Power Ball Lottery Dreams

I purchased my usual 3 tickets, or chances, for tonight's Power Ball lottery drawing.  The jackpot for tonight's drawing has reached $1.5 billion.  If a single person wins the lottery, and chooses to receive a single cash payment, they will receive about  $930,000,000.00  before taxes.  The other choice is to receive annual payments over 30 years, of  $50,000,000.00, again, before the tax man arrives.  I simply can't comprehend those amounts of money.....   It's more than the gross capitol income of quite a few small countries.  Wow.
    I think buying three tickets is a good choice.  If you don't buy, you can not win.  Tickets cost $2 or $3 each.  The odds of one winning are astronomical - almost 300 million to 1.  Six dollars will not break me this week...  I might win nothing, I might win $2, or I might win the jackpot...  It'd be nice if I did, but I'm not counting on it in any way.  The people who concerned me were the folks handing over anywhere from $100 to $1,000  for tickets - I just hope they can afford to lose that amount.  Chances are against  all of us winning.

PowerBall Lottery - $1.3 Billion

No one matched all the numbers drawn for last night's PowerBall lottery drawing.  Officials estimate the jackpot for Wednesday's drawing will be $1,300,000,000....   People are going to be purchasing lottery tickets like mad.  (The winning numbers for last night were:  16, 19, 32, 34, 57 and the PowerBall was 13.)   Guess I'll buy two more.

Silly Lottery Daydreams

I saw Sunday morning that no one had won the Power Ball lottery the night before, and that the estimated prize would be $400 million for tonight's drawing.  With the media attention, the prize has grown even more, so now the estimate is $450 million - and sales will continue until late this afternoon.  It's stupid, but I only purchase lottery chances when the prize amount is larger than $300 million - I also know that the higher the prize, the more tickets are sold, which decreases the chances of  my winning chances immensely.  But I know that I spend less than $25 per year on lottery tickets, so I look upon it as a small donation to education here in Colorado.... and not that I'm "throwing my money away" as some people claim.   I know that my chances of having a winning ticket are infinitesimal, but it's me betting on my own luck, so I really don't care.
  What would I do if I actually won the lottery?  I'd hire a tax and financial lawyer first.  Then I'd contact several financial consultants.  I would love to give large amounts of money to friends and family that they would not have to pay taxes on; I'd prepay it, if possible.  There would be grants and scholarships to put into place.  There are several donations that I would set up for annual dispersal.  I'd buy a house on Chincoteague.  I'd buy a car.  I'd get a new state-of-the-art PC system, and a new camera with a zoom lens.  I make sure that books were available to all kids who wanted them.
   Silly daydreams, I know...  However, a person without dreams is a person without hope.  I have hopes and dreams.  I am a survivor.  Baji-naji.

Ever Hopeful...

I purchased two Powerball tickets last week, when the lottery pot was $360 million; it cost $4, and I won $7.  Yesterday the pot was rated at $450 million, and there was such a rush of sales that it climbed to $564 million before the drawing.  I again had purchased two tickets for $4, and I again matched two regular numbers plus the Powerball, and won $7.  So I came out $6 ahead of the game. I know that there were three winning tickets sold; one in Texas, one in North Carolina, and one in Puerto Rico.  Ah, well....  I refuse to buy a huge number of tickets, so two or three are my maximum, and I buy them on different days, at different times.  I guess that I'm lucky, as I usually end up a few bucks ahead of what I've paid out each year.  I'm ever hopeful, though, that, perhaps, one day, I just might match all the numbers....  "Hope springs eternal," indeed!
  Last night, once I recovered from my migraine, I looked at places for sale on Chincoteague itself, and in the surrounding areas.  I saw a really nice place in Tasley, a good place in Wattsville, and several charming places located at Captain's Cove in Greenbackville.  I loved a farm house near Parksley, and a farm near Atlantic. I saw several pieces of land that I would have loved to buy on Chincoteague, to keep them undeveloped.  I also saw several homes that I would have purchased in a heart-beat - on both the Chincoteague Channel, the Assateague Channel, Little Oyster Bay, and a couple that are not near the water.  The pull of the island is a great as ever for me; or, as Joan Leslie recently said, I've "got Chincoteague sand stuck tight in my shoes."
   Let's see... Stay Gold, the 21-year-old son of Sunday Silence, and sire of multiple champion Orfevre, passed away earlier this week.  ....  Breeder's Cup Juvenile winner Texas Red has a hoof abcess, and will be out of racing for a short time.  Will he be able to get back, and fit, in time for the Kentucky Derby, is the big question.  ....  Three-year-old American Pharoah is on track to start in the Rebel Stakes, after being scratched as the favorite in the Breeders Cup Juvenile.  ....   And foals are dropping all around the country - they are just so cute!  Which reminds me, after the tragic death of Zenyatta's filly this past fall, Z queen is being bred back to War Front for next year's baby.  Hopefully we'll get another girl.   Cozmic One (Coz), Zenyatta's eldest, is working well for trainer John Sherriffs at Santa Anita; he looks like his mom on the track!  Ziconic, the younger colt, is undergoing breaking and early training in Florida.  They are both good-looking guys!

