Loydene
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,639 
Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico
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Post by Loydene on Jul 21, 2022 1:40:56 GMT
Our first vacation to Disney World - staying on site with park hopper tickets. It was great!
The "short" mini-van I purchased - it was a great car and perfect for our needs for in town, short and long trips. I think it was a Crysler? No longer sure about that part. It wasn't my "favorite" car, but it was worth the money.
My Mac desktop computer -- all of them since 1980 something!
First pair of "expensive" shoes - Keen Mary Jane - they were like walking on air! My back never hurt and they looked a lot better than athletic shoes. My first pair of FitFlops -- O.M.G. All "more expensive but more supportive" shoes since then - many more Keen, many more FitFlop, some Merrell, some Ecco -- generically "good" shoes!
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Post by papersilly on Jul 21, 2022 1:54:06 GMT
Kitchen Aid Mixer
Nespresso
Ipad
Iphone
FoodsaverTraeger Smoker ETA: Air Fryer
Xyron 1250 every Lexus vehicle we have ever owned I have everything that I bolded and love them all, especially the Nespresso and the Kitchen Aid mixer. The smoker is on my to-be-purchased list. I’m happy to see it on someone’s worth-every-penny list. You will love the Traeger! A word of advice, don't get the smallest size. Not worth it. You will be happy to have the extra space. We've smoked racks of ribs and chicken at the same time. DH wanted to start with the smaller size and I'm really glad I talked him into the larger (not largest) size. He's really happy he didn't get the smaller size now. |
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Post by scrappinmom3 on Jul 21, 2022 1:54:30 GMT
My kindle.
My central a/c.
My new window a/c in my bedroom.
My 2 woozoo fans. One at work and one at home.
And, my ceiling fans.
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Post by whipea on Jul 21, 2022 1:57:43 GMT
My current house
The Whippet
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mlana
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,523
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Post by mlana on Jul 21, 2022 2:14:01 GMT
C-pap machine - A good night’s sleep is priceless
My Apples - I upgraded everything but my phone last year and added a watch. My watch was a lifesaver earlier this year when DH came home after his stroke and fell several times. The buzzing on my wrist woke me up when the phone didn’t
My knock-off bed jet. A gift from DD, it lets me keep the house warmer at night so my family doesn’t freeze
Alexa- we use it for everything and my mom uses hers in her room for her lights. I use the Sleep sound app every night
Lift chairs - I bought 2 as gifts for Mom and DH, then bought a 3rd for Mom for the living room. After I moved DH’s to the basement, I bought one for me. The lift chair was cheaper than a plain recliner. Mine has lumbar support and a headrest which is perfect for a shorty
The best money I’ve spent was on my garden redo last year. I had a pro come in and tear out the honeysuckle and poison ivy and lay down landscape fabric and mulch. We’ve been replacing the old wooden beds with metal beds. The garden is both my exercise and mental health outlet. My mom and daughter and I have spent hours out there and hours watching the pictures on my Apple TV at night.
Dd gave me a drone for Mother’s Day so I can take footage of it
eta - I read the list to Mom and she reminded me of some things. Lol
Saeco Royal Professional espresso maker - a birthday gift more than 10 years ago, used for multiple shots a day. Probably saved me 100x its cost in Starbucks
SV and IP - I’m on my 2nd sous vide machine and I have 3 Instant Pots. We’ve been making tea in the IPs all summer. So good!
