February 8 Random Observations Of The Grand Lake Bum

Welcome to “Relationship Break-Up Week 2021.” Don’t worry, though. For most guys, it’s strictly a financial decision. Next week is “Relationship Re-establishment Week 2021.” Most break-ups this week are because guys can’t afford the expensive holiday this weekend. Next week, everybody will be good again!

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The Tulsa Boat, Sport & Travel Show for 2021 is officially over. I hope the participating Grand Lake boat dealers did well. It’s an unusual year for indoor shows, to be sure – and it was a little odd, but came off without a hitch. The Oklahoma Virtual Boat Show continues through this weekend with five participating Grand Lake dealers – nine dealers altogether - in the virtual show at www.oklahomavirtualboatshow.com.

Grand Lake Boat Sales, Indian Hills Marina, MarineMax, Nichols Marine at Shangri-La, and Ugly John’s Custom Boats are participating exclusively in the Oklahoma Virtual Boat Show with appointments for in-person showroom showings.

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Speaking of boating news, Ugly John’s is back in the performance boat business. They have once again picked up the Donzi and Fountain boat lines.

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How much boating have you done in the last few weeks? Probably not as much as the Bristol Gulls. The four-woman rowing team left the Canary Island on December 12. Forty-seven days later, they arrived at the finish line in Antigua, having rowed almost 3,000 miles to complete the Talisker Whiskey Atlantic Challenge. Just 3,000 miles? They don’t need no stinkin’ motor or sail for that trip. I don’t think I want any of those gals mad at me! But I would feel pretty safe having them in my boat!

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Karma as a life lesson. More than 300 of the insurrectionists who stormed the U.S. Capitol January 6 have been turned in to the FBI….by their ex-wives.

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The big announcement came last week, and it wasn’t from the government. General Motors even bought a Super Bowl commercial announcing they plan to totally discontinue the manufacture of gas and diesel powered vehicles by 2035. I’d say those oil companies who have started developing alternative power sources look pretty smart.

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Thinking outside the box. Oklahoma Governor Stitt proposes privatizing Medicaid and turning into a “managed care” program run by insurance companies. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly was a little more innovative. She proposes massive legalization of medical marijuana to raise the money to pay for Medicaid expansion. People I know prefer that form of medication, anyway.

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So what if Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow on February 2? I say we should just pick some other day – a cloudy, overcast day – and say that was the watch-for-a-shadow day for Phil. As nearly as I can tell, so far this year EVERY day has been Groundhog Day.

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DINING AND DRINKING UPDATE: Monkey Islanders Kim and Kevin Brady will be the featured Guest Chefs Wednesday night at The Shebang and, of course, The Shebang offers special Valentine offerings this weekend, as well – a “Tower of Love” special Friday & Saturday nights. The Blind Swine is now open only Thursday, Friday & Saturday, but they have a great “Valenswine Special” this week, both Friday & Saturday nights with live entertainment. Doc’s Bar & Grill features Valentine’s Special Sweetheart Dinner service at Friday-Sunday evenings with live entertainment Friday & Saturday. The Lighthouse also offers three nights of Valentine special dinners. The Artichoke has a Valentine special, as well. The Quarterdeck Café at Tera Miranda reopens for the season Friday (Friday 4:00-8:00, Saturday & Sunday 11:00-8:00).  The Road Hog Saloon now offers breakfast service Wednesday-Sunday. 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). Tuesday, February 16 Doc’s Bar & Grill will also feature a special “Fat Tuesday” Mardi Gras menu.

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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK:  Wednesday is the Home of Hope Drive-Thru Chocolate Affair (6:00-8:00 p.m.). The Grove Home & Garden Show runs Friday-Sunday at the Grove Civic Center. Saturday is the SLWGA Ladies’ “Snow Bunny Golf” at Shangri-La (1:30 tee times).

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BEST WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: Thursday Night Karaoke with Jason Morgan kicks off the weekend at Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La this week. KJ Flip provides the karaoke entertainment Thursday night at Blind Swine and Erin Fitzgibbon will perform Friday. Also Friday night, Cory Lee performs at Doc’s followed by Jacob Dement Saturday night. Terry Jordan entertains Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights at The Summit Restaurant. Erin Fitzgibbon performs early Friday night at Blind Swine – and Solace will be on stage late. The Faulconers will perform Saturday night at Blind Swine; and there’s always Saturday night karaoke at Monkey Island Pub.

On south Grand, Barrett Lewis will be on stage Saturday night at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney.

Indigo Sky Casino this week presents Rackensak in the Echo Bar Thursday night, followed by The Oreo Blue Trio both Friday and Saturday. At Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar Encore will entertain Friday night and Jesse Joice performs Saturday. At Cherokee Casino Grove’s 1897 Bar, The Juice will be on stage Friday night. Reverse Reaction entertains Saturday night.

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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: Forty-five episodes of "Monty Python's Flying Circus" were produced between 1969 and 1974.

