HGG Community Forums

CWScowgirl87 · Jan 19, 2018 10:14 PM

Germany! It's so funny because I never even thought about Germany. I only knew that my great-grandparents lived there.

KingsCrossing · Jan 19, 2018 10:30 PM

omg thank you so much !!! and omg i love Smart Little Doc Lena thats definitely her new name. thank you so much

horsey2 · Jan 20, 2018 3:24 AM

My project is a little bay miniature pony named Millie, I am training her for my auntie's kids, she is a bit of a handful but I'll get there eventually.
By the way @BlueValley that artwork is stunning and is probably one of my favourites now, thanks for sharing it
ID-36894 (*)

hiddenvfarm · Jan 20, 2018 4:15 AM

My new year's resolution started right after Thanksgiving. I finally am looking wieght. And I know everyone tried for this but it's a big deal to me. I am obese and it runs in my family. I have wanted to try for a very long time but haven't really had the money to eat healthy. And with my crazy schedule most days I am gone 12 hours. I also live alone. So it's hard to cook for one and it's been cheaper and easier to stop and get a $3 pizza then to buy food for a good meal. My bosses wife pulled me aside and expressed concern for my health in the future. I am very healthy now except extremely obese. She offered to help me and I am ashamed to admit but she offered to pay for my groceries and help me. Well I am down 60 pounds since Thanksgiving and feel so good. I have a long way to go still but am still going strong. It's a lifestyle change for me. I am so grateful for an amazing blss and someone who truly cares and appreciates what I do. Money has been really tight and without them I couldn't be where I am. That's why I love this game so much. I don't have to worry about how much money I have because here I can help other players and also afford what I want. A very very special thanks to you Cheers for all your advice and guidance. I could never be where I am today without you.
Just my story. Not entering:)

Beadingterri · Jan 20, 2018 4:23 AM

I made 2 New Year's resolutions. The first is to buckle down and open up my Etsy stores. I have been searching for just the right patterns and I have started my crocheted pieces as well as my beaded pieces. I am currently designing a set of dreamcatchers that use both crocheting and beading.
My second resolution is to go completely through all of my horses and do a lot of gelding, spaying and culling. I am slowly getting that accomplished.

hiddenvfarm · Jan 20, 2018 4:42 AM

Terri that's wonderful. I love dream catchers!
And I also share the resolution with the horses. Mine mainly is to go through and Mark what generation. I am making sure to mark my foals. Well at least my intact ones. I work off a phone and it's very difficult to keep going back a page. Wouldn't be bad but I have like 1000 or more to name and I keep putting off.

best friend · Jan 20, 2018 5:19 AM

14374

I don't do resolutions really but something I am working on is a challenge. I am a part of a group on FB where the challenge is 1 horse, 30 rides, and 40 horsemanship hours.
12 weeks to do this. We started January 8th.

I am doing the challenge with my 7 year old paint/pony cross Caddo. I am working mostly on our horsemanship. I have a fear of being in the saddle because of my accident 6 years ago.

Caddo is a sorrel and white paint. He stands 15 3 or 16 hands. He is a very comical horse and I was thankful to bring him home again. I foaled him back on May 18, 2010. He is so amazing and wants to please. He came home in March of last year.

Getting back to the challenge I have 2/30 rides on him. No I didn't mount his back but one ride I put my foot in the stirrup. My other ride I stood on a bucket and leaned across his back on both sides. He is very accepting of my shortfalls with him.

For me I enjoy our horsemanship on the ground better. We are doing showmanship and halter. We practice for fun with hopes to show him sometime this year. We have put in 15/40 hours for horsemanship so far for the challenge.

I do this challenge every year to motivate me to get outside and do something with the horses in this cold Kentucky winter.

best friend · Jan 20, 2018 5:22 AM

I am proud of you hidden. Keep up the great work.

Skylight · Jan 20, 2018 5:58 AM

20418

To finish started projects. I'm super good about starting projects and getting them mostly finished and then I start something else. Even when I painted my house. There are small places that still need paint!

