For years and years we’ve been getting our milk delivered to our house by the local milkman. Just put out the appropriate plastic token and at about 5pm there’s milk in the letterbox. Tomorrow that all ends when they make their last delivery to our street. Apparently there aren’t enough of us left having home delivery in this area to make it worth their while delivering here. It’s been great. With our milk consumption being high through the children and entertaining it’s always been reassuring to know that several times a week we can stock up without having to make a trip to the supermarket or dairy.
As a child I remember bread being delivered the same way, and when we came to NZ and lived out Templeton way near Christchurch way back in the early 70’s the butcher would turn up in his van every few days or so. Where Kim grew up the milk was delivered by horse float (even up until we got married). So it feels like something good is now missing in the weekly routine. I guess advocates of the market economy will argue that it’s cheaper and there’s more range at a our local supermarket but it was nice to have some sort of ongoing relationship with the deliverers. Plus when you try to only shop fortnightly at the supermarket (vegetables and fruit from the local greengrocer) it’s a pain to go more than you need to.
