I ended my last post with a cryptic message and even though so much in the world and in my life is tentative, I’m ready to share the details.
As someone who wants – yeah, needs – to be organized, I always made plans months and months in advance. I strongly believe a be-prepared attitude is one of the basic foundation bricks needed for financial success in all areas of life and that especially included casino activities. So one of the adjustments I’m having to make these days is learning to accept the new need for just day-to-day planning.
When Brad and I decided to retire from our casino life at the end of 2019, I wrote that I didn’t think we would ever go back to it. I knew Brad’s health was never going to improve and then the pandemic restrictions came, making me realize that I would have to build us a whole new lifestyle that didn’t include casinos. There were adjustments to be made to be sure, but as we settled into our new home in Georgia, we were enjoying our more leisurely routine and the chance to spend more time with family.
About a month ago, we started getting mailings from various casinos. Other businesses might not be able to find you when your change addresses a couple of times, but casinos never seem to “lose” you! It was like the bygone days, when our mailbox filled up with casino offers from all over the country.
The main stream of offers came from various CZR properties. This was a surprise to me; we hadn’t played at any of their properties for almost two years. Although we figured we’d slipped down from our former higher tier levels, we were surprised that Brad, because of some heavy play on his card during our last visit to Harrah’s Lake Tahoe and the pandemic extension of tier levels, was still Diamond Elite. And he was getting some strong offers.
I was also surprised at my reaction to these offers. I had happily stopped casino play when we left Vegas and didn’t miss it. However, a juicy mailing from Harrah’s Cherokee suddenly aroused an interest, even enthusiasm, for a subject I’d considered long gone from my mind. Why was my brain giving me such a puzzle? Had the isolation of the pandemic influenced me more than I realized?
Then I suddenly went back some 20-30 years when Brad and I didn’t live in Las Vegas and didn’t have casinos just outside our front door. We lived in Indianapolis and had a happy but “regular” life. We liked to travel and eventually found that we enjoyed vacationing in casino towns, especially as we started finding out that playing smarter allowed us to spend less for those vacations. So for many of those early years, I spent much time putting together many mail offers and organizing a Vegas vacation every few months. My anticipation in the planning stage was almost as exciting as the visit itself.
Now I understood my surprising reaction to these current casino mailings. I was feeling that same excitement from our early days. Although we loved living in Las Vegas for many years, able to take advantage of so many lucrative casino plays, we had begun to lose our enthusiasm as the opportunities were rapidly shrinking. The fun factor was no longer dominant; it had become a grind.
So here I am looking at the good offer from Harrah’s Cherokee, fortunately the closest “good” casino near our home, just a bit over a four-hour drive. Angela and Steve are offering to be our drivers, not a hard choice for them, as they love the mountain hiking and Steve is always looking for a place to catch some trout. Cherokee has, to my knowledge, perhaps the best VP schedules available at any CZR property and a chance for me to play our favorite game, NSUD, at the higher denominations I like. Thanks to our long history of heavy play at CZR properties, our long-time host was able to get us two comped rooms for three nights.
No wonder I was feeling an enthusiasm I hadn’t felt for a long time. I was ready to start planning.
But there were important considerations. All four of us have had vaccine shots, but we had to be convinced this would be a safe place for us. I checked with a doctor friend who had been to the casino recently and she said the casino is doing a great job of enforcing strict pandemic protocols: no smoking anywhere in the casino, social distancing everywhere, and masks. She commented that if you didn’t put your mask right back on after taking a drink, the eye-in-the-sky sends a security person to remind you.
Then there’s Brad’s health. He’s frail, but can navigate with a walker for short distances. When he gets tired, his hybrid walker can be turned around into a wheelchair and there will be three of us for pushing duty. He does take a lot of naps, but he’s always liked comfy hotel beds. His decrease in cognitive skills will keep him from the VP machines, but he’ll enjoy accompanying Steve on an occasional short slot machine foray while Angela and I attack video poker. And although his short-term memory fades fast, he does remember much from the past. So I hope this trip will kindle many happy memories about the many visits here that we shared with family members down through the years.
All plans are tentative, but if everything continues to go well, we’ll make the trip to Cherokee on March 28, staying three nights. It would be nice to see some of our fellow frugalites. That’s something we have been missing. If you happen to be there during that time, drop me an e-mail at [email protected] and perhaps we can arrange a time to get together and talk shop.
And yes, if this plan happens, I’ll certainly write a full trip report here, hopefully with some frugal hints for your future post-pandemic casino visits.
Thanks for sharing this! I am a fan of your writing, and I think this is a great story of how people can enjoy visiting casinos beyond Vegas.
Your excitement got me excited for the first time since my sister and I came back from Vegas the day they started shutting down. Have a wonderful time. I agree with Beverly+Smith. Sometimes we just need a boost and planning/taking the trip hopefully will give you one. Stay safe, all of you.