My biggest project to finish is a shed for my Atv and Lawn mower. I have one half of it mostly done. Meaning its use able but not finished lol. I have another section that I am planning to add on. So I have one bay to use as a work shop, one bay for the mower, and the next section will be for the atv and storing stuff that is rarely used. Also willl have to figure out how to get my horse carts in there and hung from the ceiling.

On top of that I've been working a lot trying to save up money for land clearing so my little ponies can have pasture one day..

RunFarAway · Jan 20, 2018 6:40 AM

@Cheers, I don't think it has anything to do with 30th birthdays, I stopped doing resolutions as a preteen! Haha

Earlier this week though I came to an agreement with a coworker who's a swimmer but wants to work on his running. He had mentioned that his calves were really tight after the runs he had been going on. Being a 7 year competitive distance runner, but a nonrunner for the last several years due to injuries, I mentioned a return to running program strategy. Then I actually sat down and wrote out the running program and physical therapy program I would have to do to get back to running myself. The therapy part takes about an hour to an hour and a half to complete before I can even think about running a mile (1600m for our metric friends). So now I'll be giving him tips on running (he's going to do the whole thing with me) and he's supposed to hold me accountable to the workouts. Our goal is to run a 5k approximately 12 weeks after we start the program.

Timber · Jan 20, 2018 6:54 AM

15019

I gave on resolutions too. But I do plan on getting a few projects done this year. The one I'm hoping to finally jump into is to get into voice acting.

When my nephew was a baby I would entertain him by making animal noises. I found it great fun too so I continued to actually practice at it and try doing different voices when reading books. Eventually I watched Aladdin and discovered the incredible talents of Robin Williams. It was a major mind blower because I heard him and it hit me: "someone is making a living doing this nonsense!"

Fast toward to drama class and my teacher would challenge us to read scripts in different styles. Ever try reading Death of a Salesman as Peewee Herman? I did. Read Shakespeare as a valley girl? No problem.

Now as a cashier, I've had many people tell me that I should get into it. Not only because apparently I have a pleasant voice but I entertain myself by making funny noises and voices at my coworkers. No that i have a little money and some breathing room, I'm going to go ahead a spring for a microphone and sound setup soon. Nothing fancy, just something to get me started.

ElementalStables · Jan 20, 2018 7:52 AM

28079

No resolution, but I'm working on a couple of reading goals this year. I want to read at least 52 books (shouldn't be a problem - I set the goal last year but didn't start until August and read almost 50, so I should be good for 52 this year). I also am part of 2 reading challenges - one sets 50 prompts for books I have to read and has a monthly group read pick, and the other sets 3 books to read a month. I want to finish all 50 prompts from the first challenge, and read all of the group reads for the two groups (4 books a month).

So far it's being a bit slow - I've picked up all 4 of January's group reads from the library, and have started 3 of those. I'm about half way through one and the other two I'm still in the beginning of. It's been a slow start because I'm having a hard time getting into the books - that's one of the issues with doing reading challenges or group picks, sometimes you just don't engage with the books or it takes a while to get into. But I figure that's also the benefit - you read books you otherwise wouldn't have!

Otherwise however I'm on track for my 52 books this year as I completed 3 in the first week (from books I'd previously taken from the library that are more to my usual taste and therefore I read through quickly because I was really into them). Once I finish the month's group reads, I'm going to pick up February's group reads along with 2-3 of the next books in the series I was in the middle of so that I'll have some reads I KNOW I'll love around as well.

I'll be happy if I just finish all the challenges (52 books read total, read for all 50 prompts,, and read all the monthly group reads), but ideally I'd finish the two challenges completely separately, aka not counting the 3 monthly group reads from the second challenge as filling any of the 50 prompts, meaning I'd have to read 50 books for the first challenge and 36 books for the second challenge for a total of at least 86 books this year. We'll see how it goes though!

