May 25 Observations from the Grand Lake Bum
The first big holiday weekend of the summer is behind us, even though we had to fight our way through some springtime weather to get to it. Going into the big weekend, the weather was a little sketchy. Friday morning rain forced cancellation of the Legacy of Liberty WWII Memorial Park tribute to veterans, and the result of the rain resulted in golf greens so wet Shangri-La had to reschedule their planned Night Golf to another date – closer to the 4th of July than Memorial Day. But, just as if it was planned, the rain stopped about 3:00 o’clock Friday, and everything else went off like clockwork. An hour or two of light rain Saturday afternoon gave way to the first actual sunset of the weekend – and from then, the weather was perfect!
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It’s obvious that school is out and the weather is nice. That means some parents think Grand Lake is one big playpen they put their kids into and forget them. There were lots of kids not nearly old enough to safely drive a golf cart who were driving golf carts where golf carts should never be driven – and driving out into the traffic dodging unsuspecting drivers on the highway. I remember several years ago, I was with friends & family in an anchored boat watching holiday fireworks. When the show was over, a bass boat roared past us at cruising speed, rocking all the remaining boats in the long lineup of spectators. My daughter, who was only about 4 years old at the time, asked, “Dad, can I cuss at him?” When I said “yes,” she thought of the meanest thing a four-year-old can say to anyone: “Hey! Where are your parents?” That’s the same “cussing” I wanted to give a bunch of little ones in golf carts over the weekend!
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If I’m driving down the highway and see a semi-tractor rig with no driver, I don’t know whether to panic or not; but the Oklahoma Highway Patrol says they expect driver-.less semis on the Oklahoma highways as soon as next month. I wonder how the insurance rates will be on those outfits. And, as for the Highway Patrol Troopers…if there’s a wreck or a traffic violation, who do you write the ticket to? I can hear it already: “I wasn’t driving, officer! It’s not my fault!”
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There is certainly no shortage of controversy about allowing big data centers in Oklahoma. I found one group, however, who are super-supportive of the idea. Folks who steal & resell copper are ecstatic!
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A buddy of mine was in a total panic last week when he woke up from a deep sleep thinking he was late for work. Thankfully, he was already at work.
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With the Women’s College World Series beginning Thursday, it doesn’t seem fair that Nebraska kept OSU out of the WCWS – because they did so utilizing the incredible talent of two former OU players – Jordy (Ball) Frahm, and Hannah Coor. Something doesn’t seem right there.
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Sign of the times, I guess. I was talking to a kid about working to earn money as a youngster. I said, “When I was young, I had a paper route.” He looked at me with totally blank eyes and said, “What in the world is a paper route?”
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Another sign of the times is a revision of an old adage: Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and he has to buy graphite rods, reels, spinnerbait, jigs, crankbaits, jerkbaits, plastics, flies, waders, a boat, and a truck.
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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Grand Lakers Gabby Wallace, Brooke Fuser, Heather Duit, Ron Blaylock, Matthew Mantle, Sierra Burke, Bill Hodge, Lori Magoulas, Linda Morrison, Robin Carpenter, Arlene Seybolt, Ryburn McCullough, Ron Griffin, Jim Sellers, Brinda Russell, Adam Fuchs, Laura Willingham, Andrew Dney, Shaun Tune, Karen Gallagher, and Lacy Berryman.
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BEST GRAND LAKE EVENTS THIS WEEK: Thursday is the South Grand Lake Chamber of Commerce Monthly Membership Luncheon at the GRDA Ecosystems Center in Langley (11:30-1:00). Thursday night is “Thursday Trivia” at BOOM at The Regatta in Grove (6:30 p.m.). Friday night is a fun Pop Singo competition with Crystal Ott at The Anchor at Shangri-La (8:30 p.m.). Saturday night is the biggest event of the year for Grove Rotary – it’s Lobsterfest at the Wolf Creek Expo Center (5:30 p.m.).
