Hick and I take a multivitamin every day. I got a deal on them over the weekend. Buy two, get one free. It's a substantial savings! I ordered them as usual. In the past, they've shipped with the USPS. We get an email when they're out for delivery, and I remind Hick to check EmBee (our mailbox) for a key to the lockers beside Mailbox Row. Sometimes the vitamin bottles (hard plastic) come in a soft-pack bag instead of a box, and fit inside EmBee's hollow gullet, as she's made of steel pipe.
Anyhoo, I got the email that the vitamins were being delivered on Thursday. I sent Hick a warning text to be on the lookout when he got the mail. Then a bit later, I clicked on the tracking to see if maybe the vitamins were already here.
Well! Our vitamins were not being shipped with the USPS this time. They were being shipped by AMAZON! That's crazy! Our vitamins have nothing to do with Amazon! Even our Amazon orders come by the USPS, or by FedEx or UPS.
Now I was in a quandary. Our newest dog Pepper is a chewer! He's seven months old now. With a mouth big enough to surround a vitamin bottle. I was not so much worried about the loss of the vitamins, but wondering if something like that could kill a dog! They are gummi vitamins. And Pepper loves to eat more than he loves to chew. If that package was left on the porch, it could mean trouble.
Of course Thursday is my Errand Day with The Pony. I was leaving home at 2:00, and returning around 4:30. I imagined that would be the window my vitamins arrived. Because that's just how life goes.
I was five miles from home when I passed a white delivery van headed our way. I couldn't read the side exactly, but I thought it said Amazon. I've never noticed Amazon delivery vehicles in our area. But I was sure that's what this was. I continued to pick up The Pony, and voiced my worry about the delivery. The Pony has not had any experience with Amazon delivery, and was no help.
After the bank, we stopped at Casey's as usual for T-Hoe's gas. I went in to pay, while The Pony remained outside to start pumping. When I came back, you'll never guess what was parked beside T-Hoe at the next pump. Or maybe you will, because you're clever.
The Pony and I did the grocery shopping. I dropped off Pony. And a block away from Pony's house, I saw a (that?) blue Amazon delivery van again, going down a street. It's like I was surrounded by Amazon delivery vans! Like when you talk about something, and then all your Google ads pop up with that very thing the next time you're online.
After a stop at the Gas Station Chicken Store for my lottery tickets, I headed home. As I turned in the driveway, I saw an AMAZON DELIVERY VAN backing up onto my carport, having just turned around. It was a white van. I pulled T-Hoe into the yard to let it pass on our gravel driveway, but it parked. A guy got out and started walking a small package to the porch. You'd think he might have inquired if I wanted it, but no. He tripped over my little dog Jack. Pepper looked on hopefully, tail wagging, but was distracted by my presence. I am know to give out TREATS when I get home from town.
Anyhoo... neither dog went to look at the package. The Amazon driver left, and I was able to swing T-Hoe around to enter the garage. The dogs got their treat. And I got my soft-bag package of three bottles of vitamins off the porch, undisturbed.
I'll probably never see another Amazon delivery van again.
We've had Amazon deliveries via Uber drivers before. Also, the white vans and the blue Amazon vans, plus USPS. UPS is struggling here and I imagine other places as well as they no longer work with Amazon and I won't even get into Fed Ex. We have had our struggles with them, in the past, but things have improved recently, so remain hopeful. I do miss UPS, as their drivers actually seemed to care about their jobs and would wave when I would open the door to retrieve my package. They even tuck it up close to the house if it's a bit rainy and have even put bigger packages in plastic bags to keep dry.
ReplyDeleteIt's a touch world in the shipping industry and we just get to keep paying the raised prices and guess how our pkgs will arrive. (Also get things via DHL that then goes to USPS.) Ranee
I REALLY miss our old UPS driver. She carried dog biscuits to toss to our mutts. They loved to see her. One of them even jumped up in her truck. She would put the packages on the back porch, on top of the dog house by the kitchen door. Out of sight, out of reach of the dogs, and right where we'd notice to bring it in. She'd give one quick knock on the door, then leave. One time we saw her eating lunch at a local Chinese buffet. You would have thought she was a major celebrity, the way my boys were gawking and whispering.
Deletemany people here in our retirement/old age community depend on the Amazon deliveries. It is a way to keep connected when life takes that away from you. I order the necessaries and not important stuff as well.
ReplyDeleteI order stuff from Amazon. It has never been delivered by an Amazon driver. That's why I was so surprised that this item that had nothing to do with Amazon came by their service.
DeleteQuite an amazing set of circumstances ensuring you got your vitamins before pepper did. I can't take multivitamins, something in the mix makes me nauseous, so I buy bottles of individual ones, like Vitamin C, Iron, calcium etc
ReplyDeleteEverything came together for that result! I have read that it's sometimes cheaper to get the individual vitamins. It would only be a problem for people who don't like to swallow pills!
DeleteAll those delivery vans you noticed must have set good vibes your way. I order from Walmart a lot, because why not let them deliver the hefty stuff life the 50 b bags of cat food. The funny thing is that I might get 4 deliveries from one order .... all in one day. It is always a person in their own vehicle who must contract to do so. I was in my upper gardens when a car drove way too fast down my driveway. Upon reaching the end of the driveway, the woman sat there blowing her horn. This caused The Patient to venture out to see what was up .... in a t-shirt snug over his sling and boxer shorts. Turns out she was looking for a different address. Our # is displayed at the top of the drive several times, but I suppose she was driving too fast to pay attention to any signage, because signs also warn that there is no turn around and that the driveway dead ends. I watched as she struggled to turn her car around instead of backing up and found it to be amusing. She came back up the driveway, window down, considerable slower than before and screamed at me that my driveway SUCKS. As she paused there to see if I would respond, I wiped the sweat dripping from my brow and suggested that perhaps she should not drive so fast that she misses all the signs. Then, just because I can either be civil or Sybil, I asked if she knew how to read. It was very satisfying.
ReplyDeleteI passed a BLUE Amazon delivery van coming up our gravel road this afternoon. Nothing for me!
DeleteThe driver of the white van that brought my vitamins was not a cheerful sort. That's a story for another time and place. I'm thrilled to hear that you had some select repartee with your delivery woman!