What They Would Do If They Won the Lottery

Chapter 1

When I heard the news, my heart nearly stopped. I had to repeat the numbers over and over: 8, 15, 22, 26, 31. The numbers on the television were the exact same numbers on my lottery ticket that I bought by chance the night before. Somehow, the planets had aligned just right, and I had won $45,000,000.

I was only eighteen years old when it happened. I don’t know what I expected, but life didn’t change instantaneously. The seconds still clicked by at the same rate and I still woke up with a headache every morning. They say money can’t solve your problems, but I disagree. As soon as the lottery mushroomed before me, my dreams that were hindered by a lack of funds began to unfold. With my priorities straight, my first expense would be paying for six years of college at $22,000 a year, adding up to roughly a grand total of a mere $132,000 for my degree in speech-language pathology. With the money that remained, however, a fire would start in me that wouldn’t be extinguished until I was broke.

I invested in foreclosures, and when the housing market began to boom once more, it began raining profits. A glistening new car whose ability to preserve its fuel to replace my gas guzzling pickup could be found parked in my driveway, and a down payment on a quaint house was able to be easily mustered. Somehow, in the end, I still had funds left over. At twenty-six years old, I still found myself a millionaire. I invested, monitored, and maintained my funds, all while gaining my degree. Despite my fiscal competency, I was still alone. Come Christmas time, even though I had the money to purchase anything I wanted for myself, I couldn’t think of any material thing that I’d like. The truth is, as you get older, you want less and less for the holidays, because the things you want can’t be bought. In summary, money changes you, and it definitely makes life easier, but in the end, it won’t be enough to make you happy. Happiness comes from within.

Chapter 2

It wasn’t even the crack of dawn when I was roused from my sleep, by the same sound that I came to hate over the course of the last week. It wasn’t the howling winter winds or the bed springs creaking as the kids jumped up and down on my bed. Those I had grown accustomed to and tolerated. Instead it was the sound of the phone ringing at six in the morning.

Last week I hit the jackpot playing the lottery, forty five million dollars. More than enough to start a new life, even after taxes took more than half of it. It should have been a joyous occasion, but the moment my name came up on the television as the winner, the calls started. The phone stopped ringing for a moment when the call failed to get through. Silence was returned to me and I basked in it, allowing my body to fall into the abyss of dreams once more. But, before sleep could take me again, the phone rang and showed me there was no end until I replied.

I forced my tired body to move, ignoring its complaints, and answered. It was another distant relative on my mother’s side that I hadn’t even known about, the tenth one this week. I told them they had the wrong number and hung up, before disconnecting my phone so that the vultures could stop pecking at me for scraps. But now I was unable to get to sleep again and ended up going to get breakfast ready slightly prematurely. The apartment we lived in now was rather small, but it was homely and I had grown to love it over the years. It was a shame to have to leave it, but I really wanted to give my kids a better life. That was why I gambled on winning the lottery and was pleased when I did.

Just looking at the simple breakfast I was making over the stove and knowing that we didn’t have to scrimp by now was a relief. I could pay off all our debts and give the kids what they wanted for Christmas for once. No more ignoring calls or changing the numbers to stave off the debt companies.

And then I could give back to all those who helped us to this point. Friends and neighbors who kept us afloat and in decent company could now have the favor returned. It was only fair. I could donate to a Toys-for-Charity drive so that other kids would be able get what they wanted for Christmas too.

But that was all the immediate uses for it. What was I going to do with what was leftover? Too many stories could be found about people who won big and were left with nothing in the end. I didn’t want to end up like that.

Breakfast was ready when I heard the pitter-patter of four feet traversing the cold tile floor and the boys came into view. Using their bed sheets to keep warm by wrapping it around their bodies, they both sat at the table and greeted me with warm and innocent smiles. They had no idea the hardships we were in, at least not enough to know how far in debt we were, and I hadn’t told them about winning the lottery either—but now things were different.

You can read the rest of this story from any of the major book sellers, or also at http://www.vincestead.com or http://www.fun2readbooks.com You can also listen to it in Audio.