RoseFlute · Jan 20, 2018 8:13 AM

Cheers, you always do the coolest contests. I'm not entering, but there's a painting in the Boston Museum of Fine Art that I always visit whenever I go, and it'd be a shame if it never made it into this thread. It's ten feet tall!:

MF3 · Jan 20, 2018 10:12 AM

25925
My project this year is my mare. I really want to get her jumping more consistently and maybe even jumping at a few shows, I also want to hang out with her more like trail riding or playing or giving her a massage

RubyJoFarm · Jan 20, 2018 10:32 AM

My new years resolution is to simply join a gym and stick with it. I joined two weeks ago. I go three times a week. It's a program called Killer Kurves by Dustin Maher (he's been on TV a lot). It's a group 12 week program targeting women with curves. Their target is for women who have over 50# to lose, or are very much out of shape.

The thing that hit me the hardest, out of everything was that my RESTING PULSE RATE is sitting at about 95. That's terribly frightening as someone who works in health care.

I'm currently at 283#, we did before pictures, measurements, and I currently thoroughly enjoy going. Some days it's hard to get into the groove of the workout, but there's nothing like pushing through the last few minutes of a work out and letting a whoop out with your fellow group pals.

Cheers · Jan 20, 2018 6:09 PM

I’m super excited for everyone’s resolutions and projects! A few more hours left to enter today’s contest.

@ElementalStables your project sounds particularly interesting to me. Like you, I’m an avid reader but often have trouble getting out of my rut of just a few tried and true authors. I’d love to join one or the other of your groups to help expand my horizons if it’s not too late. Can you get me more information?

MoonAcre Stables · Jan 20, 2018 6:40 PM

7731 -

I never make resolutions lol but this year (I'm still not calling it a resolution :)) ) I want to continue working on myself, meet a few goals that have needed to be met for a while now. Break two of my miniatures to cart and my quarter horse under saddle. I'm really hoping to add at least one horse to the crew and looking for the perfect boyfriend for my mare hoping to breed her for a 2019 baby but may need to wait one more year we shall see. Also to try lots of new things, learn a lot and be happy!

And I feel pretty confident that I'll stick to them as best as I can lol

Cheers · Jan 20, 2018 10:50 PM

Timber, I think you have the most interesting project of the year! Congratulations! I wish everyone luck on all their projects and resolutions. You are all amazing people with great perseverance! You can do it!

Day 5 Topic

Ok, this is a classic for a reason. A two part question for you all!

If you could invite 5 people to dinner, anyone alive or dead but only real people, who would you invite? And, what would you eat?

I would invite my husband, my dad (who we lost a few years ago, much too early), Ernest Hemingway because he lived a fascinating life and likes a good rum, Cate Blanchett because she’s one of my favorite actresses and seems to have figured out how to be famous and real at the same time, and Catherine the Great of Russia, a powerful woman who was also a great patron of the arts.

I would serve my steak salad, a tried and true summer dinner salad, along with an herbed focaccia. I would make my basil and lime iced green tea which pairs nicely with white rum. And I would finish with my spiced peach pie because the peaches are at peak right now and fresh ginger whipped cream. And more rum, some Dos Maderas Luxus 15 year aged rum I’m quite fond of.

horsey2 · Jan 20, 2018 11:06 PM

I would invite my grandmother, my mother, my father, My great grandfather because my grandmother tells us heaps of interesting stories about him and I would love to hear more (passed away) & my great grandmother because she is really nice and spoiled us as children (passed away)
I would cook salmon with salad and pasta, I would serve all sorts of drinks for example: Juice, lemonade, wine, ginger beer, ect for desert I would make chocolate mouse with real whipped cream and all sorts of delicious berrys as well as more chocolate ( because chocolate is amazing!)

Timber · Jan 21, 2018 6:32 AM

Thank you Cheers!

MontesqueStables · Jan 21, 2018 7:27 AM

39127

If I could invite 5 people for dinner it would be a really random grouping. I should like to invite Queen Victoria; her tenacity is truly amazing, Harry "The Flying Dutchman"; because I think I could learn a great deal from him, my grandparents; because they have passed on, and Tommy Turvey; because I have friends who have met him and say hes a real character, but I would love to learn about how he made it as a trick trainer without being in hollywood to start with.

We would go out to eat. :') I cannot cook to save my life!

