When I win the lottery

I am going to pretend that my brother just won the lottery. He buys tickets twice a week. I have bought perhaps $5's worth in my lifetime because I'm always way too poor to waste my money on that. I'm just counting on him to win. Let's say he gets a cash pay-out of 3 million...

First thing I'd do is go on a trip around the world. It would take me at LEAST a year. I want to go to all the places I've read about since childhood. That means Bath in England for sure. That's where everyone in Jane Austen's novels always went on vacation. I would find out where all the places are in England in which my very favorite novels are cast and check it all out.

Then I'd have to check out Ireland for awhile. Then France. All over France. I'm going to brush up on my French, although I was a terrible student in jr high, high school and the one year of it I had to take in college. Je ne parles pas francaise? eh. I'll get a French friend who isn't a complete snob.

My mom thinks Spain is beautiful. I might check it out too. I'm going EVERYWHERE, except I'm going to try to avoid those places which are cruel to animals, so maybe I will have to skip Spain.

After my big trip, I'm going to settle down in a nice little cabin in the mountains. I don't want to be around anyone unless I invite them. This week has been a bitch. Whenever the weather gets to be this hot, people start abandoning their pets. I hate to see animals suffer. I have been trying for the past week to find a foster home for a dog near my office who was abandoned in a yard when the "owners" moved. She was the sweetest dog! A lab mix, friendly, happy, and about six months old. I have been putting food and water out for her, but I think the pound came and picked her up. They are awful to the dogs at the pound. I hate it. I want to find a place where they don't hurt animals all the time. I hate seeing it. It makes me feel hopeless for the world. And myself.