Children's Safety and What You Should Know

1. Children’s Safety: The Importance of Having a Fence Around Your Pool

Discover the importance of fencing in your pool when you have children around, either your own, or your neighborhood kids.

People have different hobbies. Some people prefer games while others like swimming for leisure or for competition purposes. In this case, some families have swimming pools within their backyards to make their life complete. The pool can be hazardous if necessary precautions are not taken into consideration. This implies that before deciding to have a pool in your yard, there are certain things that you should put into consideration so that no one gets hurt or worse, even killed from drowning. If you don’t have a fence put up around your pool, anyone could fall in, even a curious small child from another yard, they could easily end up in your pool with no fence to protect them.

When you have children, the pool becomes a very risky place for them. Kids are known to play around and do not take things seriously. This is quite normal for any growing kids. In this case, even warning them not to go near such places will not be enough. The best way to control them is by having a fence around the pool then ensuring that the gate is locked at all times.

Some children think that by swimming two or three times, they have become champions and professional swimmers. Such kids may drown in such water and lose their lives. It is important to get someone to train them first in swimming. Swimming lessons are very crucial and should not just be taken for granted. You should not allow them to go near the pool because they may decide to compete or one may just accidentally push his or her fellow friend into the pool and no one may be around to help them get out safely, therefore having your worst nightmare come true.

In this case, parents who love swimming and would want a pool in their backyard have to be very careful. The key for such amenities must be kept away from children at all times, the gate should be locked because that is how they might get in also without you being there. The parents should be the last people to leave the pool. This will help in avoiding such hazards. There are certain precautions that even experienced swimmers are supposed to take into consideration. For instance, intoxicated people must not move closer to the pool. Such people are likely to fall in and get drowned. At least two people going to the swimming pool can be the best advice for adults.

If the pool is nicely fenced, then such issues will be prevented before they occur. Apart from keeping away the children, other animals that may crawl into the pool are also avoided. The fencing should be tight enough not to allow any intruder such as reptiles into your pool. This may poison the water. Children who are interested in swimming must go for the necessary swimming lessons to make them perfect. If these facilities are not well maintained, someone could get seriously hurt, so make sure you have a fence around your pool, and keep the gate locked when not in use.

2. Playing With an Oven Can be Bad

There is no doubt about the fact that the microwave oven is a very useful invention, which has revolutionized cooking making it quicker, effective, and delicious. The working principle of a microwave oven is that the food items contain water which readily absorb the wave energy and convert it into heat to cook food rapidly.

It is very simple to operate a microwave oven but one should never put aside the safety precautions. It is observed that people generally overtime tend to ignore the safety precautions and become careless by handling ovens very casually. Watch out as this may cause serious or fatal accidents. There are many burnings and death cases reported where the cause was improper handling of microwave ovens and cooking range ovens.

How Safe an Oven Is:

You need not worry about using a microwave oven as long as you study and learn the manufacturers' instructions and handle the unit accordingly as advised. Microwave ovens are made by meeting all the safety regulations in order to conveniently heat and cook a variety of food items. However, while handling the oven you need to take some precautions to avoid potential exposure to the radio-frequency waves and thermal burns.

The microwave ovens are designed to make sure that the microwaves it releases are contained inside an oven and can only be activated when the unit is switched on with the door shut to prevent exposure. However, it is also possible that microwave leakage may occur due to some damage or malfunctioning of the oven. This makes it important to maintain your oven in a good and clean state. One should always make sure that the door is getting shut properly and the door seals are kept clean. Do not switch on the oven if you find any damage to the exterior or interior surface of it. Without wasting time you should get it repaired by an authorized service provider.

Handling Gas:

Gas is an important entity in cooking which surely helps out the homemakers in a big way to make their tasks easier. However, you have to carefully handle the gas stove and the hood. Always make sure that you keep it clean and do frequently check for any leaks or damages to the pipes. Be well-informed about the safety precautions and immediately execute it if you suspect a gas leakage inside your home. Don’t do any repairs on your own, instead you should get your cooking gas range serviced by only experts, your family’s life may depend on it.

