July 27 Random Observations Of The Grand Lake Bum

The Grand Lake “Family Fun Season” just got longer. Oklahoma City and Tulsa Schools have delayed their opening until August 31 – and Oklahoma City schools will be mostly virtual for the first nine weeks of the school year. A lot of the schools in Kansas – including Wichita – have delayed their opening until after Labor Day – September 9. It sure is nice to know that school and sports won’t be draining the families out of the lake next week. The only thing that would be better for the Grand Lake summer season is if all schools would follow Wichita’s lead – and make that scheduling decision permanent! Enjoy it while you can.

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If you’re looking for a silver lining in the Coronavirus Caper, it looks like we may be spared all the pandering and pandemonium of traditional national political conventions in this election year. The Republican National Convention, originally scheduled for Charlotte, North Carolina, was moved by President Trump to Jacksonville, Florida because the Charlotte mayor wouldn’t guarantee an indoor venue for a big, traditional convention. Now the Jacksonville mayor has said the same thing, due to the ballooning Covid-19 numbers in Florida. Now, President Trump has cancelled the Jacksonville portion of the convention. Apparently delegates will just meet for a couple of days in Charlotte on August 24, and the President will give some kind of remote speech. “It’s not the right time for a traditional convention,” he said. The Democratic National Convention, based in Milwaukee August 17-20 will be almost entirely virtual, as well, with no big crowds to attract the TV crews. So, for those of us dreading the spectacle of elaborate political conventions in August, perhaps we can take that off our list of things to dread

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By the way, if you want to vote in Oklahoma’s primary run-off election August 25, Friday (July 31) is the last day to register or update your voter registration. If you need to ask “Who will be on the ballot,” don’t bother to go register and/or vote. The last thing we need is to have our future leadership decided by folks who throw darts to decide which candidate to vote for.

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In the continuing saga of renaming things so people won’t be offended, the Washington Redskins are officially no longer the “Redskins.” I guess they must be having a problem figuring out something better because, at least for this season, they will officially be called “The Washington Football Team.” Not only do they get a failing grade in creativity, but their recent years of performance indicate it might be stretching the truth a little to call them a “football team.” I thought the “Washington Deficits” would be appropriate – until I saw a better suggestion on social media: “The Washington Possums” (because they play dead at home and get killed on the road).

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When Dr. Anthony Fauci threw out the first pitch to reopen the MLB season, some folks laughed at his “wild pitch.” I can’t figure out why, though. Isn’t it his job to make sure nobody catches anything?

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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: The Wal-Mart store in Jay is cancelled – permanently. It will close for good August 21. Lake Center Baptist Church Vacation Bible School has been cancelled. The women’s college golf Four-State Championship scheduled for August 2-4 has been cancelled – so no title defense this year for the 2019 Champion OU Sooners. The Grove Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament has been postponed until Friday, September 18. The Oklahoma State Fair has also 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). Saturday afternoon is the Harbors View Raft-up (1:00-5:00) in Duck Creek in front of Safe Harbor Harbors View Marina. The Grand Lake Queen riverboat runs regular sightseeing cruises at 7:00 Friday and Saturday evenings from Royal Bay Marina in Grove. Farmers Market will be open Saturday morning 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. Diversity 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.  Lucas Gates will be live at Eddy’s Lakeside Bar at Shangri-La Saturday night and Terry Jordan performs at the Summit Restaurant both 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.

In Duck Creek, there’s a great on-the-water musical show at the Harbors View Marina Raft-Out Saturday afternoon beginning at 1:00. The Faulconer Duo and Brett & Terri will perform.

Casinos are getting back in the entertainment business. Indigo Sky Casino this week presents The Faulconer Duo Friday night in the Echo Bar. Taria Lee and Friends will entertain Friday night at Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar.

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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: The first official use of “Oklahoma” occurred in 1881, when the name was given to a post office in the Choctaw Nation.

