October 12 Random Observations Of The Grand Lake Bum

I don’t know which birds were more plentiful last weekend – pelicans or seagulls. I think the seagulls showed up for food, knowing the pelicans were better at finding fish – but knowing the pelicans would also be way too busy posing for pictures to make it to dinner on time.

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Speaking of pelicans, congratulations are certainly in order for Jay Cranke and his crew at the Grand Lake Association for another awesome Pelican Festival. It was a fantastic weekend for it, too. I hope you made it to the carnival and the rest of the festival; and if you haven’t been out on a boat to find the flocks of awesome birds, you still have time. Enjoy.

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It looks like Grand Lake is going to continue to be the safe quarantine spot for the foreseeable future. The more time passes, the more COVID-19 issues seem to remain unchanged. OU and OSU both announced they will start the Spring 2021 semester a week later (i.e. longer Christmas & New Year’s celebration at Grand Lake) and have canceled Spring Break 2021 in order to reduce travel issues. Neither university will hold in-person classes after Thanksgiving. It was also announced over the weekend that Broadway Shows will not resume until June 2021 at the earliest. I look like we’re going to continue to be a close-to-home crowd for the foreseeable future. And we all know what that means- Destination: Grand Lake!

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If you took time out of a beautiful Saturday to watch the OU-Texas game, I hope you didn’t run out of beer and snacks during that marathon. It was the first quadruple-overtime game for either team, and the highest scoring game in OU-Texas history – 98 points! There was only thing almost as good as the OU victory – the fact that every single commentator on ESPN’s College Game Day picked Texas to win. I made the mistake of being in Kansas City during the game. I understand that the KC Fox affiliate is in Kansas…but who leaves the OU-Texas game coverage halfway through the first of four overtimes to make sure they catch the K-State/TCU game from the very first kick-off? Bizarre. And end of rant.

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Watching the drama of the President’s hospitalization and the spreading virus makes one thing perfectly clear. If you don’t have a chopper lined up to take YOU to Walter Reed Medical Center, wear the damn mask!

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DINING AND DRINKING UPDATE: The Pourhouse at The Regatta in Grove is now open. The Grill at Indian Hills has reverted to winter operating hours – 7:00-3:00 Thursday-Sunday. Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La has reopened for dine-in lunch & dinner service 7 days a week. The Road Hog Saloon has resumed Saturday & Sunday breakfast service. The Quarterdeck Restaurant at Tera Miranda will remain open through November 15 (Monday, Thursday, Friday 4:00-9:00 and Saturday & Sunday 8:00-9:00).  

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PUBLIC EVENT CANCELLATION NOTICE: Shangri-La Resort’s Fall Festival planned for October 24 has been cancelled, as has the October 23-24 “Ghosts of Grove” tour.

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BEST EVENTS OF THE WEEK: Wednesday night is a special “Guest Chef” event with Dick and Arlene Seybolt providing dinner to raise money for the Monkey Island Clothes & Toys for Kids Christmas Fund. Thursday Night Prime Rib & Karaoke is at Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort (6:00-9:00). Thursday evening is also a Grove Area Chamber Business After Hours at Indigo Sky Casino (5:00-6:30). Rocktoberfest is this week, Thursday-Sunday at the off-road area by the Pensacola Dam. The “Walking with Angels” Fundraising walk benefiting Heavenly Angels House at Har-Ber Village Walking Trails is scheduled for Saturday (8:30-Noon); and the Grove Springs Cultural District Fall Festival of the Arts at participating Grove merchants is also Saturday.

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BEST WEEKEND LIVE ENTERTAINMENT: Jason Morgan starts the weekend with karaoke fun at the Thursday Night Prime Rive & Karaoke at Doc’s Bar & Grill at Shangri-La Resort (6:00-9:00).  KJ Flip leads the Thursday night karaoke fun at the Blind Swine; and he’s back Sunday night for Karaoke & Cocktails. Terry Jordan performs at the Summit Restaurant at Shangri-La Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Big Shots will feature Karaoke fun on Friday night and dancing to the tunes from  DJ Bandito Saturday night. Monkey Island Pub features Karaoke with DJ Tim Saturday night.

On down the lake from Monkey Island, The KB Band entertains Friday night at Juan Montez at Red Arrow Marina.

In Grove, The Faulconer Duo will entertain Saturday night at The Pourhouse at The Regatta.

Some area casinos are also back into the musical entertainment business. Indigo Sky Casino this week presents Marcus Words Thursday night in the Echo Bar, followed by Funkin Gonuts Friday and the Oreo Blue Trio Saturday. At Downstream Casino’s Legends Sports Bar, Encore will be on stage Friday night followed by Hudson Drive Saturday.

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RANDY KREHBIEL’S RANDOM FACTOID OF THE WEEK: Portland, Maine, has been entirely or mostly destroyed by fire four times.

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FUN PHYSICS FACT OF THE WEEK: Do you smoke? If so, have you noticed this? Each time you light your lighter your lighter gets lighter until your lighter gets so light it won’t light.

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BEST FACEBOOK POST OF THE WEEK: For Halloween, I’m going as a normal person with no mask since that seems to scare the hell out of everyone.

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BEST SIGN SEEN THIS WEEK: Red Squirrels Drive Slowly (I had no idea they could drive!)

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BEST T-SHIRT SEEN THIS WEEK (issued the day after the Vice-Presidential debate): Black Flies Matter.

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BEST GOLF T-SHIRT SEEN THIS WEEK: Back Nines Matter.

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TWEET OF THE WEEK: Has anyone tried unplugging the United States and plugging it back in?