The Possible Threats:

On getting exposed, microwaves may get absorbed by our body tissues and can produce excessive heat. The human body parts such as the eyes are more susceptible to heat damage. The burn injuries can also be due to handling very hot items cooked in microwave ovens. You need to understand that microwave heating is done in a different manner than the conventional oven heating. For example, while boiling water in a conventional cooking stove, there will be bubbles which allow the steam to escape as the water gets boiled. However, in case of a microwave oven, no bubbles are formed which superheats the water bringing it to boil instantly. There are cases when people get severely burned with super-heated water due to careless handling.

Some safety precautions to be taken in order to avoid any lethality while using microwave oven are:

• Don’t switch on an oven with a damaged door.

• Use only microwave-safe special plastic cookware in the oven.

• Pierce food items (potatoes, tomatoes, egg yolks etc.) which will avoid steam built-up inside the oven.

• Always remember to wear microwave oven gloves.

• Don’t use a microwave to sterilize bottles or plates.

• Always keep the user manual of your microwave oven handy to refer to.

• More importantly, educate your children about microwave safety and caution them not to play with it.

You can read the rest of this story from any of the major book sellers, or also at http://www.vincestead.com or http://www.fun2readbooks.com You can also listen to it in Audio.

HOW TO GET EVEN AND REVENGE WITH PRANKS ON ANYONE!

This book will give you some help on getting even with a bad neighbor, or mean boss, or business that did you wrong. Even an ex-lover or anyone else that did you wrong!

In this book, you will find many ways to get even or revenge on someone, and the best revenge, is when they do not know it came from you!

Try not to break any laws, and the best revenge is always forgiveness, but if you don’t have that in your heart, and you want and eye for any eye, then read on!

1. Garage Sale Prank: You can place an ad in the classified section of your local newspaper advertising a Hugh Garage Sale, and then listing the address of your victim. Advertise televisions, computers, classic cars, antiques, etc. Sale begins at 6:00 a.m. all items are in the backyard, just come around back and come early!

2. X-rays at Airports: Purchase a large adult bedroom sex toy. Wrap it in a large amount of aluminum tin foil. Secretly hide it in a piece of the victims carry on luggage. As it goes through the airport x-ray machine the contents of the device will be shielded by the tin foil and will be unwrapped and inspected by airport security officials. An absolute fun prank to pull on your enemy!

3. Oil Spot: At night pour used motor oil underneath the victim's car while parked in the driveway. Pour enough that will be alarming. Continue to do this each night. The subject will spend great deals of money trying to get the oil leak repaired time and time again. I have even heard of a person buying a new car after the repeated attempts at repair. Imagine their surprise and frustration when that new car starts leaking too!

4. Flat Tire: This is very similar to the Oil Spot, but with a twist. Let most of the air out of one of your victim's tires. Keep doing this each night, and watch as they call a tow truck or the Automobile Club day after day. Odd how those new tires keep losing air, too!

5. Paper Money: Write a sexually oriented solicitation message, victim's name and phone number (inviting a phone call) on the edge of several pieces of paper money before spending them. The victim will receive many eye popping inquiries. You would be surprised at what a whole handful of them would do to your target!

You can read the rest of this story from any of the major book sellers, or also at http://www.vincestead.com or http://www.fun2readbooks.com You can also listen to it in Audio.

Best Ways to Find a New Lover!

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What Was the Best Vacation You Ever Had?

1. New Story

The best holiday I had was a week in a holiday called Butlins/ My sister was taking her two young daughters and wanted me to give them a lift as she had no car, it was quite a long drive so when we got there my sister said I should stay the night in the spare bed. I stayed that night and in the morning we went down for breakfast and the staff said it was for two children and one adult, my sister said there must be a mistake as it was supposed to be for two children and two adults, they just accepted that so I got a free breakfast.

