February 24 Random Observations of The Grand Lake Bum
Uncharacteristically, I sneaked away from the lake last weekend for one of those $799 bargain rate Caribbean cruises. I’ll admit, I was suspicious of all my friends who said, “It’s awesome. Room, food, entertainment, exotic locations– everything is included in the price.” Sure enough. It was awesome. But don’t let you think room, food, entertainment and exotic locations include everything we take for granted in day-to-day life. There were a couple of little additions. Cocktail package: $55 per day. WI-Fi: $90 for the week. Shore excursions at those “exotic locations”: $150 X 3. International telephone service: $70 (but that doesn’t include days at sea – those calls are a buck a minute). So, my $599 cruise ended up at about $1,894 – not including, of course, the food & beverages I consumed on each of those $150 shore excursions. It’s a good thing I don’t drink soft drinks, by the way, because those are no longer “included in the price, either.” Oh, yes…I also had to fly to Houston to catch the ship. That was another $250. At least I was smart enough to fly on Southwest Airlines, so my clothes got to go with me! I did have a wonderful trip, though. And even though we’re just now headed for Welcome Back Weekend, I have a tan and you don’t! And it only set me back a couple of grand.
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I see Shangri-La Resort is hosting a big “Women’s Getaway Weekend” this weekend. I’m surprised they didn’t hire me to hang around to increase their business. I’m very skilled at persuading women to get away. When I try to hang around with beautiful women, history has shown that EVERY weekend is a “Women’s get-away weekend.”
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Something about a goose and a gander? In response to last year’s near-total abortion ban in Alabama, a state legislator has introduced a bill that would require a man to undergo a vasectomy, at his own expense, “within one month of his 50th birthday or the birth of his third biological child, whichever comes first.”
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In Oklahoma, I think Senator Nathan Dahm (R-Broken Arrow) needs to find something productive to do. He first authored a bill to rename a portion of Route 66 near Miami as “President Donald J. Trump Highway.” When he caught resistance from all sides, he took his legislation where governors take Highway Patrolmen they’re upset with – the Oklahoma panhandle. In fact, he took it as far as he could – a short little stretch of highway in the most distant county in the state, extending toward Texas form Boise City. Never mind that state law requires that someone be dead for three years before a highway is named in their honor – and never mind that the stretch of road in question is a federal highway and probably cannot be renamed by a state, anyway. More importantly, I don’t know about President Trump, but I wouldn’t want a bunch of highway signs with my name on them in a part of the state where almost everybody carries a gun to express their thoughts.
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A new survey shows that 56% of Americans think Arabic numbers should be banned in America. C’mon people. Our bias is embarrassingly obvious. Here are the Arabic numbers currently used in the United States: 0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9.
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GRAND LAKE DINING & DRINKING UPDATE: Guest Chef at The Shebang Wednesday night is Mark McDowell. It’s Mardi Gras week, too – and that means dining specials at restaurants all over Grand Lake. The all-new “Comfort food menu” is now available at Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort.
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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: In Oklahoma, dueling "although no death or wound ensues" is punishable by up to 10 years in prison
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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: Sometimes I forget how to spell a word, so I change the whole sentence to avoid using it. (thanks to Jodi Waeckerle for sharing this truth)
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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: Give me coffee to change the things I can; and wine to accept the things that I cannot.
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TWEET OF THE WEEK: Some people just drain the “nice” right out of me.
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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: Never trust trains. They have loco motives.
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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: The goal is to die with memories. Not dreams.
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FEEL OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: The incredibly talented singer/songwriter Nina Simone would have turned 87 years old last week. Legendary basketball talent Wilt Chamberlain would be 83 years old.
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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Leta Carson, Peter Graf, Gary Sisco, Bob Rush, Bryan Hendershot, Glenna Whitehead, Debbie Totty, Don White, Joyce Maxson, Mary Lou Manley, Dee Snyder, Diane McPeters, Curtis Kahle – and my lone February 29th leap year birthday bud, Joe Zaloudek, Sr. I’m not sure how old he is.
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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Since casinos are open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, why are there locks on the doors?
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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: Wednesday night, Mark McDowell will be featured Guest Chef at The Shebang. Shangri-La Resort hosts a Women’s Getaway Weekend this week (Spa specials, pottery classes, Sip & Paint – and discounted room rates); and Monday is the Grand Re-Opening of Grand Panache Boutique at South Point Shopping Center in Grove.
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GRAND LAKE WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: There’s great entertainment around the lake this weekend. Jason Morgan provides the karaoke fun at Thursday Night Prime Rib & Karaoke at Doc’s Bar & Grill; and he is back with the trivia questions Tuesday night at Doc’s. Terry Jordan performs Saturday & Sunday nights at Shangri-La’s Summit Restaurant. At the Blind Swine, Erin Fitzgibbon will be on stage Friday night and KJ Flip hosts Cocktails & Karaoke Sunday night. As part of the Sunday night karaoke fun, Blind Swine also has a karaoke contest underway! Monkey Island Pub features Karaoke with Tim Saturday night. At Littlefield Corner, the Road Hog Saloon has live entertainment every Saturday night.
