March 8 Random Observations Of The Grand Lake Bum
The Grand Lake 2021 season is officially underway. I’ll admit, the rain showers and chilly breezes last Friday made me a little nervous about Welcome Back Weekend festivities, but Mother Nature did not let us down. Saturday’s weather was perfect for the Welcome Back Poker Run and Sunday was equally nice. Even the pandemic was respectful of the kick-off weekend. All four counties in the Grand Lake area have now been reduced from “Moderate Risk” of Covid-19 infection to “Low Risk.” It’s been a good week.
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The weather was so nice, there were a ton of boats doing the Poker Run by water. Saturday night, Cherokee Yacht Club had a full house, to be sure, but it took four-of-a-kind to get in the Poker Run prize circle. Congratulations to April Bonnet. Her four aces took the top prize of an Arrowhead/Cherokee membership. Craig Lungwitz was close behind with four kings; and Tom Bell rolled into third place with four jacks. Kristi Kunz finished fourth with four tens. Congratulations to everyone who made such a fun weekend such a big success. Welcome back, everyone!
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The Saturday night fun certainly wasn’t all on the South end. Monkey Islanders had a major flashback of fun at the “Pisces Rock Sock Hop” with 50s & 60s music, dress, and fun games. There was plenty of other great entertainment on the lake, but a guy can only do so much in one night. What a great weekend. And lots more of ‘em ahead!
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On the heels of Welcome Back weekend, Grand Lake celebrates another landmark date this weekend. Daylight Saving Time arrives this weekend! Saturday night, you can drink until 2:00 a.m. and mark in your logbook that you drank until 3:00. The next major date arrives just a week later. March 21st is the official First Day of Spring! While most areas of Oklahoma have four seasons, we only have two seasons at Grand Lake: 1) Boating Season; and 2) Waiting for Boating Season.
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Pastor Stewart Allen Clark is on leave of absence from his pulpit at the First General Baptist Church in Malden, Missouri, after giving a sermon telling women to “lose weight, wear makeup, dress nicely, choose appropriate hair styles, appear less ‘butch,’ and submit to the sexual desires of their husbands to keep them from straying.” There’s no official word as to exactly what he is doing while on leave, but the rumor is that he’s still recovering from his injuries.
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There’s more news this week from the QAnon cult. Since their prediction of Donald Trump magically returning to the presidency March 4 failed to come true, they’re like those end-of-the-world predictors who miss their dates – they just changed the date. It’s March 20 now. Satirist Andy Borowitz speculates that when that date passes, they’ll predict he’ll return in April disguised as the Easter Bunny.
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I was caught by surprise last week. With all the people to choose from, I never thought I would become a victim of identity theft – but it happened. It’s hard to believe someone would be so hard up for an identity that they would risk using one as badly worn as mine. It wasn’t some computer guru in India, either. It was right here on the lake. I guess I should be flattered; but if you see a new business around the lake with the Lake Bum name on it, you should know I have nothing to do with it. It’s just not in my nature to work that hard.
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Remember the movie “Liar, Liar?” The character portrayed by Jim Carrey was a lawyer who could not lie, no matter what. I think his counterpart was in the U.S. Supreme Court last week representing the Arizona Republican Party in support of strict voter restrictions in his state that were being challenged. When asked by the Justices why he supported the challenged restrictions, he was not able to lie – he said it was because the restrictions helped Republicans win.
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DINING AND DRINKING UPDATE: Peggy Howard-Burgess will be the featured Guest Chef at The Shebang Wednesday, March 10. VIP Pizza at Hammerhead Marina and the Quarterdeck Café at Tera Miranda are now open for the season. Blind Swine is now open Tuesday-Sunday from 4:00 p.m. Speaking of Blind Swine, I understand they’re planning to open a second location May 1 at Harbors View Marina. Grand Lake Public House in Grove has discontinued lunch service. They now open at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Doc’s Bar & Grill features Prime Rib Thursday night and all-you-can-eat ribs Friday night. The Road Hog Saloon now offers breakfast service Wednesday-Sunday. Sunday Brunch is served to the public at Doc’s Bar & Grill (9:00-2:00) and Mulligans at Patricia Island (10:00-2:00).
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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: This weekend isn’t quite as jam-packed as last weekend, but there’s plenty happening. Friday at 7:30 and Sunday afternoon at 2:00 are the only two live performances of the comedy “Slow Food” at Playmakers in Grove. Saturday night is Glow Golf competition at Shangri-La Golf Club, as well as an awesome St. Patrick’s Day Comedy Show at Big Shots on Monkey Island. Before you go to bed Saturday night, be sure to gleefully set your clocks forward one hour because Sunday is the first day of Daylight Saving Time 2021!
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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. Friday night, Jacob Dement provides the live entertainment at Doc’s. KJ Flip will lead the karaoke fun Thursday night at Blind Swine, followed by Howard Mahan and the Levee Workers Friday night.