My van- I have a 2006 Honda Touring Edition. I bought it in 2016 with 140k+ miles on it. I’ve refreshed the interior with trips to the junkyard as needed. We’ve travelled across the country and up the country in it and it is so comfortable. The extendable foot pedals are awesome and there is plenty of room to spread out. Since it isn’t new I don’t freak out when something spills, we just clean it up and move on
Takeya 40oz insulated bottles. Perfect fit for the van’s cup holders and keeps ice in my drinks for 2 days
Marcy
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scrappinwithoutpeas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,901
Location: Northern Virginia
Member is Online
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Post by scrappinwithoutpeas on Jul 21, 2022 2:18:14 GMT
Our first vacation to Disney World - staying on site with park hopper tickets. It was great!The "short" mini-van I purchased - it was a great car and perfect for our needs for in town, short and long trips. I think it was a Crysler? No longer sure about that part. It wasn't my "favorite" car, but it was worth the money. My Mac desktop computer -- all of them since 1980 something! First pair of "expensive" shoes - Keen Mary Jane - they were like walking on air! My back never hurt and they looked a lot better than athletic shoes. My first pair of FitFlops -- O.M.G. All "more expensive but more supportive" shoes since then - many more Keen, many more FitFlop, some Merrell, some Ecco -- generically "good" shoes! Yes! I can't believe I forgot the whole travel category: * Like you, Loydene, we also splurged on park hopper tickets + staying on site all 3 times we've been to Disney - it was great and I would do it again in a heartbeat! The last time was with a large group of extended family where it made an even bigger difference to everyone's WDW experience (each family group chose a resort according to their own budget and preferences, but everyone got park hopper tickets (this was all pre-covid)). * the extra $$ we paid on our two cruises for upgraded cabins (more space, extra amenities, etc.) - 100% worth it! |
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scrappinwithoutpeas
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 2,901
Location: Northern Virginia
Member is Online
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Post by scrappinwithoutpeas on Jul 21, 2022 2:20:51 GMT
* our (counting on fingers - 1,2,3,4) FOUR Subarus * portable A/C to keep our bedroom cool for sleeping and give us some relief plugged into the generator if the power goes out in summer * giant koozie to keep my McDonald's drinks cool & make the easy to carry in to work (Amazon - search "30-32 oz koozie). The ones I got were like $18 for 6 and are still in great shape after 6mo. of all day, every day use. * Costco Kirkland pre-mixed margaritas. Yum, but pace yourself!* cooling pillow cases and blanket. OMG - they seriously work and are ah-maz-ing! Mine are from Amazon, Luxear brand Arc-chill. I got 2 pillow cases on prime day last year, and they've held up great, so I got more, plus the blanket, on prime day this year. LOVE THEM! * Ebags Mother Lode travel backpack ( this one ) -- if someone tells you you need to pack "carry-on only" and you're thinking "yeah, not a chance" this is the backpack for you. You can fit a TON if needed, or zip it down to be smaller. It's perfect for places where wheels aren't much help (no elevators, cobblestones) and can be very comfortably carried even by shorter folks (I'm 5'4") even when full.  LOL, but yeah - agree on the Costco pre-mixed margaritas....also great with fruit of your choice blended in...or so I've heard, wink wink  |
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Post by natlhol on Jul 21, 2022 2:22:19 GMT
Our first vacation to Disney World - staying on site with park hopper tickets. It was great! The "short" mini-van I purchased - it was a great car and perfect for our needs for in town, short and long trips. I think it was a Crysler? No longer sure about that part. It wasn't my "favorite" car, but it was worth the money. My Mac desktop computer -- all of them since 1980 something! First pair of "expensive" shoes - Keen Mary Jane - they were like walking on air! My back never hurt and they looked a lot better than athletic shoes. My first pair of FitFlops -- O.M.G. All "more expensive but more supportive" shoes since then - many more Keen, many more FitFlop, some Merrell, some Ecco -- generically "good" shoes! I just bought my first pair of Eccos and I've never paid so much for shoes but they were worth every penny! Plantar fasciitis plus a problem with a tendon to my toe means that I needed to up my shoe game. The clerk at the department store recommended Eccos-I went in for Vionics-and they have been a game changer! I will also be another one to jump on the Kitchen Aid band wagon. Also worth every penny. About 18 years ago we added 1000 square feet to the house instead of looking for a new house. Best decision ever! Our neighbors are really wonderful, and although we could have bought a newer, fancier house, we couldn't have bought good neighbors so we decided to add on instead of move. It has worked well for us and we would make the same decision again. |
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Post by busy on Jul 21, 2022 2:31:14 GMT
How could I forget Botox??? Damn, I love that stuff and my dermatologist who is just an artist with it.
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Post by crazy4scraps on Jul 21, 2022 2:43:45 GMT
All of my Apple products. Our house. My basement studio build-out. Our cabin rebuild. Cuisinart air fryers (we have 2). Instant Pots (we have 3). KitchenAid mixers (3 of those too). My 10 tray dehydrator. My Janome sewing machine has paid for itself four times over. My ancient Pazzles Pro cutting machine has also paid for itself many multiple times over. My 3D printer. Kasa smart plugs/Google home mini. I’m sure there are tons of other things, these are just what pops right into my head.
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Post by AussieMeg on Jul 21, 2022 3:09:09 GMT
#1 My best and most used purchase is my Breville Barista Express coffee machine (real beans! not pods!). It gets used at least 6 times every day, more on the weekend, since the day I bought it a few years ago.
