Monday evening, I ordered some snacks from Walmart. I often order dog or cat food, snacks, coffee and other nonperishables from them and a few days later I receive a box in the mail with my order. Tuesday morning, I happened to look on my front porch and there were three bags of groceries on my front porch from Walmart.
What is interesting is that online it states that "next day delivery" is not available, but since I received groceries the next morning, this service is obviously being tested in the Crestview area. The future of easier shopping is coming quickly.
More: More Janice Crose articles
When I was a child in Southern California, we had a Driftwood Dairy milkman who had a key to our home. He would bring milk into the house and put it directly into the refrigerator. He would leave eggs, sour cream and other dairy items needed. If we wanted chocolate milk, we would leave him a note.
He would leave a bill once a month. Mom or Dad would leave him a check in the refrigerator. Having him deliver fresh milk was very convenient for my mother, who worked and had four kids.
I remember asking my dad if it was safe for the milkman to have a key to our house, and he said he trusted the milkman implicitly.
We never had any issues until the dairy quit offering this service. Then my parents switched to the grocery store. The milk wasn't nearly as tasty, and we ran out of eggs and milk.
Many stores now offer grocery delivery of some sort. In some cases, you can order what you need online and the store's employees pull your items. They then bring them to your car when you arrive at the store.
There are also online services, such as Instacart, that have their employees shop specifically for your needs and then deliver the groceries to your home for a fee. Instacart advertises that their shoppers know how to pick fresh produce and fruit. For those who are mobility challenged, this is a very beneficial service.
My mother used to tell me stories of the "bread man" coming around in a truck with fresh bread, as well as the milk man. In some ways there were more conveniences in the 1950s and 1960s, but it looks as though the tide may be turning.
I look forward to getting more groceries delivered and am thankful for delivery services provided by Walmart, Amazon, Instacart and others that deliver. Life is changing before our very eyes.
Janice Lynn Crose, a former accountant, lives in Crestview with her husband, Jim; her two rescue collies, Shane and Jasmine; and two cats, Kathryn and Prince Valiant.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: HAPPENINGS: Shopping is becoming more convenient