August 3 Random Observations Of The Grand Lake Bum

Last Friday’s little burst of north wind, cooler temperatures, and rain sprinkles made everyone a little nervous, but the weather couldn’t have been more perfect for Saturday’s first gigantic raft-out of the year – the Safe Harbor Harbors View Marina raft-out featuring great music by Brett & Terri and The Faulconers. And everybody came. Congratulations to everybody involved in a really fun event!

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Folks in the sports world don’t seem to be able to tell if their “washing or hanging out.” It seems like the NBA is the only league with their act together. The Covid-19 issues have Major League Baseball rethink their entire set-up for the shortened season – and hockey and soccer live under constant threat of game cancellation, as well. The NFL has no real idea what’s happening (except the Philadelphia Eagles are allowing no fans in the stands all year – and there will be no NFL pre-season games); and college football is so screwed up that it takes a math expert to make the schedules work. Pay close attention now. The SEC and ACC have joined the Big 10 and PAC 12 in scheduling “conference only” games (except the ACC may allow each team to have one non-conference game so poor Notre Dame will have someone to play). The OU-Tennessee game has been canceled – so now OU plays Missouri State at home August 29 (for now, anyway); and they aren’t scheduled to play again for almost a month – September 26 at Army – and that game may be in jeopardy, as well. OSU opens the season now hosting Tulsa September 12. The lake should be a busy place Labor Day Weekend. That traditional opening weekend of football in Oklahoma will offer only the Tulsa-Toledo match-up. No OU game and no OSU game Labor Day Weekend. You don’t have to remember all this. It’ll probably change by the time you see my column, anyway.

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If you’re looking for a way to screw things up more, State Representative Sean Roberts (R-Hominy) is so worried about whether any Oklahoma City Thunder players kneel on the court, he’s floating the idea of eliminating all the state tax credits for the OKC Thunder if players kneel. You can be on either side of the kneeling issue, of course, but I’m pretty sure you can’t make the elimination of First Amendment Constitutional rights a condition of state tax policy. SMH.

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The perfect sport for the COVID-19 pandemic, though, is fencing. You already have a mask and gloves – and if anyone gets closer than 6-feet, you stab them!

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Sports is one thing, but this Covid business has started causing serious real-life problems at the University of Texas in Austin. Last Friday, the university announced a prohibition of all parties throughout the fall – and promised punishment for students who disobey the order. How would you like to be the one trying to enforce THAT rule on a college campus?

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DINING AND DRINKING UPDATE: Quarterdeck at Tera Miranda is back open this week after being closed last weekend. Cherokee and Arrowhead Yacht Clubs have fully reopened. Temperatures are taken prior to entry and masks are required until patrons are seated at a table. No bar seating. VIP Pizza at Hammerhead Marina has reopened with “regular hours and regular service.”. Doc’s at Shangri-La offers curbside pickup of pizza, wine and beer, but is not open for dine-in service. FYI, The Landings Restaurant and Morrow’s Bar & Grill have no plans for opening this season.

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PUBLIC EVENT CANCELLATION NOTICE: Friday night’s AYC/CYC Overnight Raft-out in Lawhead Hollow has been cancelled, as has Saturday’s “Woodstock on the Water” and Sunday’s “Kids Day” at Cherokee Yacht Club. The Wal-Mart store in Jay is cancelled – permanently. It will close for good August 21. The “Mahogany & Chrome” boat show at Arrowhead, originally set for September 12, has been cancelled. The Grove Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament has been postponed until Friday, September 18; but the Cherokee Golf Classic originally scheduled for that same date has been cancelled.

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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: Thursday Night Shrimp Boil & Karaoke on Doc’s Patio at Shangri-La Resort (5:00-9:00). The popular Dock Shots competition is back at Shangri-La Golf Club Friday at 5:00; and Sunday Shangri-La hosts the South Central Section PGA Oakley Cup Tournament. The Grand Lake Queen riverboat runs regular sightseeing cruises at 7:00 Friday and 6:00 Saturday evenings from Royal Bay Marina in Grove. Farmers Market will be open Saturday from 9:00-2:00 at the Grove Community Center.

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BEST WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: Erin Fitzgibbon entertains Wednesday nights for “Crab Legs Night” at Blind Swine. KJ Flip leads the Thursday night karaoke fun at the Swine, and he’s back Sunday night for Cocktails & Karaoke. DJ Kennedy will be on stage at the Swine Saturday night.  Jason Morgan starts the weekend with karaoke fun at the Thursday Night Shrimp Boil & Karaoke on the patio at Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort.  Brett & Terri will be live at Eddy’s Lakeside Bar at Shangri-La Saturday night and Terry Jordan performs at the Summit Restaurant Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Big Shots will feature DJ K Bandito Friday and Saturday nights. Karaoke with Kerry on the Balcony Bar at The Shebang Friday& Saturday nights. Monkey Island Pub features Karaoke with DJ Tim Saturday night.

