2015 buyer's roundup

So, I have read many reviews of 2015, ranging from best movies to worst Trump quotes. We are in the process of making some changes in the house, both minor and major, and so have been doing more than our fair share of adding to the economy. We usually do consult customer reviews of products we are considering, but if I have friends who have experience with certain items, so much the better. And every now and then, something exceeds expectations, always a pleasant surprise.

In no particular order, here are my favorite purchases of 2015:

Our 4K 55" television. I had no intention of replacing the flat-screen Vizio that still seems new to me until our neighbor and friend mentioned that her husband was having trouble seeing their tv because of vision problems and she wanted to get him a new bigger screen for Christmas. She was going to opt for what seemed like a super deal, but involved an unknown brand. We decided to do a swap and give her our tv, a 42-inch HD that was five years old and hopefully has some good hours left in it and replace it with the new set. I didn't think I would notice the difference, but it is amazing. There is almost a three-dimensionality to the picture, and it amazes me every time I turn it on. P. S. Costco rocks!

Revlon paddle brush dryer. I am still enjoying long hair, which might seem strange unless you know how short my hair was for 20 years. It has just enough wave to be annoying, but not enough to make it  beautifully curly. I use a keratin treatment and a smoothing shampoo, and I was drying it with a regular dryer and a round brush. I spotted an ad for this dryer and thought it might be worth a try. It does exactly what I want it to with my hair and saves me time, space in the bathroom drawer and is much easier to use. 

Pre-lit Christmas tree. We held out, always taking pride in not replacing something unnecessarily, but there it was in Costco, with its switchable lights and remote control. We took the plunge, and I must say that the 10 minutes it took to assemble (as opposed to two hours), was worth every penny. 

Water-Pik water flosser. I have always had a problem with accumulating plaque, and that is probably enough said. After my last dental checkup, which included the half-hour of scraping and other indignities, I decided that see if the Water-Pik would make a difference. Costco (hmm, they should pay me!) had one which included a smaller travel unit, so I have been able to use it every night except during our trip to England, and I think it is making a difference. I will know at my next checkup, and just like the Christmas tree thing, the les time spent doing that the better.

Apple Watch. You all saw this one coming, right? As David Pogue said, no one "needs" one of these, but I decided to treat myself last spring and have not regretted it. It has helped in exactly the ways I hoped it would. I can discreetly check incoming calls when I am at meetings, I can see who is calling when I am on the bike, and in a pinch, answer. It can check emails quickly and track my daily exercise and activity, and I can even make it tap my wrist every time the score changes in a Penguins game.

So, for what it is worth, those are y thoughts about those particular items. Sad, in a way, that we are so surprised when something turns out to be worth it, but hey. Better than the other way around.