That day I stayed longer than I had meant to as we were having fun, so at dinner time I went with my sister to the restaurant and got a free meal again. This was great so I stayed another night. We went to the pub and watched some live shows and a couple of comedians.

I ended up staying for the whole week and half way through my sisters friend came down so the three of us had some real good fun, dancing, drinking and we also made a “pop” video which was a laugh.

The thing that made this holiday so good was the fact it was not planed, well not for me, I didn’t even have a change of clothes or any money so I had a weeks holiday for nothing, saw some famous acts and had a really good time, I don’t think that could ever be beat as it was just a spontaneous week.

2. New Story

What a Fun Experience!

There’s this hidden paradise resort somewhere in our hometown and it’s called Oh La La Spring Resort. To get there, you need to pass through the thick terrain of lahar paths and giant slates and boulders that were created by the majestic Mayon Volcano. The lahar paths were all made of dark black and gray deposits that Mayon had spewed. It isn’t that secluded at all since there are small communities in this area, but because of the brush, the greens and the fields, you will definitely feel that you are out of the bustling city.

The Mayon Volcano is generally a spectacle already. It stands just in the center of everything, towering over like a true royalty. On clear days, it appears a deep blue and the crevices and the deep canals are wonderfully visible, appearing as if you can already touch it. On cloudy days, the royal queen would just clad herself with white cotton sheets, hiding away from all prying eyes.

In addition to that, the hidden resort is just as awesome. There were gardens of flowers and dangling vines everywhere. The breeze is basically cool and damp and the splashes on the pool waters just make you want to dive already. But what is more fun is that I was in the company of my twenty friends, and with twenty companions you can never get bored.

There were available cottages to rent and our company rented the largest one. It stands beside the clear pool and also the chain fence. Just on the other side of the fence you will see a wide array of vegetation. There were thick Mahogany trees, brushes, wild flowers and vines all thriving in the shoulders of a creek. Not far is a yellow green rice field, a cute brown nipa hut and a sunbathing carabao chewing cud in its mudhole. If you look close enough, you will see tiny maya birds just roosting on its horns.

As for food, we had plenty of Filipino cuisine. Adobo, fried kangkong, steamed tilapia, palabok, igado, malagkit and the staple rice! We also have on our table fresh lumpia and Shanghai rolls, a lot of fruits including rambutan and bananas. A friend also brought a homemade lambanog, a potent Coconut alcohol which is really fiery in the throat.

You can never get enough of the sun in the Philippines because it’s an ever present omnipotent element. But, one thing to consider is that days here are never the same. You might wake up hearing the morning birds chirping outside and the sun basking its glow in your window, but after a few hours or so, the rain clouds would just roll by. Weather here is unpredictable, but it’s totally fun because as we were swimming on the cool pool under the bright sun, all of a sudden the elements exchanged roles. The rain poured and we went swimming on a warm pool under the grey sky.

We had a lot of fun in the pool. The thing about my friends and I is that we will always be children in our hearts. Despite living different lives as pre adolescents, we still find time to regroup and recollect. And these events will always bring out the children spirits inside us. The laughs and the giggles, that’s absolutely what knits us together.

You can read the rest of this story from any of the major book sellers, or also at http://www.vincestead.com or http://www.fun2readbooks.com You can also listen to it in Audio.

The Tree That Wood Be: Emotions (Book 2)

Scarlet Learns About Emotions

"Ugh!!" Scarlet tweeted in frustration at her top hat nest.

"What is wrong Scarlet?" Ashby asked her.

"This straw will not stay where it is supposed to stay! It is so frustrating!" Scarlet tweeted loudly.

"You sound really frustrated. Maybe you should calm down and rest a little, then try it again." Ashby said calmly. "We don't need your emotions getting out of control, now."

"Emotions?" Scarlet asked. “What are emotions?”

"Yes, emotions." Ashby answered and continued, "Your feeling of frustration is an emotion. Different people feel different emotions at all times. Whether it's calm and relaxed, happy, sad, angry, etc… like right now you are feeling frustrated. That is called an emotion and we deal with them every day of our lives... good and bad."