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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: In Winston Groom’s novel, Forrest Gump is 6’4”, 245 pounds. In the 1994 movie, he’s Tom Hanks.
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FUN FACT OF THE WEEK: A Norwegian village named “Hell” freezes over every winter.
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ODD FACT OF THE WEEK: Female frogs fake death to avoid mating with males they don’t find attractive.
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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: Nobody sees the 4 a.m. workouts. Nobody sees me meal-prepping for hours every week. Nobody sees any of this…because I don’t do those things.
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WORD FUN THIS WEEK: The word “Goodbye” is a contraction of the phrase used in the late 16th century: “God be with ye.” Over time, it was shortened to “God b’w’y” and finally “Goodbye.” You are literally blessing someone every time you tell them “Goodbye!”
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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: Warning! When you drink vodka over ice, it can lead to kidney failure. When you drink rum over ice, it can cause liver damage. When you drink whiskey over ice, it can give you heart problems. When you drink gin over ice, it can affect your brain. Clearly, ice is really bad for you! Warn all your friends.
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BEST BLUESKY POST OF THE WEEK: Whoever convinced blind people they need sunglasses was one hell of a salesman!
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PUN OF THE WEEK: Scientists got together to study the effects of alcohol on a person’s walk. The result was staggering!
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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Should the January 6 rioter using a baseball bat to beat a capitol police officer get paid more or less money than the guy using a club with nails on the end?
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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: In life, it’s important to know when to stop arguing with people and simply let them be wrong.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Society doesn’t punish theft; it punishes a lack of capital. Steal a dollar, you’re a criminal. Steal a million, you’re a visionary.” – Mark Twain
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FEEL-OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: It’s an incredible week of celebrating music icons. The legendary Bob Dylan turned 85 years old Sunday. The “Godmother of Soul,” the incomparable Patti LaBelle turned 82 over the weekend. Ageless superstar Cher actually does have an age. She turned 80 years old last week; and Hannah Montana is all grown up! Miley Cyrus is officially the first person born in the 1990s & after to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
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BEST WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: On Monkey Island, there’s live music by Erin Fitzgibbon Thursday night and Karaoke with Sundown Entertainment Friday night at The Monkey Bar, and more live music from Tedford Saturday night. There’s Karaoke with Tim Robinson at Doc’s Bar & Grill Thursday night (6:00-9:00) followed by a live performance at Doc’s by Ryan Graham Friday night. Crystal Ott hosts Pop Singo competition Friday night at The Anchor (8:30) followed by Pop Chart Toppers with DJ Kyle at 10:00. Lil’ Red and The Sidepiece will be at Whitecap Friday night. Broken Aces will entertain Saturday night at Eddy’s Lakeside Bar. Lil’ Red & the Sidepiece entertain Saturday night at South 125 Bar & Grill; and Robbi Bell will perform at South 125 Sunday. Lil’ Red & The Sidepiece also perform at Whitecap every Wednesday evening at 6:00.
On South Grand Lake, Benjamin Owens will be on stage Friday night at Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina followed by South of Vertical Saturday night, and William Tedford Sunday afternoon. Jackson Glasby starts the weekend Wednesday night at Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney followed by Michelle Warren & Soupbone Thursday, The Conor Culpepper Trio with Matt Martin & Rick Huskey Friday night, Randy Crouch and the Flying Horse Opera Saturday night, and a special matinee performances by The Bison Duo Sunday (4:00). Reverse Reaction will be on stage at Drunken Rooster Saturday night; and Magen Faulconer will entertain Saturday night at Ugly’s Grill & Bar.
In Grove, Hollywood Riot provides the musical entertainment Saturday night at Grand Lake Casino’s Venue 655. The Brothers Moore will be on stage Friday night at Cherokee Casino Grove’s 1897 Bar followed by The Jimmy Lee Jordan Band Saturday night.
