael Garner, Brent Beyers, Dean Strimple, and Paula Sanford. A special shout-out goes to Andy Stewart and his crew at Mulligans. They prepared and delivered lunch for all Grove Integris Hospital workers last Thursday – and they’re doing the same for police, fire & first responders in Grove this Thursday.

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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: On average, a Panda feeds for approximately 12 hours a day. It appears to me this is the same amount of feeding as an adult who is quarantined. Is that why we call it a “Pandemic?”

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BUM MUST-SEE TV: The series debut of Council of Dads is Thursday night at 7:00 on NBC followed by the premiere of Blindspot at 9:00. Billions airs Sundsay night at 8:00 on Showtime; and the comedy special Jerry Seinfeld: 23 Hours to Kill will be available next Tuesday on NETFLIX.

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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Dangerous Lies and All Day and a Night are available this weekend on NETFLIX. Movie theaters are allowed to reopen in Oklahoma this week, but don’t expect to see any hot new releases. Movie distributors are holding off on major new releases until movie theaters are open in New York and Los Angeles.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “If you don’t want to quarantine, it’s okay.” – Charles Darwin

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SAVE THE DATE: Friday, May 15 – Farmer’s Market opens in Grove. Friday, June 12 – American Heritage Music Festival and National Fiddle Contest at Wolf Creek Park, Grove.  Friday-Sunday, June 12-14 – Toes in the Grand Summer Kickoff Festival at Wolf Creek Park in Grove. Saturday, June 14 – Thunder on Wolf Creek boat races.  Friday, June 26 – Grove Chamber Golf Tournament at Patricia Island.

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SPORTS NON-WATCH: In case you didn’t see the Boston Marathon, that’s because they didn’t have it. It has been rescheduled for September 14. The Running of the Bulls Festival scheduled in Spain in July, has been canceled. If you really, really, really miss baseball, the first pitch of the 2020 season was actually thrown in Taiwan last week. The Chinese Professional Baseball League has announced that Rakuten Monkey games are streaming live with English commentary on Eleven Sports on Twitter. If you’re really hard up for contact “sports,” remember – the governor of Florida has determined that WWE professional wrestling is an “essential” business. So, there’s that.

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The weather for the weekend ahead looks fantastic – sunshine, fairly light winds, highs in the mid-80s and lows in the mid-60s. We may get a shower or two Sunday – but, otherwise, it looks fabulous.  If you’re heading out to a newly re-opened restaurant this weekend, buy a drink for the guy at the next table. 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

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

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

Henrie’s Grill 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

Lighthouse Supper Club in Ketchum

Los Garcias in Langley

Lupe's Mexican Restaurant in Grove

Matt’s Place in Grove

Monkey Island Pub (Smoking)

Monkey’s Uncle at Littlefield Corner (Breakfast & lunch)

Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney (smoking, etc.)

Morrow’s Bar & Grill at Morrow’s Landing

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