Titusville - Provisioning with Uber

The first is over on Merritt Island with the smoke crossing Indian River. It missed us. 

 In the past we’ve used Instacart and Shipit to bring groceries to our dock. At first they were quite competitive and they were the only game in town unless you opted to rent a car. The problem with both services is that not only do they charge a monthly fee of $10 to $12 but they also do not provide in-store prices, they add a charge on top. I ordred a 16.5 lb of dog food and I knew prices have increased since the last time but I didn’t expect $38 a bag. I found out later that the in-store price was still high at $31 but wondered why the grocery delivery service deserved a $7 markup on one bag of dog food! Other items were similar. To top it all off, the person delivering the groceries expected a $20 tip. 

In the winter, the sun set at the left, behind the three palm trees. Now it has moved over more northerly.

Then I rediscovered Uber. A ride to the nearest Publix in Titusville was only $11, or $22 for both ways. That’s cheaper than paying the monthly fee, the item markups, and an expected tip to the driver. So now we have converted to using Uber to reach grocery stores, it’s cheaper and you can pick out your own produce - plus, you can get specials that are not listed in the shopping services apps. 

Friday is the big day we get our new air conditioner installed. It’s been delivered and the technicians are coming over Friday. However, it has also turned cooler so we’ve haven’t needed it the last few days but nevertheless, I’m sure it will come in handy as we move northward, especially in city marinas without a lot of breezes. 

We had some excitement today. There was a big fire off to the east, I guess on Merritt Island. I don’t know if it was a controlled burn or a wildfire. It’s out now so perhaps it was a controlled burn. It looked pretty ominous for a while.