1. What would you do?
Double, triple, and quadruple check that we really won
Then go to claim it with my big ol' ex-Marine buddies as bodyguards and my accountant and a good financial type lawyer!!! After all the paperwork was done and the money was in my account, I would throw the biggest party anybody has ever seen, because ALL our lives will change, so the party would be a kickoff to our personal New Deal. After the party (or maybe before), I would also find a church that has a quiet chapel and pray and meditate. Oh, and immediately before the party, I'd put at least half of it in the bank, to enable us to live off the interest.
2. Realistically, what would you buy first?
A maid! And then pay off our mortgage!!! Then start looking around at homes in warm climates, ie, the Caribbean. Pay for the houses/island/land in full, so as to only have the taxes due, which would make it affordable to live off of an interest-type income.
3. Would you continue working?
I don't know. I only work very part time but I really enjoy what I do. I *know* Hubby would quit in a heartbeat. But I would probably really start ramping up the volunteer hours, I'm not the sort that can be happy just sitting around the house. I know I'd also go back to school, I'd like to finish my BA and get a MA in some sort of Psychology, even if I am a married thirtysomething
4. Would you share the $$ with family?
Of course
With that kind of money, there's plenty to go around. Trust funds for the young nephews not only for college, but wedding money and first-house-downpayment money as well. And I'd pay off everybody's mortgage's too, not just mine. Times are tough, my family, mostly, are keeping their heads above water, but barely. It would be nice to give them one less thing to worry about. And I'd pay back my mother and father all the money they've spent on me growing up. It came to me with strings attached, I want to give it back to them to cut the strings. And I'd give extravagant checks for Christmas and birthdays.
5. New livestock? What's your dream animal now that you can afford anything?
Well, Hubby's hankering for a pair of Percheron horses, I'd like a nice, steady Morab or Quarter cross to go trail riding on. But I also know without a doubt that livestock pretty much tie you down to one place, and I would want to travel, so maybe livestock later.
6. Where would you live? Right here where I am
7. Name anything else!!! Elaborate!!!
Well, I've always wanted to start a Living History Center here in town . . . a place to research, study practical theory (a garden for really historic veggies, not just 100 year old heirlooms, a small farm for historic type animals -- save the rare chickens, etc -- ), a gym for practicing your swordwork or your military drill, an outdoor shooting range for black powder weapons, a library full of books and magazines, a lecture hall, a historic kitchen, a room or two for handcrafts, etc etc. Somewhere for living history groups to store all their stuff, blah blah. I think that would be a great way to give back to the community.
Of course, we'd support a number of charities as well, particularly those that lift people out of poverty and give them hope. Kiva.org, a few of the organizations that dig water wells in Africa and the Caribbean, Doctors Without Borders, Habitat for Humanity, etc.
And I suspect that Hubby and I would not only travel the world, but take our dear friends with us, these people have been my friends since the early 90's, we're family, it would be awesome to say 'Hey, we're going to go to Rome and Venice and Tuscany for two weeks, want to come? We'll pay for it all!' And Hawaii, and Paris, and Tokyo and Sydney and London and Rio and Mexico, and Morocco, and Fiji and Greece . . . yep, travel is definitely on the agenda. And 1st class all the way! 5 star hotels, total lap of luxury. We've earned it.
Whitewater (it's nice to dream, no?)
