December 28 Random Observations Of The Grand Lake Bum

Thank God the time has come to move on to the New Year – and time for resolutions.  This year, I’m sticking to my resolve to work less and play more, spend less time on land and more time on water, and waste less time by sleeping; but I’ve decided to complete some skills that I have only half-mastered.  I can do laundry with the best of them, for example, but I still can’t fold a fitted sheet.  I’m a great sports fan, but I don’t have the Watch ESPN app and “streaming” is still a bit of a reach for me.  I can work a remote, watch TV and DVR movies and events – and I’ve finally mastered NetFlix and Apple TV (Hulu, Amazon Prime, and YouTube TV are still mysteries to me). I can drink with the best of ‘em, but have never mastered the keg-stand drill. I’m working on technological skills, so I think I’m moving to an iPhone 12 Pro (up from an iPhone 4). I got an Apple Watch for Christmas, so that should keep me busy for a few weeks. So far, I can tell what time it is, but I think it’s supposed to do more than that. I’m getting so technologically energetic, I may even move up from Windows 7 on my computer; and, while I have everything down pat on my boat, I’m determined to finally learn what all those buttons are for on the dash of my car.  I’m working to stay healthy. Social distancing has become natural for me. In fact, once the pandemic is over, there are a lot of people I’ve decided I still don’t want to see. I’m masked up, flasked up – and yes, I’m getting the vaccine as soon as I can. Happy New Year!

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I’ve watched so many college and pro football games over the past two weeks, I’ve come to a revelation. If you listen closely to the announcers, you can discover whether or not they are old guys. For example, I heard an excited sportscaster going to a commercial break the other night, telling viewers, “Don’t touch that dial.” It reminded me of a local sportscaster who continually tells radio listeners that a team on the field is “running from left to right on your radio dial.” Millennials must be really confused. How long has it been since any radio or tv set had an actual “dial?”

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Oklahoma had another awkward national moment over the Christmas holiday. While everybody from the CDC to the White House was urging people to stay home and not travel, Oklahoma governor Kevin Stitt issued a well-circulated video urging tourists to come to Oklahoma – at the very moment Oklahoma was experiencing a record spike in Covid-19 cases. The internet meme world was not kind to Governor Stitt over that little faux pas. His face immediately popped up on computers everywhere with the simple message – “Oklahoma: we put the hospital in hospitality.”

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Oprah Winfrey wrapped up 2020 proving the year wasn’t all bad - at least for her. She sold most of her stock in OWN to Discovery and pocketed $36 million. Not a bad week.

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On the other hand, the year was tough on a lot of people – especially those who proved John Wayne was right when he pointed out “Life is tough, but it’s a whole lot tougher if you’re stupid.” The ultimate proof of that may have come from a fellow who had reached the end of his rope last week. “I won’t live in this country another day,” he said. “I’m leaving the USA and moving to Alaska.”

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DINING AND DRINKING UPDATE: 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).  The Quarterdeck Café at Tera Miranda is now closed for a couple of months, but will reopen February 12. Mooney’s Bar & Grill reopens Friday; and the Grill at Indian Hills reopens Saturday.

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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK:  There are some terrific New Year’s Eve parties around – Monkey Island leading the way, again. There’s a Roaring 20’s Party at Monkey Island Pub, a Great Gatsby New Year’s Party at Blind Swine, a Puerto Rican Themed Party at Big Shots, and the last New Year’s Eve hosted by J.R. & Judy Harris at Road Hog Saloon. They are retiring after the party (it’s Judy’s birthday, too).  

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BEST WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: Megan Faulconer leads the New Year’s Eve evening entertainment at Blind Swine Thursday night followed by DJMO late night. The celebration starts early (7:00 p.m.) at Big Shots with two awesome DJs – DJ K Bandito and DJ Sparkz. Broken Aces will provide the New Year’s Eve entertainment at The Road Hog Saloon; and Mulligan’s will feature DJ C-Dub.

Indigo Sky Casino this week presents Mayday by Midnight New Year’s Eve in the Echo Bar, followed by Stonehorse Friday and Morgan Squared Saturday. At Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar. DJ Xavier starts the New Year’s Eve fun at 5:00 Thursday and Sequel Dose takes over at 8:30. Paralandra will entertain Friday night. Cherokee Casino Grove will start the New Year’s Eve entertainment early. Encore takes the stage at 4:00 p.m. – and Jump Suit Love will take over at 8:00.

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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: The FBI described the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life” as Communist propaganda.

