The Kindness of Strangers

[Cudedog]

Well, I managed to get what will probably be my final (at least for a while, as the new California lockdown begins tonight) grocery delivery order from Walmart this morning.

So I am now good on things like bathroom tissue and dog food, although the tins of Danish Butter Cookies and the tin of caramel popcorn (a family tradition to eat these at Christmas time) that I was majorly looking forward to didn't come - both were out of stock.  No worries about those, really, I'll just make my own cookies and caramel corn.  Actually my home-made varieties will probably be better than the store-bought kind (if anyone has a good recipe for either of these, please let me know).

I had also put in a large-ish $$Amazon$$ order for some miscellaneous items including some items for some Christmas gift craft things I will be working on. Got an Amazon text yesterday morning letting me know that my items would be delivered later in the day/early evening. Waited all day, constantly checking the front porch - nada, nothing. Finally, with no more texts from Amazon by bedtime, I went online, to find that Amazon says the items had been delivered at 8:30 p.m. 

I looked out on the front porch (again) - nothing.

Panicking, I got on the phone with Amazon at 10 p.m., was told to check with my neighbors to see if they had received my order (yeah, as if, with my county surging with the virus) and if I couldn't find my order to wait 48 hours, because sometimes the delivery text is sent before the order is actually delivered.

You all can guess I didn't get much sleep last night.  I have been ordering stuff from Amazon for at least the last fifteen years, a no-show order has never happened to me before.

This morning I got an Amazon text that my items had "just arrived".  Looked out on the front porch again - they hadn't. 

I'm thinking "Bad Thoughts", that someone has swiped my order off my front porch, probably the evening before.  Although in the Great Scheme Of Things this non-delivery was not really that much of a big deal, it was still upsetting, especially with the new California lock-down slated to start tonight.

So my Walmart grocery order comes, shortly after the guy that delivered it pulls away in his car, another car pulls up. 

It is a woman my age, maybe older.  She brings Amazon boxes to my front porch and sets them down, telling me that they had been delivered to her house - about a mile away - about 8:30 p.m. last night.  She smiled and said she thought someone had sent her a present, until she saw the boxes weren't addressed to her.

This wonderful woman cared enough to go out of her way and to take the time to bring these boxes to me.  I almost couldn't believe it, I thanked her profusely through my closed window (she wasn't wearing a mask).  She wouldn't give me her name (I asked), but left her address.

I will be writing her a very nice "Thank You" note, and inviting her to lunch once this pandemic thing is over with.

I was fairly sure that Amazon would make good on the order, one way or another (not 100% sure, though) but was more bothered by the thought that someone would brazenly come to my front porch and steal my stuff right out from under my nose when I was right there (although I know it does happen).

Very much relieved and happy now.  Amazon order in the craft room, Walmart order in the pantry.

Life is good!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAPPY HOLIDAYS EVERYONE!!

Thinking of you, Tina, and hope your surgery tomorrow goes well, and that you will soon be back on your feet.

Anne

[snowball]

how nice of her....we are often reminded that there are good folks out there
sheila

[Bethers]

What a sweet person. Sweeter if she'd been masked, though. Glad you got your orders. And, yes, your cookies will probably be better.

[MandysMom]

Anne, where did you see new lockdown orders? It was only to take effect if your area reached 15% ICU capacity remaining or less. As of tonight (I just looked it up on cpvid19.ca.gov says Northern CA has 26.5% capacity, Sacramento has 18.2%. Unfortunately San Koaquin County is down to 6.6%!!! And So Val at 10.3% but Bay Area has 24.1%.
So glad you got packages. We got several today, all drivers with masks.
Velda

[Bethers]

Velda, it's all over the news. Here's the to story this morning when I searched.
https://apnews.com/article/business-pub ... d6e8d81832

San Francisco hasn't hit the 15% but elected to go into lockdown now hoping to not go lower.

[MandysMom]

Yes Beth, the article said exactly as I said, Northern California and Sacramento have not yet reached lockdown still hovering at 20% capacity or above. Anne stated she was in the lockdown, when I’m not seeing that for her area or mine, with capacity at above 20%. That said, I will continue to be as careful as I have, only shopping when necessary and only in a few stores wearing mask and sanitizing hands on leaving.
Velda

[retiredhappy]

You should call Amazon and tell them your order was delivered to the wrong address.

[JudyJB]

Anne, I have had several instances of kind people helping me or offering to help me out when I was traveling. One was when I was really sick from the flu and coughing like crazy. The couple next door noticed I was going out only twice a day--one to put awning out and once to take out trash and put awning in. They asked if they could drive me to a doctor, which was 25-30 miles away. I had already been, so thanked them. Then they offered to go get groceries for me, the same 25-30 miles away, not just a quick jaunt!

I have had other people worry and check on me when I did not go outside all day, and one elderly man with only one good arm, insisted once in climbing up on a ladder and taking my broken TV antenna down while his wife handed him tools!!

[PeggyinCT]

I’m going to chime in here. Delivery people are trying their best and sometimes they make mistakes.I had a UPS driver (I assume because I saw him make a u turn in front of my house) deliver a package to my back door. I discovered it when I went out later in the day. I live on a corner and 15 Natick Street is across the street from my back yard. The package was for 16 Clerement, one street over. Since Natick is one way for one block by my house, he didn’t realize he was on the wrong street, so he figured there had to be an apt in the back! Anyway, I looked up the correct address on Google Maps and had my son drop it off. There are many good people in this world.

[JudyJB]

I agree that delivery people are certainly doing their best. I am guessing delivered stuff has doubled or tripled with this virus, and there are probably fewer drivers! We are all ordering stuff instead of going out shopping.

I just got back from a bike ride to my favorite Napa kitchen supply store. Usually, their shelves are packed with neat stuff, but it was sparse. Owner says they have had problems getting stuff because ships are delayed and manufacturers in foreign countries, as well as the U.S., are shut down or working at low capacity. So, they order things, and it has been taking months to get orders.

I just hope the stuff I ordered for my grandkids makes it on time.