June 8 Random Observations Of The Grand Lake Bum

Boats, boats, boats. Golfers, golfers, golfers. Music, music, music. After last weekend, I can’t imagine what this place is going to look like on 4^th of July weekend. Grand Lake businesses are on fire. Everybody is hiring (or trying to). Everybody is spending more time here. Real Estate sales are crazy. Boat sales are even crazier! When people were told by the medical wizards that being outdoors in the open air and sunshine was a good way to avoid the Coronavirus, everybody showed up at Grand Lake – and stayed. It’s been a wild summer ever since March 15!

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I started the weekend with Clint Walker at the first Block Party of the year in Grove, then wrapped up with an awesome Saturday night show at Eddy’s with Brett & Terri – and a little karaoke on the Balcony Bar at The Shebang. That’s just the warm-up for the weekend ahead, though. If you’ve been starved for live performances, get your dancing shoes ready for this weekend. It’s the Toes in the Grand Trop Rock Festival held in conjunction with the American Heritage Music Festival and National Fiddlin’ contest at Wolf Creek Park starting Friday at noon and running all day and half the night Saturday. If you’re on Monkey Island, 5^th Element makes a triumphant return to the stage Saturday night. It’s going to be a fabulous musical weekend on Grand Lake!

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If you’re looking for a live sporting event you can attend, we’ve got that, too! Thunder on Wolf Creek boat races are also this weekend at Wolf Creek Park. Get out and enjoy all the live entertainment Grand Lake has to offer.

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First, let me be clear. I have had several consecutive decades of excellent delivery service by FedEx; But if you have never had the pleasure of dealing with their customer service – OMG!  I don’t recommend FedEx customer service for the faint at heart. I had a package that “absolutely, positively had to be their overnight.” So, of course, FedEx it was. Sure enough, the next day, tracking showed that it was delivered. But it was not. Next day, tracking showed that it was at “a local FedEx facility.” I’m not sure how many thousand “local FedEx facilities” there are, but I couldn’t find out which one had it. I called and was on hold for 34 minutes before I was told someone would call me back within two hours. They did not. Next day, I was on hold for 43 minutes before I was disconnected. The next day, I was on hold for 47 minutes before I was told someone would call me back the next day. They did not. The next day, I was on hold for 31 minutes before being told they had located my package and someone would call me the next day to see what to do. They did not. Fortunately, the recipient called me and said the “overnight” package was delivered – 13 days after I shipped it. Next time I have a package that “absolutely, positively” has to be there in two weeks…I think I’ll just walk to Tulsa and hand-deliver it.

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Have we run out of names for tropical storms/hurricanes? What the hell kind of name is Cristobal?

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“Misclassification errors” at least gave us reason to celebrate for a day or so. President Trump did a victory lap when May employment appeared to drop the unemployment rate from 14.7% to 13.3%. Unfortunately, just when we were getting accustomed to thinking a 13.3% unemployment rate was good, the feds corrected their “misclassification error.” The unemployment rate actually jumped to 16.3%. That’s a buzz kill, for sure!

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DINING AND DRINKING UPDATE: Sharky’s at Hammerhead Marina is only open during VIP Pizza hours as an extension of the restaurant (open until 10:00 p.m. Friday & Saturday, 8:00 p.m. Sunday). Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney is now fully open and back to regular hours. Closed Mondays. Ugly’s Grill & Bar is open weekends now, as is Eddy’s Lakeside Bar. Quarterdeck Café at Tera Miranda, Waterside Bar & Grill in Grove, and Pickles at the Lake in Langley are open, as well.  Doc’s at Shangri-La offers curbside pickup of pizza, wine and beer, but is not open for dine-in service until mid-June. FYI, The Landings Restaurant and Morrow’s Bar & Grill have no plans for opening this season.

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PUBLIC EVENT CANCELLATION NOTICE: Aquapalooza, originally scheduled for July 18, has been cancelled for 2020. The Grove Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament has been postponed until Friday, September 18. The Grove Rotary Club 2020 Lobsterfest scheduled for June 19 and the Rock the Dock Raft-Up/Music Festival scheduled for June 20 at Check-In Bay have been canceled. The Grand Lake Fireworks Cliff Elliott Memorial Fireworks Show has been canceled this year – but Duck Creek, Monkey Island, and Wolf Creek scheduled fireworks shows are a “go.” Monkey Island and Wolf Creek on July 3 – Duck Creek on July 4.

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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: Friday is the first “Food Truck Friday Open House Tasting Room” at Monkey Island Winery (6:00-9:00 p.m.). Shangri-La Sunset Cruise is at 7:00 Friday night. Grand Lake Queen Cruises from Royal Bay are at 6:00 Friday & Saturday and 2:00 Saturday & Sunday. The American Heritage Music Festival kick-off party is Thursday night at 6:30 at Sniders Campground in Grove. Friday, the festival gets underway in conjunction with the Toes in the Grand Festival at Wolf Creek Park in Grove with national fiddling competition all day. The Toes in the Grand Festival runs from noon Friday until Saturday night with helicopter rides, food trucks, a car show, arts & crafts, inflatables, and great music, wrapping up with fireworks at 9:30 Saturday night.

