Puzzles, are they a waste of time?

Every year during the holidays we break out a puzzle for the family to work on. It has been a tradition for many years and this year was no exception. We were in California for Christmas and Joe and Celeste were staying at our house and when I called home she informed me that she broke out a puzzle to work on. It was one that a friend gave me last year that was reserved for this years holiday entertainment. Celeste and Melanie worked on it and finished it the day we returned. Celeste was so proud to show us the finished product. Well I wanted to do one and she wouldn't hear of putting the same one together again so we took it apart and did one that I bought in Salt Lake City at the 2002 Olympics. (Oh did I mention these are 1000 piece and not real easy)! We sat down and worked on it together, Celeste lost interest and Doug and I finished the dumb thing in a couple of days which happened to be my birthday. Joe & Celeste decided we hadn't had enough puzzle time and they gave me another one for "my Birthday". Joe was proud that he picked it out. It came in a small box, but it had 1500 pieces and it was a picture of colorful hot air balloons in front of a lake. So you had a reflection of everything and it was hard! We finished that dumb thing last night and here is the thing, we worked on it every waking hour that we were not working or sleeping (and it cut into the sleeping time). It is like an obsession like there is a time limit to get it done. Is is a waste of time? My friend Kathleen tells me that it keeps the brain active and helps prevent Alzheimer's. Well that helped knowing that we were contributing to our mental health in a positive way... but really how many hours did I waste? Have you ever watch how people put puzzles together? There are the people like Doug who zone in on a spot and study the color, the shape, and then look and look until they find "the piece" and then pop it right in (which is a real talent and it amazes me) and then there are people like me (who drive others crazy) I look at the color find a piece and start trying the piece all over the space (now I will say that I do consider the shape as well but I have to be moving and trying ya never know unless you try). Both ways get the job done but it seems that the first is more brain usage. Anyway I will say I possibly wasted more time in the last 2 weeks but I had fun! The question is... how long before I will sit and look at it completed until I take it apart and stick it back in the box knowing how much time was put into it. I guess I can look at it this way, Doug and I were together along with Celeste and Joe to get it completed and the TV wasn't even on, that is good family time, right? I will take it down in a couple of days and look forward to wasting more time next year.