#2 My MacBook Pro that I bought in 2019. I can now scrapbook (digital) whenever and wherever I want. I will scrapbook in the car on a long trip, on the couch every night, sitting outside in nice weather. I'm still not 100% sold on a Mac vs Windows laptop, and if I didn't have an iPhone I would probably have bought a Windows laptop, but the MacBook is good.
#3 My Kindle Paperwhite. My first Kindle many years ago was a game changer, and getting the Paperwhite so I don't need a light took it to the next level. I haven't been reading much lately, but prior to that I read every night. I'm getting back into reading now.
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Post by AussieMeg on Jul 21, 2022 3:15:48 GMT
When we were newly married my DH bought a Kirby vacuum from a door to door salesman when I was working. It was very expensive and I was very upset. Fast forward 27 years later and it is the only vacuum we have ever had. It has cleaned up after 3 boys and numerous pets. It is heavy, ugly, big and complicated but it still going strong and sucks up anything in its path. I bought one about 25 years ago too! It was sooooooo expensive, but as soon as they showed me the crap that they vacuumed out of the mattress, I was sold!  DSO killed our Kirby by using it in his shed and accidentally vacuuming up nails or screws  so we had to buy a new vacuum cleaner. I *thought* that I was sick of the Kirby, because as you mentioned it is big and complicated, so I bought an almost top of the range Dyson. It didn't take me long to realise I loved and missed the Kirby, so DSO found a second hand one on eBay and bought it. |
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Post by twistedscissors on Jul 21, 2022 3:23:14 GMT
I want to add that we put down heavy woven plastic down on our entire garden the last two years. Totally one hundred percent worth every penny! ZERO weeding and no muddy feet.
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Post by pjaye on Jul 21, 2022 3:42:10 GMT
The large cat scratching post. It's big and really heavy...I can barely slide it along the floor by myself. I've had it for 12 years now and it's not showing any signs of wear yet, it will easily last another 12 years. Every cat loves it and it means they have left my furniture alone.
The newest kitty is obsessed with playing and sleeping on it already.
I thought it was really expensive back then and a couple of my friends thought I was nuts, but it's been worth every cent of the $550 I paid (they are $795 now). New furniture costs way more than that. Plus those that bought cheaper ones have replaced them several times already in the same time frame.
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Post by Sanibel on Jul 21, 2022 4:33:29 GMT
Ugg boots- I use to make fun of them until I got a pair two winter seasons ago. So warm and extremely comfortable. Same with my Kookaburra house shoes.
iPhone!
The huge tv my husband insisted on.
Our hot tub. We use it year round and turn the heat off of it in the summer.
Our Sealy mattress. Oh my, I’ve loved this mattress for 5 years now.
The pair of concert tickets to see the Eagles this past March.
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ModChick
Drama Llama
True North Strong and Free
Posts: 5,060
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Post by ModChick on Jul 21, 2022 5:32:59 GMT
My big beautiful Breville air fryer. My dh got it for me as a gift and I thought he was insane to spend that much. I had been looking at the little ones but man I use this more than my oven now. Almost every single day I airfry something like roasted veggies. They are so tasty and quick and chicken breasts taste like they’ve been bbqed.
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keithurbanlovinpea
Pearl Clutcher
Flowing with the go...
Posts: 4,260
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Post by keithurbanlovinpea on Jul 21, 2022 10:14:45 GMT
Four years after installation, and during the hottest summer on record, our best and most expensive purchase has ben our whole house window replacement.