CWScowgirl87 · Jan 21, 2018 7:44 AM

I would invite my grandfather, because I am fascinated by history as told by those who lived it firsthand, and while he was alive I didn't listen to him tell stories as much as I wish I would have (since I lived across the country from him most of my life). He was born in 1924 and remembered growing up during the Great Depression. I would also invite Thomas and Emily, more of my ancestors - they were my grandmother's great-grandparents. I share Emily's name, and for some reason I like the sound of the two of them and I think I would like to have known them. The only thing we know about them is that they lived in America, the only line in my dad's family that didn't come from Germany fairly recently, and we can trace them all the way back to the war of 1812. I would invite my greatuncle Paul, my grandmother's favorite brother, who died on Iwo Jima defending America when he was 24. I dearly wish I knew more about the lives of my ancestors, if you can't tell. :) Lastly, I would invite a very good friend of mine who lives in England. She's lovely and I don't get to see her much. :)
I would have this dinner during the summer, so we could have lots of fresh garden things. I'd make grilled chicken seasoned with salt, pepper, and olive oil. I would serve it with salad made from iceberg and romaine lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, radishes, and carrots, all from the garden, with red wine vinegar for dressing. To round it out I'd add roasted carrots and parsnips, and raspberry sweet tea. For dessert I would make my grandmother's chocolate cake with fresh strawberries, raspberries, and chocolate syrup. My grandfather ate mostly from his large garden he grew every year. My friend from England eats very healthy, and I imagine all the ancestors did as well, living in their time. But - I believe they all like their dessert. ;)

16853

RipshinCreekFarm · Jan 21, 2018 8:58 AM

I would invite my husband, my husband's bonne maman, who passed before I met my husband, and his family tells me that we had a lot in commom. My meemaw, who passed several years ago, because I miss and would love to talk to her one more time. Shaquille O' Neal, because he seems like a cut up to talk to. And then I would have Queen Elizabth ll, because she seems like she would be an interesting person to talk to (the fact that she is a horsewoman is a bonus).

I would serve a roasted pork loin, with roasted butternut, turnips, carrots and parsnips. Seared brussel sprouts and onions, topped with crispy bacon, a crunchy kale and cabbbage salad dressed with vinagarette, and summer squash casserole. Cornbread dressing would round it out, all served family style.Scupplin wine for those that wanted it, and raspberry mint sweet tea for those that didn't. Dessert would be homemade vanilla ice cream with a blackberry liquor. Just about everything would either come from my garden, or from my "brew cabinet", or from our own stock, which is something I hope my meemaw would appreciate, since she was one of the people who taught me so much.

ElementalStables · Jan 21, 2018 9:06 AM

28079

I would invite my grandmother (passed away when I was 7), Julius Caesar and Cleopatra VII (my two favorite historical figures - I've always been obsessed with the Classical era and these two are just so fascinating!), and then the Prime Minister and Attorney General of Canada. I'm almost a lawyer in Canada and there are so many issues with the system that could be easily remedied if the leaders of the country would just listen for a few minutes and then make some changes lol.

I'd serve spaghetti - no one dislikes spaghetti! - with garlic bread, a Cesar salad, and strawberry daiquiris (my favorites!). I'd serve caramel pecan cheesecake with vanilla ice cream for dessert along with liquered coffee or tea.

SeldomSeen · Jan 21, 2018 1:07 PM

26465

I would invite my great-grandparents. I only ever met one, the others died before I was born. It would be awesome to hear all the random family stories they have. Especially on my dad's side but it would be nice to hear closer to the source. And then I would invite Eva Duerte, I just really want to learn who she really was and not all the propaganda on both sides.