The Blue Underground starts the music Friday night at Downstream’s Legends Sports Bar. The Uncrowned Kings take over Saturday. TJ Scarlett kicks off the weekend Thursday at Indigo Sky Casino followed by The Chris Hyde Band Friday, and Nathan LaBee Saturday. Vertical Horizon and Tonic will be in concert at Buffalo Run Casino’s Peoria Showplace Saturday night; and Riverbend Casino’s Club 60 West will feature Bobby DeGonia Saturday night.
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DINING & DRINKING UPDATE: Blind Swine Duck Creek at Harbors View Marina, Whitecap at The Landings Marina, Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina, Eddy’s Lakeside Bar at Shangri-La Marina, The Quarterdeck at Tera Miranda, and Ugly’s Grill & Bar at Thunder Bay Marina are all open for the season. Our House BBQ in Grove now offers full table service. The Shebang has reopened under new ownership on Monkey Island. For those wondering about The Farmhouse (formerly The Artichoke) in Langley, they are planning an opening within the next month.
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BUM MUST-SEE TV: Brilliant Minds returns Wednesday night at 7:00 on NBC. Storage Wars returns to A&E Saturday night at 8:00. The 51st AFI Life Achievement Award: A Tribute to Eddie Murphy airs on Netflix Sunday night; and America’s Got Talent returns next Tuesday at 7:00 on NBC.
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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: Backrooms, Pressure, and The Breadwinner debut in movie theaters this week.
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SAVE THE DATE: Friday, June 5 – First Friday Wine Share at Classy & Sassy. Saturday, June 6 – Fairy Festival at Lendonwood Gardens in Grove (11:00-4:00). Monday, June 8 – Ketchum Girls Athletics Golf Tournament at The Coves (9:00 a.m. shotgun). Thursday-Saturday, June 11-13 – American Heritage Musi Festival and National Fiddle Contest at Har-Ber Village (9:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m.). Thursday-Sunday, June 11-14 – Toes in the Grand Festival at Wolf Creek Park & Expo Center in Grove. Friday-Sunday, June 12-14 – Thunder on Wolf Creek Hydroplane Races. Friday, June 26 – Grove Chamber’s “Coffee & Conversations” breakfast with elected officials at the Grove Community Center (8:00 a.m.). Saturday, June 27 – Formula Boat Owners’ Rendezvous beginning at Honey Creek Landing Marina (11:00 a.m.).
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In the world of sports, Western Conference finals for the OKC Thunder and San Antonio Spurs continue Tuesday – and Thursday & Saturday, if necessary this week. By the weekend, we’ll be down to just two teams still standing. The NBA Championship Finals Series starts next Wednesday.
It’s an incredibly big week for college sports. The Women’s College World Series gets underway in Oklahoma City Thursday – and the NCAA Baseball Regionals begin Friday. As they say, “check your local TV listings.”
PGA Golfers are in Fort Worth this week for the Charles Schwab Challenge. Coverage begins at 3:00 Thursday & Friday the Golf Channel 12:30 Saturday & noon Sunday. CBS picks up coverage of the final two rounds at 2:00 Saturday & Sunday.
UFL Football play kicks off Friday night at 7:00 St. Louis hosting Dallas. Birmingham hosts Houston Saturday at 2:00. There are two games Sunday – Orlando is at DC at 11:00 and Columbus hosts Louisville at 5:00.
NASCAR drivers are in Nashville this week for some Sunday night racing. Coverage of the Cracker Barrel 400 starts at 6:00 Sunday night on Prime Video.
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We still have one final weekend of May on the calendar, so the weather for the weekend includes that “scattered thunderstorms” language; but we’ll have sunshine for the most part with high temperatures in the low-80s and lows in the mid-60s. There’s plenty happening around the lake this weekend, so get out and enjoy it. But remember, 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.