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teddyw
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,825
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Post by teddyw on Jul 21, 2022 10:50:26 GMT
My Lexus RX. Cost twice as much as any car I ever had before, but it’s over 15 years old now, runs great, and I love it just as much as ever. I may keep it till it dies or I do, whichever comes first … That is the best car! Mine went to college with dd. I got an Acura MDX which can’t compare. The Lexus has 276,000 miles on it and is still going strong but looks like she went to college. My herb scissors. Use them multiple times a week. Have bought them for all my dds,my sisters and my nephews. Sur la Table pepper grinder Uggs- if my feet aren’t cold my body isn’t either Martha Stewart patio furniture from KMart that I bought early 2000s. It has moved across the country & back and is just now showing wear. I also have a hand held milk frother that I can’t remember the brand. Athleta Trekkie north joggers. Wear them daily if not working. I love their leggings and their coaster luxe sweatshirts. (Solid colors of the CL do pill though. Lucy brand Revolution Run athletic shorts. They’re fitted but not tight like bike shorts. The brand is no longer made but I check the resale sites regularly and recently got a pair NWT on poshmark. |
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Post by littlemama on Jul 21, 2022 11:11:42 GMT
Kitchen Aid Mixer
Nespresso
Ipad
Iphone
FoodsaverTraeger Smoker ETA: Air Fryer
Xyron 1250 every Lexus vehicle we have ever owned I have everything that I bolded and love them all, especially the Nespresso and the Kitchen Aid mixer. The smoker is on my to-be-purchased list. I’m happy to see it on someone’s worth-every-penny list. Look into Pit Boss pellet smokers- more reasonably priced than Traeger, and we love ours. We got ours from Lowes and they delivered it. |
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Post by lisae on Jul 21, 2022 11:31:33 GMT
Foodsaver food sealer
Henckel chef and fillet knives
The Perky Pet Squirrel B Gone birdfeeder. The birds love it and it is worth its cost alone in watching the squirrel try to get to the food even when he can't.
Gel seat cushion for my van - it fills in that annoying dip in the back of the seat and makes driving my first and last ever Honda bearable.
The new bite guard I got after my dentist put his foot down and said my old one was about to fall apart and I had to replace it. The new one is the best I've ever had.
Luxury Hotel collection sheets from Dillards.
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Post by Katie on Jul 21, 2022 11:32:13 GMT
My Dyson V11 vacuum cleaner.
Irrigation System for watering the lawn. AND - last week we upgraded to a wi-fii control box, so now I can turn the sprinklers on and off with my phone. LOVE.
Amazon Echo. When the original was the only option, I bought one on QVC when it was a TSV. It was a lot of money and I felt so guilty splurging on it, but we love it. Have since bought several dots, but the original tower unit still sits in our kitchen and it works great. We use it for setting timers and verbal reminders, as well as checking weather and things like that.
My dogs, both rescues.
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SweetieBsMom
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 4,601
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Post by SweetieBsMom on Jul 21, 2022 11:40:11 GMT
*My two lhasa apsos *Generac propane whole house generator. *Whole house water system *Bosch/Kitchen Aid mixers *iPhone/iPad The Generac killed me writing that check but it's worth it's weight in gold. When first installed used it the first 10 out of 12 months. I haven't needed it in a while (I joked that now I had it installed the town would never lose power again  ). But the peace of mind is priceless especially with winter storms. |
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Post by huskermom98 on Jul 21, 2022 12:44:49 GMT
My Honda van. It's served us well for so many road trips, scrapbooking retreats, floral delivery gig, and for hauling totes of supplies for football team meals. It's had a tough year, but is still holding one.
Which leads to DS's Altima. I like to joke that we accidently bought a nice & loaded car for him to drive after getting his school permit (it was 6 years old & had over 115K miles already so we got a good deal, thankfully a year before car prices rose & supplies dropped). We were able to take the car to CO last summer when we found out 3 days before leaving that my van needed to have half of the engine replaced...not gonna drive something like that in the mountains! DH's CR-V has issues & isn't that comfortable so it was great having a nice alternative instead of a junky teen car. Now I love having it because I get to drive it because I drive the most on any given day so I need the most fuel efficient vehicle with these crazy gas prices (DS tolerates my van because it has XM radio & remote start).
I have some shoes that are worth every penny. Some LLBean sneakers that are cute yet easy to wear everywhere (I even bought a men's pair that was exactly the same when I needed to replace a pair but the womens were sold out of my size). I also have a pair of Birkenstocks that I love because the straps are a red elastic fabric (not normal leather straps). They are comfy & unique, I always have people complementing them and asking where I got them (unfortunately they are at least 15 years old so they are unavailable...& irreplaceable).
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Post by Merge on Jul 21, 2022 12:52:16 GMT
Four years after installation, and during the hottest summer on record, our best and most expensive purchase has ben our whole house window replacement. I bet! Our house is a 1955 remodel and it still has original single-pane windows in the master bedroom. Temperature in there is always several degrees higher than the rest of the house. I would love to have them replaced! I can’t imagine if the whole house still had those windows. I’d like to kick the flipper who decided that leaving one room with original windows was a good idea. I’d also love a whole house generator like others have mentioned - not only for hurricanes any more, but also because of our stupid grid. |
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carhoch
Pearl Clutcher
Be yourself everybody else is already taken
Posts: 2,990
Location: We’re RV’s so It change all the time .
