Winning

The computer is fixed, well as near as can be. We have internet and we also have a version of office, ish. So life can continue at a nearly normal pace.

Well unfortunately we were not the lucky one’s.

Last night saw the Oz Lotto prize money climb to an unprecedented $106 million. The highest ever prize in the country ever, as a result the lotto outlets were doing a storming trade and plenty of syndicates were sprouting up at work. The promise of untold riches was just too alluring and we bought ourselves a ticket. After all $90 Million, this is what the estimated jackpot would be, is an incredibly large amount of money in most currencies.
What would we do with the spoils though, this was the topic of conversation as the draw counted down. Moira suggested giving $50m to charity. Very noble you may think, but wait, that’s my money as well. Now I am not entirely without some egalitarian motives and would honestly donate a sizeable sum to charity. Without asking for any foundation or grant be named after me to boot. However giving away over half the money, now that just sounds a little hasty to me. Sure, once the house in London is paid off and the new house purchased in Oz then we would be having difficulty spending the rest, well actually no we wouldn’t. After the houses come the boats, one speedy little number for the fun in the sun days, then a second gin palace style mobile home. Of course these will incur Marina charges so we have to put some money away there.

So houses, boats and ultimately car. The car would have to say something about us, so would probably have to be the greenest car in the world. Let’s not destroy the planet just to get between the house and the marine here. Some electric or hybrid model will do. Although I would also just love to have a V8 muscle car, on standby for when the hoons (mad hooligan drivers) are in the neighbourhood. Just for show you understand.

After cars I suppose there are the holidays and what better than a small holiday home in New Zealand, close to the slopes and just a small cheap flight away. I would not consider buying a jet as this is just more money than it’s worth, especially when the service on commercial airlines is so, well so, so crap! The details with owning and running an aircraft would just bore me and also give someone an opportunity to siphon off funds. So no plane!

Now there are the incursions back to old blighty and also bringing people back to Oz on regular visits. My parents wouldn’t fly so they would have to have some kind of extended cruise, and they would have to do this with friends so there are quite a few people on this boat, luckily we will be able to meet them at the dock in our own gin palace. After all if you have just won $90 million you cannot tell people they have to pay to visit, because we gave it all away!! No trips arranged for anyone that wants one, on the double quick smart.

And owning these boats, houses and cars means we will finally have space for dogs, cats and maybe horses, although I have to admit this is strictly for the house, I am not sure that Horses can drive or are particularly good on boats. I like horses but again they are a drain on resources. Vet bills, housing, feeding and training all take their toll on the funds and we need to bear this in mind.

Give $50 million away, sorry I don’t concur with this at all. I suggest an initial payment of maybe $10million to assorted good causes and an ongoing appropriation of funds into other good causes. This will prevent charity organisation suffering from Mining Donkey syndrome, where a charity is so rich it could even buy Dave Stewart form the Eurhythmics. In addition it allows for the careful application of funds to the enjoying the rest of my life process I am looking forward.

However as I can unfortunately report, the jackpot was shared between a man in Adelaide and a couple on the gold coast. Not that I really play the lottery and never really give any kind of thought about what I would do with the money if I ever did win something of that magnitude. Well not much anyway.

Saints go head to head with Geelong on Sunday, both teams are unbeaten and, given that a draw is the least likely result in Aussie rules matches, it is being touted as the match of the season. We already have tickets and are gearing up for a day of sport, as Wimbledon closes on the same day. It will not make too much difference who wins on Sunday as both teams are looking like finalists at this stage of the competition but it will give the supporters plenty of bragging rights. Go the saints! Oh yeay and go that Scottish kid who plays for England in the tennis thing!