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FUN FACT OF THE WEEK: The phrase "Elementary, my dear Watson," does not appear in any of the Sherlock Holmes stories written by Arthur Conan Doyle.

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LAKE TOURISM FACTS OF THE WEEK: Oklahoma has 11,611 miles of shoreline, more than the combined non-tidal coasts of the Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico. The state has more man-made lakes (200) than any other state! Eufaula is the largest, then Texoma, then Grand.

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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: In a move that's being called “unprecedented tyranny,” Walmart is now requiring all shoppers to wear pants in their stores. Americans everywhere slammed Walmart for the move, saying it amounted to an infringement on our constitutional rights.

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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: Pastrami on a Beagle - $3.89. (is this some new variation of a hot dog?)

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TWEET OF THE WEEK: Maybe 2020 will be like a mullet, and we party on the back half of it.

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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: Did you hear about the Italian chef with the terminal disease? He pastaway. Now he’s just a pizza history.

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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: Some of us had to abandon our hippie lives in order to attend to the demands of adulthood; but we’re ready to resume now.

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FEEL OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: Rolling Stones iconic lead singer Mick Jagger turned 77 years old Sunday. Legendary television host Regis Philbin died of natural causes Saturday, just one month short of his birthday. He would have been 89 in August.

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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Brad Busch, J.B. Robison, Jay Cranke, Kane Russell, Nancy Bradley, Kenny Smith, John McCharen, Kirk Woford, Keith Sackett, Peggy Blair, Kim Brady, Tammy Botts, Amy Regan, Cheryl Brecheisen, Mark Paden, Daniel Love, John Bond, and Jennifer Eve Fish.

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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: How is it that your kids can’t enroll in school if they’re not vaccinated for illnesses that aren’t an immediate threat; but a deadly virus with vaccine or known cure at its height is safe for your children to go back to school?

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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). In My Skin makes its American debut Thursday, available on Hulu.

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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Summerland is available streaming on Friday. Day 13 and House of Hummingbird are available streaming next Tuesday.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Some poor phoneless fool is probably sitting next to a waterfall somewhere, totally unaware of how angry and scared he’s supposed to be.” - Duncan Trussel

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SAVE THE DATE: Friday, August 7: Dock Shots competition at Shangri-La Golf Club (5:00). Friday-Saturday, August 7-8: Run a Monkey Golf Tournament at Shangri-La Golf Club. Sunday, August 9: South Central Section PGA Oakley Cup Tournament at Shangri-La Golf Club. 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.

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

On the PGA Tour, there are a couple of big tournaments this week – both rescheduled from the 4^th of July weekend. The WGC FedEx St. Jude Invitational will be played at TPC Southwind in Memphis. Coverage on the Golf Channel begins at 1:00 Thursday & Friday, 11:00 Saturday and 11:30 Sunday. CBS picks up the final two rounds at 1:00 Saturday & Sunday.

On Lake Tahoe, the rest of the PGA players will be at Tahoe Mt. Club (old Greenwood) for the Barracuda Championship. Coverage is exclusively on the Golf Channel beginning at 6:00 p.m. Thursday-Sunday.

Major League Baseball play is officially underway again! Sit back in your recliner and flip around the channels – ESPN, Fox, FS1, and TNT. Tons of games are being televised live. MLB is BACK!

Starting this weekend, the NBA will be back in action, as well. The OKC Thunder restart the regular season Saturday afternoon at 2:30 vs. the Utah Jazz (ESPN). Monday afternoon at 3:00, they take on the Denver Nuggets (Fox Sports Oklahoma) before a Wednesday evening match-up at 5:30 against the Lakers (ESPN).

NASCAR drivers are in New Hampshire this week for the Foxwoods Resort Casino 301. Coverage begins at 2:00 Sunday afternoon on NBCSN.

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The weekend weather ahead looks downright wonderful! The forecast calls for sunshine, and light winds with highs in the upper 80s and lows around 70. Have fun as you kick off 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