Scooter Chronicles

Yesterday was Marcia’s birthday. She has been wanting to go to a casino now for a while. We went down to Atlantic City during the summer, but since Nigel wasn’t allowed in, she didn’t spend a lot of time actually in the casinos themselves. But my Mother-In-Law graciously offered to watch Nigel while we went to the new casino in the Philadelphia area, at Philadelphia Park Race Track.

It is a slots only casino for now (we were told they are talking to the PA government about adding tables, as well as a hotel). Also, the horses were running yesterday (thoroughbreds). So Marcia started off with some quarter slots and did very well. When she stepped away from the machine, she was up over $200! I had tried a nickel machine and was up a little over $40, but ended up putting it all back.

After walking around a bit, we went up to bet on a couple of races. The first was the last race of the day there at the track. We placed $10 bets on two different horses to win. One of them finished second, and it was a photo finish, too. If he has won, we probably would have gotten about $80. The other race was simulcast from Turfway. Marcia picked a horse and we placed a $2 bet on win, place, and show. The horse ended up with a photo finish for show, which turned out to be a dead heat. We ended up making our money back on that one. After two photo finishes Marcia said that was it for the horses.

Marcia played some video blackjack, and some more slots, and then we headed towards home. We stopped for dinner at a new place in the area. Someone had bought the old local hotel and turned it into the Braveheart Highland Pub. The prices were very reasonable, and it had that genuine pub atmosphere that we like. It turned out to be pretty nice, while watching the Eagles beat the Giants.

When we got home, Nigel had just been put down for a nap, but unfortunately woke up a half hour later and was in a cranky mood. For the first time I have experienced, he just wanted to be held. He just laid his head on my shoulder and was content. Marcia then gave him a bottle, and the two promptly fell asleep on the couch. This was about 8:00. (I should have taken a picture and posted it, but Marcia would have killed me.)

Marcia said she had a good time, and I hope she wasn’t just saying that. It was thrown together quickly, and with the help of her Mom, but I think it was a nice day. And even though it was our first time out together, away from Nigel, we both relaxed and weren’t too worried about him. I was worried that Marcia would want to be calling every 15 minutes to check up on him, which was not the case. She was able to relax, which is what she has needed.

Happy Birthday Marcia.