I would serve a simple kale Caesar salad to start. Kale, shredded Parmesan, croutons and Caesar salad dressing. And then chili. I rarely make the same chili twice, lol. I think this chili would be an extra protein chili. Take a pork loin, or roast or chops or something along those lines and marinade in Jack Daniels and then throw in a pressure cooker to shred, marinade a beef something in a lime-chipolte sauce and slow roast until it shreds. In a skillet heat up some oil and cook some minced onion, add ground turkey and minced garlic and brown. Add all the meat to a stock pot with a sweet potato soup base, several different kinds of beans, tomato sauce and tomato paste, some diced tomatoes and my super secret chili blend(hint:it contains a lot of cumin!) Makes a super thick chili. Serve with cheese, saltines and tortilla chips. I'd make some corn muffins too. Jiffy box, can of condensed milk and too eggs. Add cream of corn for delicious cornbread pudding. For desert a butter cake with honey buttercream icing. So essentially butter. It's a literal heart-stopping meal, but it's a once and a lifetime opportunity.

Skylight · Jan 21, 2018 3:57 PM

I'd invite Adam, Noah, Moses, Ruth, and Boaz. It would be great to hear about life in the Bible times.

I'd serve a huge batch of French Fries and for desert, Ice Cream. :D

Neigh · Jan 21, 2018 5:11 PM

I'd invite my Mum, my Dad, my Grandmother who is also horse crazy, my Pop who was adopted and was in WW2 he died because of lung cancer after he survived the war and my Great Grandmother who spoiled us as kids so rotten it was hilarious

I would cook Rubarb cake and make pizza I'd also make ham and cheese pasteries, there would be coffee for the adults and hot chocolate with marshmellows there would also be some cold drinks like apple juice, orange juice for dessert I'd make pavlova (yum) I would make a gingerbread house and choc coated ice cream.
:) I'd also make carrot cake for the horses

Cheers · Jan 21, 2018 9:37 PM

Congratulations to Elemental Stables! That sounds like a super interesting dinner and I can’t quite shake the mental picture of Justin Trudeau, Julius Caesar (who in my mental image looks surprisingly like George Clooney in a toga and olive leaf crown) and Cleopatra talking politics and law. I would definitely enjoy being at that dinner!

Day 6 Topic

Ok, we are getting down the pointy end now!

Today, I want to tell me one of two things. Either tell me about the most recent new thing that you read and would recommend that someone else read—can be a new publication or a new to you publication. I’m looking for a book/short story/play/essay. Title and author, a short synopsis and why you liked it. I would like this to be something you read in the last few months.

Alternatively, if you don’t have something you recommend or if your mind is deserting you for title or author, just tell me the last thing you read and what you thought—any media here including a news article. Again, I need title and author, a short synopsis and what you thought.

Over Christmas holidays I read Janet Evanovich’s most recent Stephanie Plum novel, Hardcore 24. These books are fluffy mystery/action novels with a side of extremely hot men to spice things up a little. This one was just as funny and fast paced as the last few, packed with zombies, a boa constrictor on the loose, Lula’s eye popping outfits and Grandma’s new long distance boyfriend. These are perfect beach reads and I loved this one just as much as the 23 before it.

I also just started Dan Brown’s new book, Origin, and the first few chapters have me sucked in again. In fact, I think I’m going back to it instead of culling foals for an hour like I really should....

So what are you reading?

horsey2 · Jan 21, 2018 10:17 PM

I love books so, so much! For Christmas I got a series called Throne of glass by Sarah J Maas. It is amazing. it's full of magical creatures, assassins, queens, kings, princes, demons, princesses it is just full of surprises. I love it!

Neigh · Jan 22, 2018 4:42 AM

I read dork diaries they are about teen girl she has a hard life with her family and mean girls at school she has a crush somehow this helps me with my life plus they are funny books full of entries and pictures I try to read all the books they are just awesome. They are wrote by Rachel Renée-Russell I love these books series!

RunFarAway · Jan 22, 2018 5:05 AM

The most recent read I have finished is The King's Curse by Philippa Gregory. I've probably mentioned her before because I find her to be a brilliant author. Her most well known work is The Other Boleyn Girl. She writes historical fiction for the War of Roses and Tudor periods. These time periods are interesting on their own, but Gregory adds a new twist by telling the story from the women who's husbands or sons are on the throne.

This particular book is slightly different as it is told from the perspective of the woman given guardianship of Prince Arthur of Wales and also Catalina, Katherine of Aragon upon their marriage. She's also the surviving, at the time, daughter of Edward Duke of York. The book follows her life through to her death as the oldest person beheaded by Henry VIII.

