Doorstep delivery

Since some of us were talking about home milk deliveries the other day I thought I would blip ours just for the record. One never knows how long the milkman will last in our area and half have already disappeared in this country.

Doorstep deliveries of milk started in the 1860's when milk from the farms were loaded onto trains in churns and taken to their destinations. The milkmen then made deliveries immediately as there were no fridges and some areas had two or three deliveries a day. We did have three deliveries a week and now it has been cut down to two. The glass bottles are expected to be rinsed out by the purchaser and placed back on the doorstep for collection. The ones in the photograph have the bill placed between them which is either paid in cash and left out with the empty bottles or over the internet. All sorts of groceries can be ordered at the same time which is very useful for the elderly who live in the country.

Today was sunny and fresh. I visited my niece and her twin baby boys for the first time. They are a month old and she and O certainly have their hands full. It makes one feel ancient being a great aunt!