This comes a bit late, but Dorf on Golf will help you with the last one.

For Christmas I got the Sonicare toothbrush Mary linked to above. It's fantastic! My teeth feel a lot cleaner now. Not that I was bad at brushing my teeth before. . . .the Sonicare simplifies the process.

I still need to get one. I keep getting distracted.

I've use one of these Oral B electric brushes. I've had the same unit now for 11 years and it still works like it was new. I just replace the brush head about once every 3 months.

This one was recommended by my periodontist.

for tens of years, i've wanted to buy an espresso machine that would make coffee as good as they brew in the best places, but the machines all cost upwards of $700.; too much for me.

a few days ago, my sister offered me an espresso;
i watched the machine while it was doing its job: only brew coming down, and twisting like a pig's tail. WOW!

Result: the coffee was as good as the best there is, and the machine sells for around $300. cdn.

i will buy one next month.

that was a big surprise for me

Spend about the same on a grinder. You can get a decent shot with an average espresso maker but not if you are using a crappy grinder.

thanks for the tip.

i got a wheel grinder, a Bialetti Tipo 1; it's about 25 years old and going like a new baby. Not made anymore.

That sounds awesome. What was the brand of espresso machine?

it's a Nespresso Citiz.

http://www.amazon.ca/s/?ie=UTF8&keyw...sl_7j7ivbjvpy_e

Ah, thanks. The capsules should definitely make it easier to pull consistent shots as well as take the grinding and tamping variables out of the process. They used to have demo stations set up in a few stores here, I'll have to give it a try.