This is the last book so far in the Cousin's War series and overlaps with the Tudor Court series. Gregory brings some light to the rich inner lives of women at court, an area generally overlooked by historians of the past. You can't go wrong with anything by her. In fact I started another called The Constant Princess which focuses on Queen Katherine of Aragon.

ZefSoFresStables · Jan 22, 2018 5:14 AM

27897
Oh boy, I love books lol!
My most favorite author is Neil Gaiman and I would recommend any of his novels or story collections, they are amazing! For this contest I will stick to the item I received for Christmas, my own hardback copy of Instructions. This is a prose poem, of what to do if you ever were to find yourself in a fairy tale, but with a bit of imagination and interpretation you can find some great instructions for life! The simple water color illustrations are beautiful and complement the text wonderfully. My favorite bit may be: "trust those who you have helped to help you in turn, trust ghosts, and trust your story."

SeldomSeen · Jan 22, 2018 7:52 AM

26465

My favorite author is Terry Pratchett but I'm not going to talk about his books because nothing I say could completely explain how good his books are.

Instead I'll tell you about the last series I read. Bobiverse by Dennis E. Taylor, starts with We are Legion. The book is about a software engineer who almost immediately after signing up to be cryogenically frozen upon his death dies in a freak accident. He "wakes up" a century later as a computer program and told that he is being trained to pilot a space ship to distant solar systems where he will replicate himself and if possible set up colonies for Earth the humans some of his copies will bring back. Chaos of course ensues.

Do you like political intrigue? A bit of slice of life? Some moral philosophication? Hefty dose of Star Trek like sci-fi and post apocalyptic future?

Pretty awesome world building, descent character building and a bit of existential crisis thrown in make these books a roller-coaster of a ride to read.

Painted Dreams · Jan 22, 2018 9:26 AM

ID: 12695
I love this topic! Just yesterday I finished The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. I loved it! It was one of the most beautiful books I have ever read. The way she described the tents in the circus is magical. Her writing makes you feel as if you are in the circus with Celia, Marco, and Bailey. There is even a part of the book written in second person to immerse you in the story line. It is the only book she has written and I am dying for her to write another. It is a must read for fantasy lovers, romance lovers, and sci-fi lovers alike.

Cheers · Jan 22, 2018 1:47 PM

Great recommendations so far! Keep them coming, y’all!

ConvivialityFarm · Jan 22, 2018 2:20 PM

26956
Ok, it's not necessarily new, but I recently read Me Before You by Jojo Moyes. I absolutely loved it! I'm not going to spoil the book in case you haven't read it, but the end was so sad but sweet as well. If you like that book, the sequel is After You. I liked the first one much better, but the second one was still pretty good!

RubyJoFarm · Jan 22, 2018 3:12 PM

24891

Mine is not new either, but there is a series by Paullina Simons. I love The Bronze Horseman. I was hooked. Then I figured out that it was a trilogy. Tatiana and Alexander, and then The Summer Garden.

It's a story based in Russia during WWII that essentially starts as a love affair. I can't even really describe what it's about without giving it all away.

MontesqueStables · Jan 22, 2018 8:06 PM

I no longer read due to my busy schedule. (I'm currently multi-tasking watching the only show I make time to watch and eating dinner)
However the last audiobook I listened to was The Death Cure, I don't remember the author. (Maze Runner #3) With the new movie coming out I wanted to check out the series, and honestly I didn't know what else to try.
I found the book to be quite interesting, mimicking the trapped feeling I have with my crazy schedule. As such I really related to the group as they struggle to jump through the necessary hoops and eventually plan to win their freedom. If you watched the past movies do not compare them to the book. So much of the book is mental games played on the characters that the movie practically is a different story.
39127

wendolyne · Jan 22, 2018 8:30 PM

21753
I just saw this so I hope I am not to late to get my entry in for the last time.
I Love reading all sexy, explicit, and hot romance books that are stand alone with a happy ending.There are so many writers that I love to choose from that it is hard to choose just one. But I will just pick out of the top of my head.
Author- Tia Siren
The Baby Maker-
Sexy, hot man needs money so he starts his own business by making women pregnant that can't get pregnant any other way.He of course is very fertile and gives them the best sex they ever had.His ex-girlfriend want to get pregnant so she emails him.The rest is as these books usually go.
I am not the best person to write these this but heck i will give it a go.

