trying to get it all figured out

Think doing business is bad here in the states? Trying doing it with a 7 hour time difference!! Luckily I got up at 6 am and checked the email. Our clearing agent on Saturday told us to arrange crane service; we said no, you are suppose to. Well, he didn't, so they were waiting around to hear from us. Up I got Brian and so began the phone calls and emails. You know, it's not like you are physically doing anything, but it's just draining! By 8 am we were just exhausted, and we weren't even done yet!

We got through to the crane. They can bring out tomorrow; if they get money. Well, money takes a while to transfer. We sent an email confirmation of wire, hopefully that will be good enough.

Oh-we also found out about some new fees that were enacted at the Tanzania port after August 1st. Well, our container didn't leave on 7/30 as they said, so we had to pay those too.

So, anyway we got the crane taken care of we believe. Well, then we got another email saying the driver was told that he couldn't leave Lusaka until we paid for 40 litres of fuel for the extra distance to the bible school (I think that comes out to around $80?). We were warned that this might happen. That wouldn't be so big of deal...if we were in Lusaka! Again, it's not like you can get money over in an hour! Even Western Union isn't that fast (well, actually they are, so we may have to look at that...)

So, it looks like we will be up at 11pm to who knows when trying to figure out this last bit of the puzzle. Please pray it gets straighten out tonight, so we can be done.

On another note, since the container will be there, Brian needs to start planning his return trip. He really doesn't like to leave us, but there really isn't a better way. We just don't think the transition would be good for all of us to just go over as a family and live in cabins until the house is done. I just don't think the kids and I would handle it all that well. So he would look to leave sometime around Sept. 6-7-8 and be back Sept 25-26-27. I don't know which days are cheapest to fly, so we are checking all that out.

This of course is short notice then for anyone to go over with him unfortunately, hence 3 weeks instead of 2. But who knows-maybe someone out there could go for the last 2 weeks?