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FUN FACT OF THE WEEK: I kid you not! There used to be a phone number you could call just to find out what time it was.

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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: Now that I have lived through an actual plague, I totally understand why Italian Renaissance paintings are full of naked fat people laying on couches.

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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: Due to Covid-19, we are asking rioters to work from home and destroy their own property.

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TWEET OF THE WEEK: Boats are like strippers. They work until you stop throwing hundred-dollar bills at them.

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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: I worked as a lumberjack for a while, but I just couldn’t cut it; so they gave me the axe.

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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: Handle every stressful situation like a dog. If you can’t eat it, drink it, or play with it, pee on it and walk away.

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FEEL-OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: Last Saturday would have been Ronald Reagan’s 110^th birthday. Remember when Leon Spinks defeated Muhammad Ali for the world heavyweight boxing championship? That was 43 years ago this week. Spinks died over the last weekend from cancer. He was 67. Ali would have been 79. We lost the legend Hal Holbrook recently. He had some incredible roles (Deep Throat, Abe Lincoln, etc.), but is best remembered for his one-man show portraying Mark Twain. He performed as Mark Twain for more than 60 years, longer than the actual Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens). Holbrook was 95. We also lost famed actor Christopher Plummer last week. He had incredible career accomplishments (an Oscar, two Tonys, and two Emmys) but, ironically, is best remembered for his role as Captain von Trapp opposite Julie Andrews in “The Sound of Music,” a role he called “a lousy part” and an “empty carcass of a role.” Christopher Plummer was 91.

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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Lisa McFadden, Gene Duncan, Linda Forrester, Tamara Carrott, Brad Coston, Betty Dennis, Terry “Buffalo” Ware, Ashley DuBois Epperson, George Couch, Bob Corlett, Mike Flanagan, and Lisette Coston.

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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Why is it called “life insurance” when you have to be dead before it will pay off?

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BUM MUST-SEE TV: Clarice makes its much-anticipated debut Thursday night at 9:00 on CBS. American Idol returns Sunday night at 7:00 on ABC and The Great North premiers Sunday night at 7:30 on Fox. New seasons of NCIS: Los Angeles and NCIS: New Orleans air at 8:00 and 9:00 respectively Sunday night on CBS; and Young Rock makes its debut next Tuesday night at 7:00 on NBC.

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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: There are a lot of new movie releases this week. Judas and the Black Messiah debuts in theaters and on HBO Max this week. Red Dot and To All the Boys: Always and Forever are both available on NETFLIX.  Cowboys is available in virtual theaters and Fear of Rain premiers streaming this week.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “If I lose to Biden, I don’t know what I’m going to do. I will never speak to you again. You’ll never see me again.” – Donald J. Trump

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SAVE THE DATE: Thursday-Sunday, February 18-21 – MidSouth Tackle, Hunting & Boat Show at Grove Civic Center. Saturday, February 20 – Mardi Gras Party at Monkey Island Pub. Thursday-Friday, March 4-7 – Grand Lake Boat & Sport Show at the Grove Civic Center. Saturday, March 13 – St. Patrick’s Day Comedy Show at Big Shots on Monkey Island. Saturday, March 20 – St. Patrick’s Day Party at Monkey Island Pub.  Saturday, April 3 – South Grand Chamber’s “Bootleggers’ Ball” at Shangri-La Resort.

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SPORTS WATCH: Football season is officially behind us, but the NBA regular season rolls on with the OKC Thunder in L.A. for a pair of games against the Lakers Monday and Wednesday (9:00). They’ll be in Denver Friday night to take on the Nuggets at 8:00 before returning home to take on the Bucks at 6:00 Sunday and the Blazers at 7:00 next Tuesday. All games are on Fox Sports Oklahoma.

In college hoops, there are some great ones this week. Nothing is easy in the Big 12 this year. OU hosts the Baylor Bears Wednesday at 5:00 (ESPN) before traveling to Morgantown to face West Virginia at noon Saturday. They’re back home to face Texas next Tuesday at 6:30. OSU is at Kansas Monday night at 8:00 (ESPN) before hosting K-State Saturday morning at 11:00 (ESPNU). Next Tuesday, they host Iowa State at 7:00.  Tulsa hosts Temple next Tuesday at 6:00 (ESPNU).

PGA players are at Pebble Beach this week for the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. Live coverage airs on the Golf Channel beginning at 2:00 Thursday and Friday and noon Saturday and Sunday. CBS picks up coverage of the final two rounds at 2:00 Saturday and Sunday.

Ready or not, it’s NASCAR season again. The Daytona 500 airs live Sunday afternoon at 1:30 on Fox.

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Weather for the weekend ahead looks downright miserable, with high temperatures around 20 degrees and lows in the single digits. I hate winter so much, it’s made me hate fall and spring because they touch it! Keep your Valentine inside. There are lots of special events this weekend – inside, where it’s warm. Remember, though, wherever you 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.

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 Pourhouse 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