Holly's Birthday Trip

Well I asked around because I wanted to take Holly somewhere nice for her birthday and one of the responses I got was the Downstream Casino just over the border in Oklahoma (thanks Skooterdog). And so on that fateful day we departed our humble farm for the big Indian Casino and ended up having a blast.

Its just over the border from Joplin, MO at the intersection of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri

Its a fancy hotel with a casino and pool...no real clubs but they do have shows on most weekends.

We got there a little early so we had a beer in the bar waiting for our room and I won $30.00 playing video poker at the bar table. Cool. So we went to the room (nice by the way) changed into our pool togs and went down to the cabana area by the pool and spent a few hours swimming, sunning, and relaxing.

The birthday girl

What are you looking at?

There was enough activity to be interesting but it wasnt crowded.

There was a nice little bar there for refreshments.

Then a nice dinner of Filet Mignon, seared scallops, lobster, beef carpaccio, shrimp bisque, greek salad and a creme brulee'....all very good. The waiter at the restaraunt was a young guy of about 25 or 26 with long curly European style hair, a surfers physique and attitude, and an Australian accent (natch) and he flirted outrageously with Holly which she thoroughly enjoyed. It was a fun meal. Afterwards we went to gamble and we ended up winning enough to pay for the meal, the room, and our drinks so the trip was basically free...hard to beat free.

On the way home we stopped at the George Washington Carver National Park and enjoyed learning about this man who was born a slave and who became an educator, scientist, social progressive and inventor. Not much to the site as the original homesite of the slave owner who raised him was long gone but the history and accomplishments of the man were on display and worth the visit.