Cheers · Jan 22, 2018 10:41 PM

RubyJo, congratulations! In the end I had to get my husband to just pick a number on this one. All of these books sound interesting to read and I hope you all got some new ideas for your reading list this year! I have added most of these books to my list!

Now, what to do for day 7? Well, this is another classic for a reason.

Day 7 Topic! Last Day!

If you won $1million in the lottery tomorrow (or the rough equivalent in whatever your native currency is), what would you spend it on? Please assume the money is tax free.

I would buy a house first. We like the area where we live now but it would be awesome to buy instead of rent. And then I’m sure I’d need to spend some more on renovations to get the perfect kitchen, and some landscaping. Adopt a second dog. Travel a little more. Pay off debt. Buy a second car so my husband and I don’t have to share. Probably also sell our current car and buy something more suited to my driving needs (mainly enough room to have people in the back seat and big dogs in the way back!). Put some savings aside for us, and also some away for the kids in our lives. And do some charitable contributions to organizations we like and trust. Heifer International is a favorite. Probably start an Angel Fund for my clinic as well if there is anything left!

Hope you’re all hearing one or another version of “If I Had A Million Dollars” floating through your head!

CWScowgirl87 · Jan 22, 2018 10:51 PM

16853
The very first thing I would do is throw out all the clothes that I am keeping but don't really like (ie all of them) and buy all new ones, for my family as well. Next I would buy plane tickets for my entire family to Germany. Once we got there... well, I'd probably start off by grabbing some coffee at one of those European coffee shops that I'm dying to go back to. Then I'd buy a house and a car. The house would have a splendid view of the city or fields - preferably fields but I'd take either. Also it would have a cozy living room, and a cute but functional kitchen with a window over the sink. After gathering my thoughts for a few days (and letting it sink in that I actually live in Germany) I would adopt some rescued cats. An indefinite amount. And donate to animal rescues! I would also donate to as many orphanages as I reasonably could. After I did all that I would travel the world. I would also set aside a pretty good chunk to help out anyone that crossed my path in life that needed it.

horsey2 · Jan 23, 2018 1:40 AM

36894
The first thing I would do is buy a house with lots of paddocks and some stables, maybe. Then I would buy more horses (of course), an Australian Shepard & Golden Retriever, I would also pay off some loans and with what's left I would probably divide it between animal shelters and organisations☺️

NorthernStars · Jan 23, 2018 3:23 AM

21170
If I won a dollars I would spend some of it on going to vet school in the UK (where I live) instead of having to save up for years and then study in Bulgaria, it would be great as I'm not really looking forward to going to the other side of Europe, but I can't afford vet school in the UK.
Then presuming I cant actually pass vet school I would use some more money to move over to America for 3 years, the first year I'd hopefully be able to intern at rood and riddle (it's a bit of a pipe dream of mine to work there), then I would find a residency program to become an equine theriogenologist.
The rest of the money I would split in half, half would be given to charity (meningitis now and asthma UK and I would use the other half to travel, depending on how much is left I would definitely go to Italy as that's always been a dream of mine, I'd also like to go a safari and to Yellowstone national park (I love love love photographing wildlife though I'm terrible at it).

Dinascar · Jan 23, 2018 5:11 AM

I think with 1 million dollars I could retire early. Effectively buy time...
Pay that last bit of mortgage off and I could spend those days with my animals. We work so hard to keep horses but then don't get the time to spend with them. My dog would love it if I was at home/at the stables all day with him as well. Also that would give me the time to grow that vegetable/fruit patch up at the stables/land we keep the horses at. Simple things really. :)

RunFarAway · Jan 23, 2018 7:39 AM

Honestly I would lock a large chunk of it away in long term investment strategies that are not particularly high risk. I would pay off what few debts I do have and keep a small amount available in savings to live on during my upcoming unpaid internship. The rest would be donated primarily to cancer research hospitals where members of my faily have received treatments for Multiple Myeloma, Pancreatic and Childhood brain cancers. Smaller donations to athletics or specific academic programs would also be made to schools and institutions which I have attended.