Casinos are getting back in the entertainment business. Indigo Sky Casino this week presents A Sweet Trouble Acoustic Show Thursday night in the Echo Bar, followed by Donnie Ray Stevens Friday night and the full Sweet Trouble band Saturday. The Brandon Butler Band will entertain Friday night at Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar, and FM Live takes the stage Saturday night.

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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: Willie Nelson's version of "Always on My Mind" won three Grammy Awards in 1982, including song of the year. It had been written 12 years earlier and previously recorded by several top performers, including B.J. Thomas, Brenda Lee and Elvis Presley.

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FUN FACT OF THE WEEK: Movie trailers were originally shown after the movies instead of before. That’s why they are called “trailers.”

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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: Don’t let anyone tell you to not put a fork in an electrical socket. It’s your right! (More people are killed by the flu, anyway.)

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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: Some people age like wine. Others age like milk.

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TWEET OF THE WEEK: My body has absorbed so much soap and disinfectant that, when I pee, it cleans the toilet.

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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: Lettuce stand together and romaine calm. This may just be the tip of the iceberg..

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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: When this virus is over, I still want some of you to stay away from me.

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FEEL OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: Longtime Jeopardy game show host Alex Trebek had a birthday last week. He’s 80 years old. Olivia de Havilland, the last remaining living star of the classic movie “Gone with the Wind,” died last week. She was 104 years old. Actor/singer Wilford Brimley died over the past weekend. He was 85.

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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Teresa Poindexter, Paula Harbuck, Bob Abraham, Don Baxter, Gerald Keeton, Sue Naylor, Jack Adkisson, Lori Gray, Linda McCulla, Sandy Kirkpatrick, Bernice Shedrick, JoAnn Brice, Kari Filson, Haiden Jennings, Mary Stallings, Carol Richardville, Homer Myers, and Dennis Boyles.

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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Why didn’t Noah swat those two mosquitoes?

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BUM MUST-SEE TV: Living Grand on Grand Lake airs Thursday at 7:30 on RSU (repeat Saturday morning at 10:00). Hitmen makes its debut Thursday on Peacock. The series Surviving Jeffrey Epstein premieres Sunday night at 7:00 on Lifetime.

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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: An American Pickle is available streaming on HBO Max Thursday. Out Stealing Horses, The Secret Garden and She Dies Tomorrow are available streaming beginning Friday.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I have never wished a man dead, but I have read some obituaries with great pleasure.” – Mark Twain

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SAVE THE DATE: Friday, August 14 – Mary Moore Charity Golf Tournament & Auction at Shangri-La Golf Club. Friday, August 14 – Shangri-La Sunset Cruise from Shangri-La Marina (7:00 p.m.). Saturday, September 5 – Redneck Raft-Out & Concert at Check-In Bay. Friday, September 18 – Grove Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament at Patricia Island. Thursday-Friday, September 24-25 – Lt. Governor Matt Pinnell’s Luau on the Green and Golf Tournament at Shangri-La. Saturday, September 26 – Gretchen Wilson LIVE at Buffalo Run Casino.

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SPORTS WATCH: Finally – a LOT of sports to watch!

After being postponed in mid-May, the PGA Championship Tournament will be played in San Francisco this weekend. Coverage on ESPN begins at 1:00 Thursday & Friday, noon Saturday and 11:00 Sunday. CBS picks up the final two rounds at 3:00 Saturday & 2:00 Sunday.

Major League Baseball play is underway, sort of. MLB is suffering from some COVID-19 scheduling problems. You’ll just have to flip around the channels – ESPN, Fox, FS1, and TNT – to see what games are still on for any given day.

The NBA is back in action, as well, and they seem to have their act together. The OKC Thunder face the Denver Nuggets Monday afternoon at 3:00 (Fox Sports Oklahoma), before a Wednesday evening match-up at 5:30 against the Lakers (ESPN). The play the Memphis Grizzlies Friday at 3:00, the Washington Wizards Sunday morning at 11:30, and the Phoenix Suns next Monday at 1:30 (all on Fox Sports Oklahoma).

NASCAR drivers are at Michigan International Speedway this week for two days of racing. Coverage of the Firekeepers Casino 400 begins at 3:00 Saturday and coverage of the Consumers Energy 400 kicks off at 3:30 Sunday afternoon, both on NBCSN. (I can’t explain why both races are named “400” since they’re both 312 miles long.)

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The weekend weather ahead looks terrific! The forecast calls for sunshine, and light winds with highs in the mid-90s and lows in the mid-70s. Have fun as you roll into a new month; but wherever you party this weekend, 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

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