Blessings to you from us in the Indy area! Hope you have a wonderful time!
Chris and Lori
I am glad to see I am not the only one to balance walkers, wheelchairs, loss of cognitive functions and casino tours. We are in Canada and miss even the enormous amount of work it takes to look after 2 disabled adults when you are quickly becoming the 3rd. The planning is longer than the casino days but that too keeps my sanity. Enjoy your 3 day stay.
We are so happy to hear that you are PLANNING the trip.
I think the planning is half of the fun for the organized person’s brain.
Good Luck!!! And have a great time!!! I think it will be so relaxing to get away for a short trip.
I am impressed at the eye in the sky for mask police, the Northeast seems to feel that the security guards time is much too valuable for that…. They will investigate if you stop them while they patrol the perimeter.
Jean I hope you guys have a good time…..having taken care of my father for years, every moment when you can bring a person back is precious. Godspeed
Jean,
Be warned, for the first time in your gaming life, casinos where you were formerly a regular are experiencing their longest ever hiatus’ away from you and the period of time is growing. I pretty much play at your level. I would take about four trips per year to Las Vegas giving pretty heavy play to Stations and Boyd while taking advantage of CZR for the Seven Star room and air. Though the downtown Boyd properties took very good care of me, Stations was unbelievably cheap. For the first time since I upped my play, I have stayed away from Stations for over two years. The offers they are making are about five times stronger than I ever received after nearly a decade of relatively equal and consistent play. Boyd, on the other hand, turned terrible prior to Covid with the redo of their program and now are getting eaten alive by Circa downtown for it. Good luck in Cherokee. I’ve never been there, but I’ve always heard great things about them.
So glad to hear you will be playing again. We are heading to Las Vegas on April 3rd for two weeks at the Gold Coast and can hardly wait! We have been listening to Bob Dancer and reading our LV Advisor to get updated. Thank you for introducing us to the entertainment of gambling through your wonderful books.
Chuck and Marcia T
Sounds like a short fun trip. Shouldn’t be too taxing on Brad with a comfy hotel bed for naps and all 3 of you around to help him out. I never heard of a walker converting to a wheelchair. That’s a good idea. I’ve seen ones that have a seat, so why not. Place may also have actual wheelchairs for loan or rent. Have a great rime
That’s fantastic Jean. I hope the trip works out and you all have a great time. Good luck!
Glad to hear this. I would also highly recommend Harrah’s Cherokee River Valley Casino and Hotel in Murphy. Love the gambling in the smaller casino and have discovered better pay rates in VP than at Cherokee. Wonderful rooms, especially those with 2 windows.
Have fun!
Have a FABULOUS trip!
So glad you got the enthusiasm back. Yes planning is half the fun. Hope the four of you have a relaxing and profitable trip!
What a super encouraging hope-filled blog! We both have wondered if a visit to a casino by you and Brad might be a glorious shot-in-the-arm energizer for both you and Brad . . but especially a fun sweet time of recollections for Brad, even if it is short lived. Have a wonderful time at Cherokee . . . one of our favorite ever casinos! Before we moved to Vegas, we lived on Pawleys Island, SC and would drive to Cherokee at least once a month, sometimes more since our rooms were always comped. We would spend the daytime hours in the Smokey Mtns hiking & mini-trips to Gatlinburg; then in the evening we would hit the casino. We still try to get back to Cherokee once a year when we do our annual trips back to our aryland/DC hometown haunts. Sure wish we were there in March to say “hi”. May God bless you both with the joy, contentment, and peace that you both so deserve. Beverly and Lane Smith
I think that is wonderful! Have a safe trip.
Very happy to hear that you and Brad and family are going to CZR Cherokee Casino later this month for some fun and excitement; have a wonderful time. Look forward to your post upon your return!!
Best Wishes, Gerry Kelly
I discovered that going to the casino was a great break from the pandemic. I agree the casino is likely a safer place to go. They are strict with making sure mask are worn and there is social distance as well.
Enjoy the break from life for three days. Good luck!
Best of health and luck to you both. Enjoy, enjoy, enjoy!
Have a great time and best of luck!
So happy for you guys have a safe trip and good luck.
Sounds like a fun and ‘frugal’ trip again- and hopefully will rekindle and give good memeories….I hope it works out for you. I do enjoy planning trips too……putting together offers and such. Until I get vaccinated though, my plans are on hold, despite many offers I’m receiving for both Laughlin and Las Vegas. This pandemic has changed many things…….. And for the State of NV – as things ‘re-open’ — to be seen how crowds and ‘saftey’ protocols are handled……..thankfully updates are good here from Anthony Curtis and others who post on the reality of things. Looking forward to your next blog, and whatever/wherever it covers…….Thanks Jean! Martin in San Diego, getting stronger daily!