Area casinos have big entertainment plans, too. Cherokee Casino Grove features Audio Crush Friday night and The Risky Business Band Saturday night. Grand Lake Casino’s Venue 655 offers the music of Pony Up Friday night and Karaoke Saturday night. At River Bend Casino, The Whiskey River Band puts on the show Saturday night in Club 60 West Bar. At Buffalo Run Casino’s Indoor Peoria Showplace Puddle of Mudd will be on stage Saturday night. The Jeff Tatum Band will entertain in the Trailer Park Bar & Grill Friday night, and there will be DJ action Saturday night. At Downstream Casino, Travis Kidd provides the music Friday night in Legends Sports Bar, followed by Wildfire Saturday. In Lover’s Leap Lounge, Ragsdale & Croy perform both Friday and Saturday nights. Indigo Sky Casino has three nights of great entertainment this week, starting with Johnny Dale Roberts Thursday. Rackensack will be on stage Friday night, followed by Oreo Blue Saturday.
The best spots to catch all your favorite sports action including PGA Golf and NBA and college basketball action and NASCAR are Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort, Road Hog Saloon, 1909 in Grove, Pickles at the Lake in Langley, and Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney.
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BUM MUST-SEE TV: Dispatches from Elsewhere premieres Sunday night at 9:00 on AMC. The Voice airs Monday and Tuesday nights at 7:00 on NBC. Bull airs Monday night at 9:00 on NBC; and Breeders is scheduled for Monday night at 9:00 on FX.
BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: The Invisible Man and Greed
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Life’s biggest tragedy is that we get old too soon, and wise too late.” – Benjamin Franklin
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SAVE THE DATE: Thursday-Sunday, March 5-8 – Welcome Back Weekend! Thursday-Sunday, March 5-8 – Grand Lake Boat Show at Grove Civic Center. Saturday, March 7 – Welcome Back Weekend Poker Run. Saturday, March 7 – Job Fair at Shangri-La Resort. Saturday, March 7 – 2 Hip Chicks Roadshow at Craig County Fairgrounds in Vinita. Saturday, March 7 – “80th Anniversary Party at Cherokee Yacht Club. Thursday, March 12 – Grove Chamber Luncheon at Grove Community Center. Friday-Saturday, March 13-14 – Grove Merchants Open House. Saturday, March 14 – St. Patrick’s Day Party at Monkey Island Pub. Saturday, April 4 – GEFFE Gala at Grove Civic Center. Friday-Sunday, April 17-19 – Tour d’ Island Weekend on Monkey Island. Saturday, April 18 – Monkey Island Pub Crawl.
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SPORTS WATCH: The OKC Thunder have a tough schedule this week, including a pair of home-and-away back-to-back games. They host Sacramento Thursday night at 7:00 (FSOK) before heading to Milwaukee Friday nidght at 7:00 (ESPN). Tuesday night, they’re back at home hosting the L.A. Clippers (7:00 on FSOK) before taking on the Pistons the very next night – Wednesday at 6:00 (FSOK).
There’s some really good college basketball this week, as well. Wichita State kicks off the college roundball action Thursday night hosting Temple (7:00 on ESPN). Saturday games include Kansas at Kansas State (12:30 on CBS), OU at West Virginia (3:00 on ESPN2/U), OSU at Iowa State (3:00 on ESPN2/U), and UCF at Tulsa at 5:00 (ESPNU). Wichita State is back on the court Sunday afternoon at SMU (3:00 on ESPNU). Monday night, Baylor hosts Texas Tech at 8:00 (ESPN). Tuesday night, OU hosts Texas (8:00 on ESPN2/U); and Wednesday night action sends Kansas State to Oklahoma State at 8:00 (ESPNU/2).
PGA players will be in Florida this week as The Honda Classic returns to Palm Beach Gardens. Coverage will be on the Golf Channel beginning at 1:00 Thursday & Friday and noon Saturday & Sunday. NBC picks up the final two rounds Saturday & Sunday at 2:00.
NASCAR drivers are in Fontana, California this weekend for the Auto Club 400. Coverage begins at 2:30 Sunday on Fox.
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The weather for the weekend ahead doesn’t look too bad for the last weekend of February. Friday & Saturday, we’ll see high temperatures around 50 degreees with lows around 30. Sunday, we kick off the month of March with an improved forecast – high temperatures around 60 with lows in the mid-40s. Next week…the rain returns! Enjoy the last weekend of February at your favorite Grand Lake bar or restaurant. Remember, though… wherever you decide to party, 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
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
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