Retirement planning, ruthieB style

As I was getting ready to leave work yesterday, I jotted down a couple of quick notes to stick in files that will require action Monday morning. One of my coworkers asked if I was taking Monday off (thereby leaving notes for someone else to intercede). I said, "No, I'll probably be here. But if, by some chance, Mr X and I win the lottery on Saturday night I most certainly will not be here on Monday. Or ever again. And then you'll all be happy for these little notes." Oh, I'd go back for posterity, hand in my key and clean off my desk, invite everyone to the nearest pub for a celebratory nip, but I sure as tootin' wouldn't be sitting there in any employment capacity ever again. We then, of course, got into a "if I won 12 million dollars..." discussion.

Here's what I think I'd do...

First, I'd divide it in half and give half to Mr X. It's only fair -- I pretty much want to give all of mine away and that wouldn't really be fair to him. He wants a farm and it would take about an hour and a half to spend $6 million dollars on a decent farm. Let's just hope it would be viable because I plan on living off of him for the rest of my life. And I need a place to house the raggedy animals I would be rescuing. (And I really want a donkey!)

I'd give a lot to each of my daughters. Yeah, yeah, I realize that it's good for them to make their own ways in this world and all that, but it would make my heart oh, so happy to see them never have to worry about money again. Not that they'd never have to work again, because they both have a wonderful work ethic and they're smart and I'd hate to see them not use their talents ever again, but they could do exactly what they want to do.

I'd want to help out my siblings a bit, take care of any needs my mum might have, set up a fund for whatever I decide would do the most good, then I'd buy my dream car -- a Subaru Outback. Green in colour, manual transmission, lots of windows for my dogs to hang their drooling heads out of. It doesn't have to be new, but what the hell, I'm rich. Why wouldn't it be?

Then I'd find a nice little old house in Saskatoon, not far from Broadway. (If you've never been to Saskatoon you really should find a reason to go. It's a treasure -- a gorgeous little city with lots of bridges, parks, festivals, music, and young, energetic people -- not to mention free wireless internet in many areas because of the large student population. p.s. Go in the summer. I'm just sayin'.) I wouldn't, technically, live in the little house, but we'd all have it for a getaway place and a home-away-from-home when we'd go to University. Well, when I'd go to University, anyway. But I expect my kids would go too, at some point, so they would be able to realize their career dreams, whatever they may be.

That's all I want. A bit of travel would be nice, but my dream is simple and homey. It sounds so perfect.

Unfortunately, I forgot to buy a ticket again tonight, so it's all still a dream. Or, maybe we'll just end up doing it the hard way. ;)