Best food product I tried this year

Tillamook veggie cream cheese

On a bagel, sure, but I love this cream cheese for a carrot/celery stick snack and slathered on a tortilla and wrapped up with turkey and veggies.

Best product I tried this year

Sheets laundry soap

Thin sheets of soap that come in a cardboard box. Buh-bye big plastic jug.

Best received wisdom

Worry is not necessary

I could argue that this might not always be true, but why?

Best idea someone gave me

Getting single-vision glasses (in lieu of my progressives) for computer use

Zenni for affordable options in fun colors.

Best trip I took

3-day retreat to a winter cabin with my husband

Besides the obvious winner of trips to visit grandbaby Raoul.

Best theater movie

Dune

I went twice in one week to see this. I also need more theater popcorn in my life next year.

Best at-home movie

The Rescue

Documentary about the Thai cave rescue mission of a boys’ soccer team. Better than the fictionalized Ron Howard version, Thirteen Lives.

Best book

The Fifth Child

I’m a Doris Lessing fan.

Best food I made this year

Gingerbread trifle

This is kind of a cheat because I make this every year at Thanksgiving. But it wasn’t a big year for experimenting in the kitchen for me.

Best food someone else made for me this year

D’Mario’s cheese sticks dipped in Italian dressing

I was brainstorming all the restaurants I’d been to this year and dinners I ate but didn’t cook, but I kept coming back to the pizza shop in my hometown in KS . A treat every visit home.

Best beauty product I tried

Eyeko cocoa edit mascara

I’m not really one to spend $24 on mascara, but Ulta came through with a sale and I splurged.

Best meal service I tried

Hungryroot

Healthy meals for the time-strapped or lazy.

Best bubble bath product

Bath and Body Works body wash and foam bath

Not to be confused with their straight-up bubble bath.

Best new interest

High school robotics

Next year it might be college robotics. Empty nest on the horizon.

Best good-sleep idea

Flannel sheets year-round

Paired with a fan, I never get too hot.

Best thing I bought myself

Vitamix blender (50% off)

We’ve gone through two Ninja blenders and I decided we needed to upgrade. Smoothie family.

Best clothing purchase

GAP modern tank tops, tall

Ah, the length.

Best thing I’ll miss about 2022

Our giant beloved cat Gabo

What a good boy he was.