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Post by carhoch on Jul 21, 2022 13:26:28 GMT
My Motorhome, travel full time in it ,we’re in Banff National Park right now it’s just gorgeous and we just brought Starlink (satellite internet) so that I can keep up with all of you  |
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Post by crimsoncat05 on Jul 21, 2022 14:06:16 GMT
The app Pattern Keeper, for cross stitching (about $10). I've always done cross stitch 'old school' by marking off the stitches using a marker on a paper chart, but last year I started doing a VERY large (88,000 stitches, full-coverage) pattern and using the paper/marker method was sooo slow. I finally watched enough videos and read enough people's rave reviews of the Pattern Keeper app that I actually bought a cheap Amazon Fire tablet *just* to use that app (it's not available for Apple products). The first time I used it for stitching was a total game changer.
My elfa shelving system from The Container Store. They're the modular shelves I've used in my craft rooms for the last 25+ years. The entire system was probably less than $500 when I bought it, but when I was in my mid 20s, that seemed like so much money, lol! It's a rail/bracket system that allows you to arrange the shelves however you want, and you can buy different widths of shelves- each shelf holds something like 50+ lbs. This shelving system has moved with me to every house I've / we've lived in. I know other stores sell shelving systems like that too, but I highly recommend the elfa ones.
eta: I will also say my braces & jaw surgery (with a few reservations). I had so many headaches and problems eating, and getting my bite corrected with braces and the surgery fixed all of that. It changed the way I look slightly which I'm not happy about (I think it did, anyway), and it was one of the *hardest* experiences I've ever gone through in terms of the surgery / recovery process, but I do think it was worth it.
eta2: my FoodSaver. I actually bought my first one off of an infomercial, lol!! It is DEFINITELY worth it, just for freezing things and having them not get freezer-burned.
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Post by supersoda on Jul 21, 2022 14:09:37 GMT
A house with a pool. DH and I really debated about whether we really needed a pool. Fortunately I won that argument. The pool Is my happy place and I use it almost every day in season (April to October in Texas). We also increased our budget by about $100k when house shopping. I was worried at the time, but the stretch didn’t really hurt financially and our house is gorgeous and I love it. Especially after being in a “starter home” way too long to keep our kids in a good school district and paying off student loans.
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Post by FrozenPea on Jul 21, 2022 14:20:06 GMT
Breville Barista Express worth every penny.
It has paid for itself many times over.
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Post by ~summer~ on Jul 21, 2022 14:31:35 GMT
Also my new car. After 20 years, raising 3 messy kids…it’s the first car that’s mine. MINE. It’s my first SUV and it’s a limited hybrid and I could kiss every inch of it. Also I’d say my running shoes, my keratin treatments (so long poofy hair) and every visit to my dermatologist. Worth every penny! Eta - I’ll also say my Vuori joggers and these new cotton tee shirts from Anthropologie- I’ve worn and washed them so many times I can’t believe they haven’t fallen apart. Coziest clothes ever. Care to link? I am placing an Antho order and always love a good cotton t-shirt! They are the T.La v-neck t shirts. I have one in bright citron yellow and one in a bright coral color. I love really bright colors in the summer. Honestly they are just a basic t, but the v neck is perfect and the cotton is really soft. I love anthro tees in general. If you want something nicer, check out the linen tops by Velvet by Graham and Spencer. I’ve been living in those this summer too. Happy shopping! |
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Post by tyra on Jul 21, 2022 14:37:20 GMT
Our Ninja bullet. I flipping love that thing! We use it multiple times a week.
Another Ninja product- Foodi 5 in 1. I use it so often that it is out on the counter 90% of the time. Only downfall is that it is heavy, partially why it is always out LOL Only time it gets put away is when we are having company and I am not going to be using it.
ETA- iPad Pro. It is amazing.
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LOL, but yeah - agree on the Costco pre-mixed margaritas....also great with fruit of your choice blended in...or so I've heard, wink wink 
so we had to buy a new vacuum cleaner. I *thought* that I was sick of the Kirby, because as you mentioned it is big and complicated, so I bought an almost top of the range Dyson. It didn't take me long to realise I loved and missed the Kirby, so DSO found a second hand one on eBay and bought it. 
). But the peace of mind is priceless especially with winter storms. 