SeldomSeen · Jan 23, 2018 7:58 AM

26465

My youngest is one of those "million dollar" babies that's just leaching off of the taxpayers, so as you may imagine she has a lot of hospital bills. Luckily most of them have been taken care of by insurance/medicaid/SSD and the hospital itself but I still have plenty for her to catch up on. Also the only thing she can eat in large enough quantity to continue growing is pediasure. That stuff gets expensive fast and I'm not sure what help we would lose if 1mil suddenly fill into our lap. I think the best course to take care of that though is to set up a trust fund explicitly for her to help defray her cost of care. Then I might set aside some money in trust funds for each of my other kids that they won't be able to access until they are 25. I would invest a good chunk of it to live off interest. We currently have a mortgage but instead of paying it off I would fix up the house and rent it out for a little bit more than my mortgage and then move to a tiny home(with everyone else) on some land and homestead. Raise sheep mainly as I spin and knit/crochet. Maybe a cow or two and CHICKENS! Spend my days gardening, maybe with enough surplus to go to farmer markets to sell my fresh heirloom veges, flowers and yarn.

This is literally something I fantasize about daily, lol. Whenever the lottery hits the triple digits(100mil) I play, even though I know the chances of me winning are nil.

Appleboots · Jan 23, 2018 9:17 AM

I would buy a house slightly out of the city with maybe 10 acres and a little barn area. Id also finally get a truck and trailer so I can haul my horse around instead of hitching rides from friends. Id definitely have to get my husband a horse as well and it would HAVE to be some kind of big draft. Since I miss living in the country, I'd probably get 2 cows, a few goats, and a ton of chickens since I miss having those the most. I might get some bees too because I love local honey and it would be way easier to have my own. Or id splurge and buy a huge house with a guest house and make my grandparents come live with us and I'd buy them horses too so we could all go out on family trail rides. My husband and I fantasize about this stuff a lot but it would be really difficult since we're still so young and he's in the military. We don't really get a chance to live anywhere long enough to buy a cute little farmette like we want.

AHayesHorses · Jan 23, 2018 9:40 AM

4344

If i won a million dollars, the very first thing I'd buy is a tractor with a front end loader, closed in cab, and snowblower attachment for my dad. Lol he's been asking for/wanting one for years but because of us darned kids and our college debt he probably won't be able to ever get one... But literally every year we ask him what he wants for Christmas of his birthday and that's what he asks for. I wish so bad i could get him one. After that, i would buy my dream horse (5-8 year old Leopard Appaloosa gelding trained up to Level 2 Dressage). I have been wanting my own horse for so long that I'm starting to resent riding my sister's horse/s... I just want to be able to have a horse to be just mine. Then finally, after all that is said and done, i would pay off as much of my family's student debt. I'd save whatever's left :) (I'd also probably create my ultimate dream horse on this game too!)

Cheers · Jan 23, 2018 7:44 PM

Bump! An hour left!

Cheers · Jan 23, 2018 9:29 PM

This one was one of the hardest to judge because you all came at the question from different perspectives. I hope you all get to make those dreams come true some day. AHayes yours particularly hit me hard and I desperately wish I had a tractor I could send your dad! But my winner is @CWScowgirl87 because I know exactly what it’s like to pack up your life and move to a whole new country, the combination of excitement and fear, and the adventure that comes with the opportunity to totally remake yourself in a new place.

Sending you all lucky lottery numbers! I bought my tickets today...maybe this week is my week!

Members log in here:
Username:
Password:
By hitting the above you signify that you agree with our rules and conditions.
Forgot your password?

HGG Community Forums

Join our discord server!

Howdy, Stranger!

Categories

In this Discussion

Who's Online (0)

Join our discord server!

Enlarge Your Pastures

Reminders!