Warmth, Lottery, Television

Walking back from the bakery this morning, I realized that only the lower part of Sugarloaf Mountain was visible, and that anything further west was hidden by clouds.  There's a bright blue sky to the east, and above us, but you can see where the forecast rain and/or snow for tonight will come from.  It is snowing over Eldora and Arapaho Basin, but that, too, might change to rain.  That would be disastrous for the Alpine Ski Championships at Beaver Creek - snow would be much better than rain!
   Lovey and Nedi have been enjoying the warm weather - I've been allowing them to stay outside for longer periods of time, since the apartment isn't cooling down so quickly.  Our usual high temperatures at this time of year are around 40 degrees (F), but the past few weeks, we've had highs in the 60s and 70s.  Crocus are blooming, and trees are budding. Our next big freeze is going to kill off a lot of plants, poor things.   The squirrels are filling up on swelling tree buds, and a large number of birds are acting as if it's really Spring - the second week of February...  When the cold hits, it will be hard on both flora and fauna.
   Well, I broke down and purchased a couple of Power Ball lottery tickets for the next drawing.  I know the chances of winning are astronomically huge against my winning, but I don't do it often.  The next Power Ball drawing is currently being estimated at $450 million, if there is only one winning ticket.  Oh, my.  What I could do with that amount - charity and trust donations, scholarships to set up, low-cost animal care programs to set up, TNR programs, and gifts to give...  And a house and a horse for myself.
   Having watched the previews for next week's episode of Gotham, I realized that I'm probably incorrect in guessing that Fish Mooney becomes the Joker.  I might be wrong, but I think we got a glimpse of the Joker in the preview.  I also enjoyed seeing Sleepy Hollow last night.  We know that the former Captain Frank Irving has gone to the dark side and is working for Henry.  The previews for next week indicate that Katrina decides to take a walk on the dark side, too.  Fun, fun, fun!  I'm hoping to be able to see The Blacklist and How To Get Away With Murder on Thursday night, but a jury meeting has been called for 6 p.m.  Of course, we've been summoned four previous times, and have yet to meet, with the things cancelled anywhere between 48 hours to 2 hours before-hand.  I'll believe we'll have the meeting when we all sit down inside the courthouse.

A Typical Spring Day

I awoke at 5, as usual, this morning.  I took care of my kits, took care of myself, and took a wonderful walk before most Boulderites were out and moving.  There was a light fog, more haze, really, and the temperature was in the mid-50s.  Walking through my apartment area, and then along the Boulder Creek path, I saw several raccoons, a red fox, two mule deer and a large number of squirrels.  Birds were awakening, and their songs filled the air, and soothed my soul.  I stopped counting after I reached twenty different types of birds that I saw this morning.  On my way back, I saw chipmunks and some early morning joggers with their dogs.  It was a great way to start a good day, especially as my kits and I are well.
   After taking care of all of my morning business at home, I went to walk Rosie.  I was early in arriving at the bus station, and I was going to go inside and chat with my friend, Joe Rivera, when I saw that Geary Jr was driving my usual route.  I got on and flirted outrageously with the young man until my normal stop - then I told him to tell his father that I had been flirting with him.  Geary laughed, made a very stern face, and said that his father "would be coming after" me.  I love Geary's dad dearly, but haven't seen him in several months. At least I found out what routes and days his dad is driving, so I can go pester him, too.
  I arrived at Rosie's a little early for our walk, but kept myself occupied by watching a hummingbird feed on a large patch of purple-flowered ground cover for over ten minutes.  I only saw the back of the bird, so I'm not sure which type of hummer it was, or whether it was a male or female.  This little bird was slightly larger than a big moth, but its wings were a constant blur of motion.  Hummingbirds flying abilities have always amazed me - to be able to hover, and move up and down like a helicopter, rather than the straight flight of other birds just leaves my mouth gaping in awe.  Once I took Rosie out, it seemed that the squirrels were quite brazen in tempting her to chase them; and I was very happy that we met six new dogs and she never barked or growled.
   And, just being silly, and since today just felt so good, I bought two lottery tickets - the estimated jackpot is $149 million.  If I win, I'll be setting up a few scholarships and making a lot of donations to charitable organizations.  (And, eventually, I hope, moving back to Chincoteague - where I'll be happy to sponsor local TNR programs.)