Thunder on Wolf Creek Boat Races are also at Wolf Creek Park beginning at noon Saturday.

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BEST WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: KJ Flip leads the Thursday night karaoke fun at Blind Swine and DJ Kennedy will provide the tunes Saturday night. Jana Jae & Friends perform Friday night (7:00) followed by the Junior Marriott Band (8:00) at the American Heritage Festival at Wolf Creek Park. Saturday, there are three great bands performing at the Toes in the Grand Summer Kickoff Trop Rock Festival at Wolf Creek Park in Grove: The COPA Reefers (2:00), Something Steel (4:30) and The Beach Cats (7:00). 5^th Element performs live at Eddy’s Lakeside Bar at Shangri-La Saturday night. Big Shots will feature live DJ action Friday and Saturday nights. Karaoke with Kerry on the Balcony Bar at The Shebang Friday and Saturday. Karaoke with Tim is on the agenda Saturday night at Monkey Island Pub.

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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: Shortly before his death in 1945, President Franklin Roosevelt’s blood pressure was recorded as 300/195.

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CORONAVIRUS OBSERVATION: Unemployment - $600. Stimulus - $1,200. I have finally joined those who have multiple streams of income.

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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: Looters have it easy today. It was a lot harder to run with a color TV in 1968.

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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: A waffle is like a more considerate pancake. It’s like, “Here, let me hold that syrup for you in these convenient little boxes.

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TWEET OF THE WEEK: FACT: My mom put shredded carrots in my Jello; so don’t tell me about your rough childhood

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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: When life gives you melons, you’re dyslexic.

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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: I see people around my age mountain climbing. I feel good getting my leg through my underwear without losing my balance. (thanks to Nancy Dalquest for sharing this one)

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FEEL OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: Peter Yarrow, the iconic leader of the classic folk trio Peter, Paul & Mary (Puff the Magic Dragon), turned 82 last week. Speaking of famous “Peters,” the talented 5’6” actor most famous for his role as the super detective “Columbo” died 9 years ago this month. Peter Falk would have been 92 years old.

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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Bill Pettit, Marnie Pettit, Ron Young, Matt Nash, Jim Gray, Lynn Bowker, Amy Kennedy, Bri Ball, Tina Tolleson, Laura Hart, Megan Gilchrist, Michael Junk, and Jessica Franczyk.

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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What happened to television repair shops?

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BUM MUST-SEE TV: A new game show Don’t premiers Thursday night at 8:00 on ABC. The mini-series Beecham House debuts Sunday night at 9:00 on PBS.

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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: The King of Staten Island will be available Friday through Video On Demand along with The Soul Collector and Surrogate. Artemis Fowl bypasses theaters and goes straight to streaming video from Disney Friday.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Those who make peaceful revolution impossible make violent revolution inevitable.” - John F. Kennedy

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SAVE THE DATE: Friday-Saturday, June 19-20 – Big Meat Run at the off-road area below Pensacola Dam. Saturday, June 20 – Monkey Island Golf Cart Poker Run (2:00 p.m.) Monday-Wednesday, June 22-24 – Junior Players Academy at Shangri-La. Friday-Saturday, June 26-28 – Grand Jam Music Fest at Grand Meridian RV Park. Thursday, July 2 – “Yellow Rabbit Run” Alternate Shot Horse Race at Shangri-La Golf Club. Friday, July 3 – Wolf Creek Fireworks and Monkey Island Fireworks at Shangri-La. Saturday, July 4 – Duck Creek Fireworks. Saturday, July 11 – Shangri-La Marina Slip Renters Appreciation Luau. Saturday, July 11 – Murder Mystery Dinner at Buffalo Run Casino. Friday, July 17 – Xtreme Fight Night #368 at Buffalo Run Casino.

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SPORTS WATCH: Professional Golf is BACK! International travel restrictions and COVID-19 issues forced cancellation of the RBC Canadian Open – but the top five players in the world will be in the field of the Charles Schwab Challenge as Colonial Country Club in Fort Worth welcomes the PGA Tour back from a three-month hiatus. Coverage will be on the Golf Channel at 3:00 Thursday & Friday afternoons and noon Saturday & Sunday. CBS will pick up the final two rounds Saturday & Sunday at 2:00.

NASCAR drivers will be in south Florida Sunday for the Dixie Vodka 400 at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Coverage begins at 2:30 on Fox.

And yes, horse racing fans, there will be a Triple Crown winner this year. After shuffling all the dates around in an attempt to accommodate existing big races, the New York Racing Association announced this week that the Belmont Stakes will be held June 20 – with no fans in the stands – three months before the rescheduled Kentucky Derby September 5. The Preakness will wrap up the Triple Crown races in 2020 on October 3, just one month before the Breeders’ Cup races.

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The coming weekend will be a little cooler than the one in our rearview mirror, but it should be awesome! The forecast for the weekend ahead calls for sunshine and light winds all weekend long. Highs will be in the mid-80s with lows in the mid-60s. Another perfect Grand Lake weekend awaits!  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