Anchor Sports Bar & Activity Park at Shangri-La
Big Shots on Monkey Island (Open Thursday, Friday & Saturday nights)
Billy’s Burger Bar & More in Ketchum
Blind Swine on Duck Creek at Safe Harbor Harbors View Marina
Blue Bluff Café at Blue Bluff Harbor
BOOM at The Regatta (at Sailboat Bridge)
Buffalo Bar at Shangri-La on Monkey Island
Buffalo Run Casino in Miami (smoking)
Casa Gutierrez in Gro
Cesar’s Place in Vinita
Cesar’s Place in Langley
Checkered Past in Grove
Chickanellas on Monkey Island
Chicken Coop west of Langley
Chubby’s Grill at On Target in Grove
Clanton’s Café in Vinita
Copper Penny Bar in Ketchum
Cosby’s Catfish on Highway 28 in Eucha (East of Disney)
Cregan’s Confections & Ice Cream (Ketchum)
Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort Hotel
Domino’s in Grove
Downstream Casino in Quapaw (smoking)
Drake’s Restaurant in Grove
Drift at the Regatta (at Sailboat Bridge in Grove)
Drunken Rooster Bar & Grill (Cleora)
Drunken Rooster – on the Water (Grove)
E&H Liquor Store at Littlefield Corner, Monkey Island
Eddy’s Lakeside Bar at Shangri-La Marina
Fire Pit at Wildwood Cove Resort in Drowning Creek
Galley at The Anchor, Shangri-La Resort
Gambino’s Pizza in Ketchum
Goodfella’s Pizza (Cleora and Grove)
Grand Getaway Mercantile (north of Grove)
Grand Lake Casino, north of Grove on Highway 10 (smoking)
Grand Lake Coffee Company in Grove
Hero’s Deli in Grove
Hero’s Deli in Langley
High Winds Casino east of Miami (smoking)
Indigo Sky Casino west of Seneca, Mo. (smoking)
Island Bar & Grill at The Landings Marina
Juan Montez Restaurant & Cantina at Red Arrow Marina
Keagan’s Coffee at Littlefield Corner
La Casita de Martin in downtown Grove
Legacy Eatery in Grove
Lighthouse Supper Club in Ketchum
Los Garcia’s in Langley
Lupe's Mexican Restaurant in Grove
Matt’s Place in Grove
Monkey Bar on Monkey Island
Monkey Island RV Resort
Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney
Monkey Grind at Shangri-La Resort Hotel
Monkey Island Trail Rides
Monkey Island Winery
Mosa Hibachi and Sushi in Grove
Mulligan’s at Patricia Island Golf Club in Grove
Nu Taste Restaurant in Grove
One-Eyed Monkey at Littlefield Corner, Monkey Island
Our House BBQ in Grove
Pappy’s Bar on Hwy 10 east of Grove
Pickles at the Lake in Langley
Pier 13 Liquor Store in Langley
Pistol Pat’s on Honey Creek in Grove
Pit Stop Café in Grove
Poppin’ on Grand in Cleora
Quarterdeck Cafe at Tera Miranda Harbor
R Bar Dance Hall & Saloon in Grove
Raggedy’s in Grove
Rancho Viejo in Grove
Rise-N-Dine, Ketchum
River Bend Casino in Wyandotte (smoking)
Road Hog Saloon at the entrance to Monkey Island
Roberts Bar & Restaurant in Langley
Royal Liquor Store in Grove
Scissortail Lounge at Scissortail Marina
Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina
South 125 Bar & Grill on Monkey Island
Speedy’s Chophouse in Grove
Sugar Shack at Lee’s Grand Lake Resort
Summit Restaurant at Shangri-La on Monkey Island
The Artichoke Restaurant in Langley
The Grill at Indian Hills Resort & Marina in Bernice
The Stables Casino in Miami (smoking)
The Shebang on Monkey Island (smoking on patio and Balcony Bar)
Ugly’s Grill & Bar, Thunder Bay Marina
VIP Pizza at Hammerhead Marina (smoking on deck)
Wolf Creek Diner in Grove