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FUN FACT OF THE WEEK: You don’t need a parachute to go skydiving. You need a parachute to go skydiving twice.

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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: Today I learned the average person consumes 9 alcoholic drinks per week. Today i also learned that I am above average.

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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: I had my patience tested. I’m negative.

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TWEET OF THE WEEK: The world has turned upside down. Old folks are sneaking out of the house and their kids are yelling at them to stay indoors.

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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: What do you call a wreath made out of $100 bills? Aretha Franklins.  

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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: At 12:01 a.m. January 1, 2021, for the first time ever, hindsight will actually be 2020.

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FEEL-OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: Are you old enough to have been a fan of the television series M*A*S*H? If so, would it make you feel any older to realize that Klinger (Jamie Farr) is now 86. Margaret “Hot Lips” Houlihan (Loretta Swit) is 83. If that’s not enough, actress, philanthropist and St. Jude’s spokesperson Marlo Thomas (yes, “That Girl”) is also 83. And yes, she’s still married to legendary talk show host Phil Donahue. He is 85. They have now been married for 40 years.

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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Chuck Harris, Robert Vandommelon, Debbie Dooley, Syrina Nelson, Judy Harris, Reggie Wallace, Mark Londagin, Robert Jones, Cheyanna Cookson, Judy Barger, Paul Spechler, Sergio Andre, Kent Harrell, Patricia McDonald, and Becky Wetwiska.

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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: After they finish making Styrofoam, what do they ship it in?

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BUM MUST-SEE TV: Season 3 of  Cobra Kai premiers Friday on NETFLIX. The top series of the year, Schitt’s Creek, is also all available on NETFLIX. I’m not crazy about the series, but I love to talk about it so I can say the name. There are great New Year’s eve specials everywhere Thursday night – ABC and Fox special begin at 7:00 – NBC at 9:00. Call Me Kat debuts Sunday night at 7:00 on Fox followed by a sneak preview of the new series The Great North at 7:30.

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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Wonder Woman 1984 is available on HBO Max.  Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom is available on NETFLIX. Monster Hunter has been released; and Shadow in the Cloud debuts Friday.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “I look fake, but everything inside of me is real.” – Dolly Parton

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SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, January 7 – Thursday Night Prime Rib & Karaoke fun returns to its weekly schedule at Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La. 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. Friday-Sunday, February 12-14 – Grove Home & Garden Show at the Grove Civic Center.

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SPORTS WATCH: The college football Bowl Season is officially underway. All three of Oklahoma’s major college teams are in the Top 25 – and all are in great bowl games. OSU takes on Miami in the Cheeze-It Bowl in Orlando Tuesday (Dec. 29) at 4:30. They next day, OU faces Florida in the Cotton Bowl in Arlington (Dec. 30) at 7:00. Tulsa will play Mississippi State the next morning (Dec. 31) in the Armed Forces Bowl at 11:00 a.m. National Championship semi-final Bowl Games are this weekend. Alabama vs. Notre Dame at 4:00 Friday, followed by Clemson and Ohio State at 7:45. There are a couple of good ones Saturday, too – Oregon & Iowa State in the Fiesta Bowl at 3:00 and Texas A&M and North Carolina in the Orange Bowl at 7:00.

The NFL season wraps up this week with a “Sunday only” schedule. Games include The L.A. Chargers and Kansas City at noon – AND Pittsburgh at Cleveland also at noon. CBS has both games. It’ll be interesting to see how they handle that, Dallas hosts the New York Giants at noon on Fox, and the LA. Rams host Arizona at 3:00 on Fox. There is no Sunday night game and no Monday Night Football this week.

The NBA regular season is in full operating mode. The OKC Thunder home opener is Monday, December 28 hosting Utah at 7:00, followed the very next night by a home game with Orlando at 7:00. They’re at home again Thursday night hosting the New Orleans Pelicans at 7:00. Saturday, they’re in Orlando to take on the Magic at 6:00; then on to Miami to face the Heat Monday night at 6:30. All games are on Fox Sports Oklahoma.

PGA players are on holiday break for another week. The next PGA Tour event is the Sentry Tournament of Champions in Hawaii January 7.

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The New Year’s holiday weekend weather won’t be nearly as nice as the Christmas weekend, but considering it’s January, it’s not too bad. We’ll have high temperatures in the mid-40s with lows in the mid-20s. By Sunday, things will improve a little and the start of the first full week of the year looks better. Enjoy kicking 2020 out the door! But remember, wherever you decide to celebrate, buy a drink for the guy next to you.. It could be me! Happy New Year!

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.

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

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

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