Please Play Responsibly

DO NOT ERASE.

DO NOT USE RED INK.

IF YOU MAKE A MISTAKE, MARK THE 'VOID' BOX. 

MAKE SURE THE NUMBERS YOU HAVE CHOSEN ARE THE ONES YOU WANT.

THE TICKET, NOT THE PLAYSLIP, IS THE BEARER INSTRUMENT AND THE ONLY PROOF OF SELECTIONS AND PURCHASE.

There's work to be done today.  I have five combinations of numbers to select.  I have flexibility cuz it says I can select the same number for the Powerball that matches one I've already selected in the regular boxes.

Got my slip, and I'm ready to play the numbers.  

I don't know if I'm ready to count the money, but I can get that way in a hurry.

What better task to take up on yet another rainy day than to spend a little time ciphering out tickets for half a billion. 

What better way to spend the rest of my life:  figuring out each day how I want to spend $52,000.  

Bet I could get a little help from my friends AND family. 

We made a pact last night after Debbie and I purchased our Mega Millions tickets at the Samuels Store.

We were there for the annual birthday dinner for Willie and Bill.  The birthday barrage has already started with one brother yesterday, a cousin today, a close friend and former student tomorrow, Willie on Sunday, Bill and his sister Margaret on Monday, Laurie on Thursday, the triplets on the 9th.  

Have I forgotten anyone?

Look at all those people who are gonna get really friendly with me after I win the Mega Millions tonight----and that ain't even half the family.  

So, friends, you'll have to wait in line.

Anyway, we had a wonderful dinner at the Blue Heron.  It was Mexican night so the birthday boys dined on their attractive and sumptuous Mexican plates, while Debbie and I enjoyed one of our favorites----the bacon cheeseburger on homemade, toasted buns. 

Afterward, we made our lottery-ticket purchases, and as we drove home, Willie piped up that Sandpoint High School may have to find a new journalism teacher after tonight's drawing.  We all agreed to share our wealth.

I brought my playslip home because I've been listening to all that advice this week of not letting the machine do it for me.  So, I've got decisions to make before taking my $5 worth of choices back to the Samuels Store.

I'm betting that if I win, those folks will be happy, and we'll get all the bacon cheeseburgers we ever want, while Bill and Willie could show up on prime rib night, fish and chips night and Mexican.  Now, there's a way to spend some of that $52,000 per day.

And, we'll leave a nice tip too . . . maybe even once in a while we'll buy dinner for the whole house.  Lots of our friends and neighbors eat there.  We think they like us now, but I'm betting they'll like us a whole lot better once we win tonight. 

There IS one problem if I win.  Most people quit their jobs.  I guess I could quit doing the vacuuming, cleaning the barns, mowing the lawn, all that stuff. 

Come to think of it, I LIKE most of that stuff, 'cept maybe the housework.  

We're pretty practical people.  Years ago when little Willie----gosh, that was 35 years ago this Sunday---was sorta "WEE WILLIE," we got invited to an Amway gathering.

Mind you, we were young and dumb then and (at least I) did not KNOW it was an Amway gathering.  Many other young and dumb people that we knew also showed up.

The honchos gathered us into a semicircle and asked us to dream of what we'd do if we had a whole bunch more money.

Well, we listened to folks talk about beaches in Italy and cruises and all kinds of fun, worldly stuff.

When it was our turn, I did the talking.

"We'd probably buy some new fencing materials," I announced.  I could feel the stunned looks from all around me.  

Still, we did need a fence on the new piece of property we had just bought and with a brand new baby boy, we did not need to go to the beaches----just yet.

Well, we found a way to get out the door at halftime during that Amway session.  The escape occurred right after Bill poked me in the side with his elbow, articulating physically what he'd already told me verbally.

"It's Amway," he had insisted, at least a couple of times.

When I kept insisting that it certainly was not, Bill reverted to his usual strategy with his opinionated wife.  

He shut up.

So, the poke in the ribs was a clearly stated and understood, "I told you so." 

We made it out the door before the second half and learned how to escape BEFORE honoring such special invitations in the future.

So, through the years we remained reasonably poor.  I think the fencing materials came incrementally---a metal post here, some smooth wire there---and by the time Willie was about 10, we had a complete fence around the place. 

So, after all those years, filled with life experiences and life revelations, I think I'm finally ready to be rich.

I heard more than once this week that the only way you win the lottery is to play the lottery.

So, I'll say Happy Friday and begin the task of "playing responsibly," whatever that is!

Stay tuned.  If there's no blog tomorrow, you'll know I quit this job.