Wind, a Movie, Murders and Beer

We had high winds last night and this morning - currently we're having gusts up to 45 mph, but earlier they were up to 80 mph.  I guess that's when the hastily repaired privacy fence between Harvest Manor Apartments and the Millennium Harvest House Hotel came down again.  I was awaken multiple times by loud noises during the dark hours - and once I saw three panels of the fence were down and twisted, I knew that debris would be hitting my glass wall for as long as the winds continue.  I've been up since 6 this morning, and we've had three snow showers so far, though the snow melts as it hits the ground.  Lovey and Nedi have been happy to stay inside.
  Well, let's see...  a movie made about Mine That Bird, the 50-to-1 long shot who won the 2009 Kentucky Derby, will have it's opening debut show tomorrow at the historic KiMo Theater in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  Mine That Bird competed in all the Triple Crown races that year, finishing second in the Preakness, and third in the Belmont.  Distribution of the movie will spread out through the US from Mine That Bird's home state of New Mexico.
  The Mega Millions lottery is up to $400 million, if there is a single winner, in tonight's drawing.  Boy, what I would do with that amount of money...  It's mind-boggling to those of us who pinch pennies to make it through the month, with food always on the table and all other bills paid promptly.  I know that it's expensive to live in Boulder, but it takes money to move, also.  Just can't do it - yet.
  Back in 1996, little beauty pageant princess Jon-Benet Ramsey was found dead in the family basement, at the age of six years.  That house is once once again for sale, this time with a price tag of $1.98 million, here on 15th Street in Boulder.  -  And, a 58-year-old man is being arraigned on first-degree murder charges today (here in Boulder) for the death of Nathaniel Tallman, who disappeared from Lafayette on 28 January 2014.  Tallman's body was found and identified in Wyoming last week.  Tallman had arranged to meet Russell Britton to purchase marijuana the evening he disappeared. Britton stated that Tallman never appeared, but police found Tallman's blood and DNA in the back of Britton's van.  Tallman's car was found parked in Boulder three weeks after he disappeared.
  Small craft beers accounted for $14.3 billion in sales last year in the United States - that a growth of 20% from 2012.  I know there is a huge market for craft brews here in Colorado.  My niece's husband makes a couple of barrels three or four times each year; and local bars are very proud to sell local brews.  I had never realized how lucrative home brewing could be...  Of course, back before the industrial revolution, almost every single family (in Europe and North America) had their own beer or ale recipe.  Seems odd to me how it's popular again.
  (And it's snowing, again.)

CU Graduation

The helicopters circling overhead are driving me crazy this morning.  I had forgotten today was graduation day at CU - which means everyone descends upon Folsom Field for the major ceremony, and then goes to the different subject areas for the actual bestowal of the diplomas.  So the Millennium Harvest House behind me is totally booked, and there were quite a few parties that ended up in the parking lot last night.  I'm happy I got my kits inside early in the evening....   The grocery store was packed at 6 this morning, and there was a triple line going out the door for Starbucks.  I bought a bagel and cat food.  This morning the squirrels were treated to a combination of almonds, walnuts, and peanut butter cookies, so they should be satisfied.
   Prince Harry is due here sometime this afternoon - but I'm having lunch with my friend Bea, and then need to grab a few necessities.  My "lottery dreams" did not come true on Wednesday night, but no one won the pot, so the total is up to about $270 million for Saturday.  I'll get a couple of chances.  I removed two 40-gallon trash bags full of crushed dead leaves from my patio yesterday and placed them in the compost heap. My patio is now clean-swept concrete, with three wicker chairs, one potted plant, and with a chubby blue bird of happiness looking on.  The kits are spending a lot of time in the sun, and seem to be having a great time scratching their backs on the irregularities.
  Hope you have a wonderful weekend!

