At Your Service
Trying to accomplish simple household errands with three average kids in tow is no big deal. My three kids, however, are anything but average. One is three years old. One has ASD. And one is an overdramatic, high-maintainence pre-tween. As one might imagine, going marketing with these particular children is nothing less than a recipe for disaster.
“Why not order online and have it delivered?” asked one well-meaning folk.
A reasonable suggestion. And so, I spent over an hour, setting up an account AND selecting the items that we need from my favourite, neighbourhood market. And though there were just a few things that they didn’t have, I figured the overall convenience was worth it.
Only to discover, as I began the checkout process, that this particular store does NOT deliver. Nope. Their version of online shopping consists of some poor sod who runs around the store, gathering the items I have requested, and then for $5.95, I can go and pick up the groceries. While more convenient than doing it myself, not quite what I had envisioned.
And so, I began the entire process again at another neighbourhood store. One that, for example, does not carry my brand of water. (Of course, I could have the water delivered directly from the company, but that’s for another day.)
And, of course, after placing the order, I realized that there were another six or seven items that I had neglected to select. Between those items and the water, a quick jaunt to the market is still in order.
If I added up the amount of time I spent just placing the order, which I suspect takes longer the first time, as well as the delivery fee, which was waived the first time, AND having to block out a window of time to accept the delivery, there is no question. Given the opportunity to avoid public tantrums from the Frumettes is completely worth every penny.
Frume Sarah is Shabbos-observant -- in a Reform way, that is. Please note that from Friday afternoons until one hour after sundown on Saturday evenings, Frume Sarah will be unavailable, in observance of the Jewish Sabbath.
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Thank you for your understanding...and gut Shabbos!!! 
Frume Sarah's World 
Great story!
Just curious, why do you use British spellings for favorite and neighborhood, when you seem to have been born and raised in the US? Do you typically write “center” or “centre” ?
It all started when I discovered British literature. As a young girl! My diaries from that time period suggest that I adopted British spellings around the age of nine. I also adopted some British vocabulary. Which got me into a spot of trouble with schoolteachers. 😉
I’m guessing center, but theatre.
Correct. Except for the time I spent at the Ithaca College London Centre.
I love having my groceries delivered. I have used that service a lot through Vons. I always get codes e-mailed to me for free delivery. Yes I spend a lot of time on-line picking my items and yes I have to pick a 2 hour block to be home to get the delivery, but it is so worth it! Especially for my large grocery orders, it definitely beats taking 1 or 2 kids to the market.
I haven’t ever gotten the delivery thing down…partly because I feel so weird buying “brands” when half the time I just buy the store brand. I do use Amazon for lots of things though, and the “subscribe and save” feature is really worth it.
Is that finally catching on? A couple of decades ago one local market here tried a delivery service, primarily for more elderly persons who had trouble getting to the market. As I recall, it didn’t last long. I thought it was a great idea, and glad that other markets are doing it.