"Really?" Scarlet tweeted, still having her feathers ruffled. "Tell me more about emotions Ashby."

"Well, emotions and feelings, which they are often called sometimes as well, function on so many different levels. They can cause us to be sick in some instances where our emotions are unmanageable and we can't calm ourselves down. Have you ever been so upset that your tummy was hurting?" Ashby asked Scarlet.

"Oh yes. In fact, when I first left my nest as a baby bird, I was so scared that I couldn't eat for a whole day!" Scarlet tweeted. "My tummy was nervous and upset."

"Exactly. Nervous and scared are common emotions. Our emotions can take over our lives if we don't get control of them. But, they are our most reliable source of how things are going on in our lives and it is also a way to tell how things are going on in other people’s lives too. Like yours, for instance. I knew that you were frustrated about something, but I didn’t know what, until I had asked you."

"Wow Ashby, our emotions can take over our lives if we are not careful!" Scarlet tweeted.

"You are correct Scarlet," Ashby continued, "If you hold your emotions inside of you, it can cause physical problems, such as an upset tummy, as you had experienced before. Emotions can affect our body physically as much as it affects our thinking and feelings. Emotions need to be felt and then released. Especially negative ones. Some people keep their negative emotions inside of them and then when they become too overwhelming, it's even worse than before when they are finally released."

“Ahhh!! This straw is making me mad now!”

Scarlet tweeted loudly.

"Nonsense, Scarlet, that straw isn't making you anything. You are making yourself frustrated and angry. You are the only one who can change what you feel. You are letting that straw control you." Ashby scolded Scarlet. "Take a deep breath, gain control of yourself and I am sure you will figure out what is wrong with the straw and why it isn't working the way you want it to."

Scarlet did just as Ashby told her. She closed her little eyes, took a deep breath, and then opened her eyes. She looked at the straw and finally realized why it wasn’t working the way she wanted it to.

“You’re right Ashby!” Scarlet tweeted happily. “I see what the problem was!”

“Now you are expressing a feeling of happiness. Such a big change than before, isn’t it Scarlet?” Ashby laughed.

Scarlet giggled, “Yes, I supposed Ashby.”

"See? Our emotions directly effect how our bodies work. Even though it is hard to control our emotions at times, sometimes, when we do control them, we can look at the problem a different way and then find a solution, once we are thinking straight and rationally."

"Ashby, you are so smart!" Scarlet tweeted. "There, now the straw is working in perfectly!"

Timmy Loses Max

On a cloudy Saturday afternoon, Timmy was sitting under Ashby on a blanket. Timmy was looking very sad. Ashby could tell he had been crying.

“What’s wrong Timmy?” Ashby asked.

“Yesterday, I came home from school and I was always used to Max meeting me at the door. He would lick my face and I would pet him every time I came home.” Timmy sniffed and continued, “Yesterday, he didn’t meet me at the door. My mom said Max got very sick and she had to take him to the vet. Max was old, I know, but he was my best friend in the whole wide world. My mom said the vet said that Max was going to die and that my mom should say her goodbye to him.” Timmy started crying again. “I never got to say goodbye to Max. My mom said she said goodbye for me, but I never got to tell him that I loved him one more time.” Timmy began crying more.

“Oh, I am so sorry to hear that Timmy.” Ashby said comforting Timmy. “I am sure he knew you loved him very much.”

Scarlet flew down from her nest and stood on the blanket next to Timmy and said, “Timmy, I am so sorry to hear about your dog Max dying. I remember seeing him playing in the meadow and chasing the ball you used to throw to him.”

You can read the rest of this story from any of the major book sellers, or also at http://www.vincestead.com or http://www.fun2readbooks.com You can also listen to it in Audio.

The Tree That Wood Be: Nature’s Remedies (Book 1)

Meet Ashby and Scarlet

Once upon a time there was a tree named Ashby that lived in a meadow with eyes as blue as the sky and a nest top hat that his best friend Scarlet lived in.

Ashby started out as a small apple seed and had grown into a large apple tree that gave the largest and sweetest from any of the other apple trees in the meadow.