Hungry Squirrels and Lottery Dreams

Yesterday was grey with occasional showers; today is the same.  The squirrels have eaten over a pound of walnuts this morning and keep asking for more.  I had fed the kits, opened the patio doors, and started to feed myself this morning, when a quick movement caught my eye.  It caught my eye, because it was about 5 feet away from my face, on top of my TV console...  I looked up to find I was being ogled by a squirrel, who was sitting on the top corner, looking at me - he apparently had enough ESP strength to attract my attention and to convey the thought that I hadn't yet put out any nuts or goodies for my furry friends.  I fed them, then I finished eating, and I then called to re-new my prescriptions.  As I was ending the automated call, Cashew was back on top of the console, just looking.  That's when I found that over a pound of nuts had disappeared in less than 30 minutes....  My "kids" do have good appetites.  Since it is raining hard at my apartment, I cancelled my walk with Rosie today, but we should have a good stretch tomorrow, as it is supposed to clear and get a little warmer.
  The next lottery drawing, on Saturday, is for approximately $270 million.  I have to admit I've been dreaming about what I'd do with that money.  My best friends and relatives would get cash, with taxes already paid; I'd set up trust funds for several no kill animal shelters across the country and for Catch-Neuter-Release programs;  I'd buy a house on Chincoteague Island, and find a place nearby where I could keep a couple of riding horses.  I'd make several short trips - mainly because I dislike being away from my kits for any length of time - and see all the places I've dreamed of visiting, and all the places made familiar by books.  I 'd love to be able to spend some time in Denmark and Sweden, doing more investigating on the family tree; and there are many places in states that I would like to explore - but I'd have to find a pet-friendly place to stay, because my kits would go with me, here in the US.  Big time day dreams, I know...  But we all have to have at least one single dream to keep us going!
  Tonight is the season finale for Person of Interest; tomorrow night we get to see the season finales for Vegas and Blue Bloods.   (And, being a dufus, I had no idea that CBS has it's own on-line store, selling T-shirts, mugs, and all sorts of other things, for their shows - you can check it out at http://bit.ly/ZPQ3Gs )

A Foot of Snow

We ended up getting a foot of snow over the weekend - and Nancy, who owns Rosie and Remy, was headed north (and home) up the 19th Street hill, when someone coming down lost control of their car, spinning all all the place. Nancy tried to turn away from the wayward vehicle, but it ended up hitting her car three times. So Nancy spent most of Saturday in the Emergency Room, getting checked out. She, Max and Joel left on their vacation early yesterday morning, and I was there to cover things until Katie arrived to look after Rosie and Remy.

   Because of the morning visit to the Rs, I had very little time to spend with my kits yesterday. I ran in, loved them, fed them, cleaned the litter boxes and returned to Finn and Skippy's house because I was having problems with the front (driveway) gate. It's an electric gate, and opens to the weight of your vehicle and/or a numeric code. The north side of the gate had stuck in the open position Saturday afternoon, and I had gone down and "played" with the mechanism, trying to get it to close and stay closed. Finn, of course, took this as an opportunity to run up to Linden Avenue, and I got to chase him down, while it was snowing and there were 10 inches on the ground - the snow was almost up to my knees. When I got back yesterday morning, the gate had closed by itself, and is currently working normally.

   Anyway, I'm back at my place for the morning, and have been breaking frequently from my reading and e-mailing to stop and love both Nedi and Lovey. And I am not terribly surprised that I didn't win the Power Ball lottery Saturday night. Only one winning ticket was sold, and that was in Passaic, New Jersey - and is worth $338 million; $221 million if the winner decides to cash in totally, instead of having payments over 20 years.

   I enjoyed another episode of Vikings on the History Channel last night, and I will re-watch it Tuesday night, after NCIS. I miss Vegas terribly, and am eagerly awaiting it's reappearance on Friday night after the end of March Madness....

Slept In This Morning

Arrived home at midnight, kissed the kitties and fell into my bed.  The kits let me sleep for 8 whole hours.  Now I feel "draggy" because I was able to sleep that long - but it was great!  It was cool enough to turn off one of the fans, and the kits curled up on either side of me.  Pure heaven.  Lovey is now on the cat tree, and even though the raven family has chased Nedi inside multiple times this morning, he's back out there, taunting them. Besides spending time with Rosie and Remy and with Cloudy and Shady, I was able to renew my acquaintance with the 5-point buck who sleeps under Alexy's fir tree, and I was able to watch a lot of hummingbirds.  The high point for me was having a male goldfinch fly within inches of my face, and then alight on a lattice with a yard of me.  (I haven't seen a goldfinch up close and personal over the past five years...)
  I plan on lazing around the house today, and doing a little bit of a clean-up.  Other than that, I hope to just relax and spend time with my two furries.  I had a great time watching the end of the Olympics last night - and the passing of the torch and flag to Rio was refreshing.  Of course, being my age, I was thrilled to see the rockin' tributes to the bands and singers I grew up with - and I must admit I laughed hysterically at (with?) Eric Idle close to the finale.  London was a wonderful setting, and the people of Great Britain made this edition of the Olympics extremely pleasant.  I especially appreciated the streaming of events online, as one got to hear the local announcers introduce new-comers to the different sports and explain how they came about.
  Now, I just hope to win the $305 million lottery...