Quarantine: online grocery shopping

 

I hadn't ever done an online shop before. It turned out to be unexpectedly fascinating.

Initially it was just a way to get some fresh veg, fruit, bread and milk: the stuff we'd have run out of after 9 days of staying at home. (The earliest delivery slot I could get was a week away.) 

These things came to about £33. You have to spend £40 to get free delivery, so I chucked in a cheap bottle of sherry, which we use for mushroom risottos. 

Then it transpires that you can change the order up to the night before delivery. As the week went on, we started noticing things that we would soon be running out of, or would need in the near future ...plain flour? - only half a pack in the cupboard - stick one on the order. That's the last A5 envelope - get some on the list. Some after-dinner mints for Christmas? - yes! 

Before long I no longer needed to buy the sherry to make it over £40, so out of the basket it comes.

Then as, on a daily basis, you look at your order you start to see other things. The six-packs of free-range large eggs we put in the basket are out of stock? Make it twelve! The coffee is a special price for Clubcard holders - get 2! Dried porcini mushrooms - I can never find them when I go to Asda; let's make it two packs instead of one!

On the night before delivery we're still pondering what extra stuff we can get delivered. White wine vinegar gets in there. Belvoir Elderflower Presse! A big Roses chocolates for the care home staff!

Well it was fun while it lasted (a bit like an amusement arcade I guess) but we're out of isolation on Tuesday I won't be doing that again any time soon.