Scarlet was as red as the apples on Ashby's branches, with a crown of red feathers on top of her head and rose colored glasses, because through her eyes, her world was a beautiful place to live in.

Ashby and Scarlet had been best friends for quite some time and their friendship meant a lot to each other. They could talk about anything to each other and they did every day.

Ashby's apples and shade from his large branches attracted the children from the nearby town to come and picnic under Ashby. The apples were too high for the children to pick, so sometimes Ashby would release a few apples for the children, by shaking his ranches, to eat and enjoy. Scarlet also loved eating Ashby’s apples and the big fat juicy worms that often decided to enjoy them too, after they had fallen onto the ground or were rotting on the ground. There was plenty of food for everyone!

Scarlet had once been a lost little bird that had left her nest when she was just a little tiny bird. One day she had taken a rest on Ashby’s branch.

“Hello there.” Ashby had greeted her; “I’ve never seen you around here before.”

“Hello,” Scarlet greeted back, out of breath from flying so much. “My name is Scarlet. Do you mind if I take a break from flying and rest on your branch?” Scarlet asked.

“Feel free to.” Ashby smiled. “My name is Ashby. Would you like to enjoy one of my fresh apples or would you like a rotten apple with a big fat juicy worm?”

“Nice to meet you Ashby. Oh I would love to have a big fat juicy worm. I am so hungry!” Scarlet exclaimed.

“There has been a worm living in this rotten apple over here.” Ashby shook one his branches. “He’s been eating the apple from the inside out and getting fatter by the day.”

Scarlet flew down to the rotten apple and found the big fat juicy worm. He was a fat worm too, just like Ashby had told her. After feasting on the big fat juicy worm, Scarlet thanked Ashby.

“That was a delicious worm, but I shall be on my way now.” Scarlet told Ashby.

“Do you have a home Scarlet?” Ashby asked.

Scarlet thought for a moment. All she had been doing was flying from tree to tree to rest. She hadn’t found a permanent home yet. “No, I don’t have a home.”

“Would you like to live here with me?” Ashby asked.

Scarlet looked around and said, “I would love to!”

Scarlet immediately began building a nest and soon, the nest was finished. The nest was on top of Ashby’s head and looked just like a straw top hat!

“Well now, that is the finest looking nest I have ever seen before!” Ashby shouted up to Scarlet.

“It is isn’t it?” Scarlet smiled and said, very pleased with herself. “I think I will go inside and take a nap.” Then she paused, “Well, after I eat a big fat juicy worm first.” Scarlet and Ashby both laughed.

Timmy Gets Sunburn and Discovers the Aloe Plant

One day, there were three children picnicking under Ashby. Their names were Nick, Timmy and Eric. The sun was so bright that day that Timmy soon became red with sunburn because he forgot to wear sun block.

Ashby noticed that Timmy was crying and asked him what was wrong.

“My skin is burning and it hurts and I can’t go and play with Nick and Eric.” He answered Ashby as he cried.

Ashby then thought for a moment. Scarlet had overhead Timmy and said, “I know just the remedy!”

Timmy asked Ashby what does remedy mean.

“A remedy is something that will make it feel better, so it won’t hurt so much.” Ashby explained to Timmy.

“Oh!” Timmy explaimed, “That would be perfect!”

Scarlet flew over to the nearby Aloe plant named Al and asked Al, "Hello Al, can I pick some of your aloe leaves? One of the children are sunburned and needs the aloe for their skin."

Al replied, "Why certainly Scarlet, there are some really juicy ones on the right you may have." Scarlet picked the aloe leaves and flew back to the children that were picnicking under Ashby.

Scarlet dropped the aloe leaves on the children's blanket. Timmy picked up the leaves and Ashby told him, "squeeze the leaves and rub the aloe onto your skin. That will help stop the burning from your sunburn."

You can read the rest of this story from any of the major book sellers, or also at http://www.vincestead.com or http://www.fun2readbooks.com You can also listen to it in Audio.