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BEST PUN OF THE WEEK: There’s a big paddle sale at the boat store. It’s quite an oar deal!

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OBSERVATION OF THE WEEK: The leading cause of injury in old men is thinking they are still young men.

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FEEL-OLD MOMENTS OF THE WEEK: New York Yankee iconic pitcher Whitey Ford made the trek to Shangri-La many times when his teammate Mickey Mantle hosted his charity golf tournament on Grand Lake. Whitey Ford died over the past weekend. He was 91. Legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen also died last week. He was only 65. Did you grow up watching “The Andy Griffith Show?” Do you still watch it? The first episode aired 60 years ago this month.

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GRAND LAKE BUM SHOUT-OUTS: Happy birthday wishes go out this week to Gene Pearcy, Russ Arnold, John Walter, Sarah Williams, Michelle Robertson, Brian Brandwein, Kyle Wooderson, Ben Hampton, Teri Smith, John Turner, Kyle Holmes, Susan Beine, Linda Elmburg, Rick Miller, Michelle Martin, Lea Smith, G.W. Goss, Michael Thrift, Brian Winter, Kim Bruno, Karen Baxter, and Karin Goss.

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UNANSWERED QUESTION OF THE WEEK: Is a sawhorse the past tense of a seahorse?

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BUM MUST-SEE TV: Kelly Clarkson hosts the 2020 Billboard Music Awards Wednesday evening at 7:00 on NBC. Social Distance will be available Thursday on NETFLIX.  A West Wing Special to Benefit When We All Vote premieres on HBO Max Thursday, and Star Trek: Discovery premieres Thursday on CBS All Access. The return of the classic Supermarket Sweep premieres on ABC Sunday Night at 7:00 followed by the debut of Who Wants to Be a Millionaire at 8:00. The Voice returns for another season next Monday night at 7:00 on NBC.

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BUM MUST-SEE MOVIES: 2 Hearts and Honest Thief have nationwide releases in movie theaters this week. Clouds is available Friday on Disney+. Broil and The Devil Has a Name  are available streaming this week. The Trial of the Chicago 7 is available Friday on NETFLIX.

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QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “It’s easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” - Mark Twain

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SAVE THE DATE: Thursday, October 22 – South Grand Chamber Business After Hours at Grand Meridian RV Park.  Friday, October 23 – South Grand Lake Area Chamber of Commerce Golf Tournament at The Coves Golf Club. Saturday, October 24 – Grand Meridian Halloween Bash. Sunday, October 25 – Boatless Fishing Tournament at Shangri-La for members and registered hotel guests. Saturday, October 31 – Halloween Hayride & Party at Cherokee Yacht Club. Saturday, October 31 – Haunted Candy Trail at Lee’s Resort (5:00-8:00). Saturday, October 31 – Costume Contest at Juan Montez at Red Arrow Marina. Wednesday, November 11 – Veterans Day: Veterans play free golf at Shangri-La. Saturday, November 14 – Glow Golf Par 3 Challenge at Shangri-La Golf Club. Saturday, November 14 – Monkey Island Potluck Thanksgiving at Monkey Island Pub (7:00). Sunday, November 15 – Thanksgiving Potluck at Juan Montez at Red Arrow Marina (1:00 p.m.). Saturday, December 5 – Cherokee Yacht Club Christmas Boat Parade. Saturday, December 5 – Ugly Sweater Contest at Monkey Island Pub. Saturday, December 12 – Grove Christmas Parade. Saturday, December 19 – Christmas Costume Contest at Monkey Island Pub.

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SPORTS WATCH: OU and Kansas State are both idle this weekend, but there’s plenty of college football around. Cincinnati is at Tulsa Saturday morning at 11:00 followed by Ole Miss at Arkansas at 2:30 (both on ESPN2). OSU is at Baylor Saturday night at 6:30 on ABC. Kansas faces West Virginia at 11:00 a.m. but the game is not currently scheduled for live TV.

The NFL season heads into week #6 and the Tennessee/Buffalo Coronavirus Bowl still has the schedule so screwed up we don’t know when to watch for the Chiefs. They’ll play Buffalo…but the game will be either Thursday night as scheduled or Sunday, depending on what happens with the Titans-Bills ordeal. We know this much, though: Sunday games include Cleveland at Pittsburgh (noon on CBS), Green Bay at Tampa Bay (3:30 on Fox) and the L.A. Rams at San Francisco (7:00 on NBC). Monday Night Football features the Arizona Cardinals at Dallas (7:00 on ESPN).

Major League Baseball is in playoff mode, as well. The ALCS and NLSC series continue this week – as far as Sunday as necessary, with the World Series scheduled to begin October 20.

The PGA Tour will be in Las Vegas this week for the CJ Cup at Shadow Creek. Coverage is exclusively on the Golf Channel beginning at 4:00 p.m. Thursday-Sunday.

NASCAR drivers are in Kansas City this weekend for some Sunday afternoon racing at Kansas Speedway for the first race in the Round of 8. Coverage of the Hollywood Casino 400 begins at 1:30 Sunday on NBC.

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The forecast for the weekend ahead is a little more Fall-like than last weekend’s summerish weather, but it’s still good. Highs will be in the mid-60s with lows in the 40s. We might hit low 70s by Sunday. Get out and start doing your Fall fun stuff, 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.

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

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

Marina’s Place at Littlefield Corner

Matt’s Place in Grove

Monkey Island Pub (Smoking)

Mooney’s Sunset Bar & Grill in Disney (smoking, etc.)

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 Pouhouse 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