Doggie naughties and Goals

 This is Lucy saying : I'm sorry OK?

 This was her protest a few months ago :she was letting us know that she wanted to be let OUT of the kitchen...

 She has very strong teeth and had quite a good go at it as you can see.

 Then this Friday she emptied the bin standing in the kitchen, it was the bathroom bin and I had';t emptied it yet- was crocheting probably.

 Mess everywhere and she was VERY PROUD of herself.

 And also a bit sorry because she looked sheepish and then rolled over as an apology straightaway.

That aside: do you ever write a list or think about what you'd do if you won the lottery? Or just had or came into virtually unlimited amounts of money? I'm talking millions here, not thousands although everything is always very welcome, hundreds and twenties included!
List make that I am and diary or journal writer I have made many of such a list and it goes a bit - or a lot- like this:
First is always a big- ish house with character, high ceilings, huge windows, fireplaces and a VIEW.
Country view that is: hills and trees and maybe the sea as well for good measure.Mountains possibly and the view is across and down so you're on a hill, not upwards from a valley.
Then there's a limitless supply of wonderful wool, yarns of all sorts and fabrics etc, with a sewing room and a knitting machine room, crafts- room ( resin and dying and workshops possible for teaching) AND guest rooms, a swimming pool and fabulous gardens as well as all the rooms we have now, several bathrooms and a walk -in wardrobe room of course, with the same for the girls and a games room for JJ.
PERFECT STORAGE AND NO CLUTTER anywhere.
Funds to give to charities: Africa and Burma- in general- and cancer, Mc Millan, animal charities and children's charities and maybe be involved on the Board of a few charities.
Buy JJ his favourite car and have a nice little number myself, holidays for skiing and sunshine as well as adventurous/ exploring type  travel and go visit Australia and Maldives to mention a few on my wishlist.
The girls would have safe Volvo type cars once 18 and all Uni fees looked after.
Would I go back and do a Textiles degree? Would I stay to work in Public Health? Yes to both, doing them both part time AND I would still like to do research and a PhD as well.
How about research into the beneficial mental health effects of crocheting?!!! And maybe I could teach crochet all around the region free of charge to help anyone who would benefit and want to learn?
And I would have time to write that crochet book and maybe more than one and teach crochet in the week, at weekend courses and even on cruise ships?
If the main house doesn't have a sea view we'd need an escape cottage with a sea view and maybe one in somewhere nice and sunny like Turkey, France or Italy?
And invite lots of visitors, friends and the girls' friends and so on. And people who would benefit from a wee break in the sun and a bit of TLC or light pampering.
I'd be spoilt for choice as to where to sit with my crochet and an amazing view! Or with friends and family or people learning crochet...By a fireplace or in a chatty amiable group? Crochet as therapy like quilting bees in America?
And share the abundance with family , friends and so on as well of course but charities would be a priority.
Would we eat differently: maybe , a bit more organic, more fresh fruit, fruit out of season and lots of fresh vegetables, better quality food, less processed maybe.??? We could do more sports too, canoe-ing and ice skating, sailing and hiking and weekend trips to places to walk or visit and sightsee or visit friends. Or a combination of all 3. And horse riding for both girls?Definitely do Summer School every summer and Pitlochry winter school too and even go dancing internationally?!! Maybe even set up a scholarship fund so others could attend the same.
And I'd still be making and creating things as it's a core passion maybe even buy a plot of land and have our house built?! What fun! I'd still be sewing and machine knitting, dye-ing and crocheting and maybe have a few things sewn or machine knitted to my designs? Can we have someone help with the chores and the cooking while I swan around the country talking about ''happiness skills'' and how everyone should LEARN - at school preferably- that they are in charge of their feelings and can make themselves feel happy in the blink of an eye? And how to DO just that. Kids aren't taught that. And if I could get to the powers that be I would like to propose it as an essential life skill. Removes the need for mood influencers such as tobacco or alcohol or any other chemical. People would listen because you'd come across as successful, even ''powerful'' if there's abundant funds in evidence.
It's no good sitting at home in my study having all these ideas, somehow one has to make someone influential listen to you and not write you off as a lunatic.
We could get Miss Y some sleep therapy and keep both girls so busily active each weekend that they'd sleep earlier , deeper and better all week.
Would I give up work? Not as such, probably continue doing lots but wouldn;t need to be paid and that's a luxury! And would JJ carry on? I think we would but possibly in a slightly different way. We'd still want to help and make an impact somehow, a BENEFICIAL impact of course.
Go to lots of parties etc? NO! Not interested really unless there's dancing to be done or influencing people with ideas and policies for children and / or public health.( networking if you like or charity fundraising) Celebrities? Totally uninterested.
Champagne and other alcoholic beverages? Not interested, no that'd be no different.  Gives me a headache , give me a cuppa T instead. We would fly more and fly first class and wear better shoes and boots and possibly nicer jewellery but again only from a design point of view not for flash.
We could and would breed from Lucy and keep one or two and keep adding to our dogs - within reason- and Miss Y could have her pony or horse and stabling, lessons etc.
there's a NO to any plastic surgery though but maybe nice creams to keep the skin healthy and teeth correction and whitening and lovely hair cuts more regularly.
All the older stuff in my wardrobes that doesn't have sentimental value would be donated to Oxfam forthwith.
Would we change the girls' school? Unlikely unless they ask to do so perhaps. Would life be busier? Possibly! Would I go mad and have lots of Noro and Rowan and Debbie Bliss Silk or mohair?
And Colinette, maybe some more DK or aran cashmere yarn from Scotland or India?
Walk and talk, crochet and craft, sew and skate ( roller and ice), swim and ski, sing and dance: all the old favourites would be fully indulged in to keep body and mind fit and healthy.