Saturday night is a big night of fabulous comedy entertainment at Big Shots Rhythm & Booze featuring Selyna Cole, Marcus Henderson, Erik Paulson, and Harrison Broadstreet at 8:00 p.m. The $20 reserve seating benefits 2nd Chance Pet Rescue of Grand Lake.
Indigo Sky Casino this week presents a Sweet Trouble Acoustic Show in the Echo Bar Thursday night, followed by Donnie Ray Stephens both Friday and Saturday nights. At Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar Out for a Ride provides the musical entertainment this week Friday night and the House Party Band performs Saturday. At Cherokee Casino Grove’s 1897 Bar, The George Brothers will be performing Friday night, and Stonehorse will be featured Saturday.
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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: According to his son, author Zane Grey fished an average of 300 days a year for most of his adult life.
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FUN FACT: Crows have the ability to remember human faces. They can even teach other crows to dislike a particular person that may have wronged them at some point. With that in mind, remember what the correct name is for a bunch of crows…a murder. Sleep tight.
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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: Libertarians make bad lifeguards.
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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK The only thing not open in Texas is a science book.
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TWEET OF THE WEEK: Seventy-five cents for three minutes. Even the air machine at the gas station gets $15 an hour!
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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: I’m fat, but I identify as skinny. I’m trans-slender.
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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: I can’t do Snapchat or TikTok, but I can write in cursive, do math without a calculator, and tell time on a clock with hands.
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FEEL-OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: The final episode of the epic TV series M*A*S*H attracted 125 million viewers. That was 38 years ago. Entertainer Minnie Pearl died 25 years ago this month. She would have turned 109 this year.
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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Beverly Jones, Becky Brock, Michael Olive, Ralph Richardson, Dan Dillingham, Carol Milanowski, Ken MacLeod, Tim Langley, Roberta Arnold, Myles Davidson, Kristy Gibbs, Clint Walker, Janie Gibbs, Gene McComb, Guy Hixenbaugh, Gary Quick, and John Pellow.
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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: What is the cut-off age after which it is no longer appropriate to comment, “Look at YOU! You got so BIG!”?
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BUM MUST-SEE TV: Station 19 debuts Thursday night at 7:00 on ABC followed at 8:00 by the season premiere of Grey’s Anatomy. The One is a new NETFLIX series. The 63rd Annual Grammy Awards will be broadcast live Sunday night at 7:00 on CBS.
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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: There are some good new movie releases this week. Long Weekend premieres in movie theaters. Cherry is available Apple TV+; The Inheritance is available in virtual theaters; and Yes Day is available on NETFLIX.
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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “Often, people who can do, don’t because they are afraid of what people who can’t do will say about them doing.” – Trevor Noah
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SAVE THE DATE: Friday-Sunday, March 19-21 – Big Meat Run at the offroad area below the Pensacola Dam in Disney. Saturday, March 20 – Official First Day of Spring. 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. Thursday, April 22 – Grove Spring Job Fair (10:00-4:00) at the Grove Civic Center. Saturday, April 24 – Wild for Spring opening of The Oasis (11:00-6:00). Friday, May 14 – Eddy’s Lakeside Bar opens for the season at Shangri-La Marina.
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SPORTS WATCH: It’s tournament time for Big XII basketball. In the first round, OU faces Iowa State at 8:30 Wednesday night. Round two games will be Thursday starting at 10:30 a.m. with additional games at 1:30, 5:30 and 8:30. Friday’s semi-final games will be at 5:30 and 8:30 with the Championship game set for Saturday at 5:00 on ESPN.
The American Athletic Conference Tournament cranks up Thursday. Tulsa will play Tulane or East Carolina in the first round at 2:00 Thursday (ESPNU).
Following the All-Star break, the NBA kicks off the second half of the season this week. The OKC Thunder have a three-game home stand to kick off half #2, hosting Dallas Thursday at 8:00, followed by two weekend matinee matchups, Saturday at 1:00 against the New York Knicks and Sunday at 1:00 hosting the Memphis Grizzlies before hitting the road to take on the Bulls in Chicago Tuesday night at 7:00. All games are on Fox Sports Oklahoma.
PGA players are in Ponte Vedra, Florida this week The Players Championship. Coverage from TPC Sawgrass is on The Golf Channel Thursday and Friday beginning at noon. NBC picks up the final two rounds at 1:00 Saturday and noon Sunday.
NASCAR drivers are in Phoenix this week for Sunday’s running of the Instacart 500. Coverage begins at 2:30 Sunday afternoon on Fox.
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Weekend weather looks like it might be a little damp, with a chance of showers most of the weekend. You never know, though. The weather gurus are only right about half the time. We’ll have high temperatures around pushing 60 and lows of about 40. It’s a great weekend to enjoy the comedy at Big Shots and live music at your favorite spot. 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
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