When the Going Gets Tough....

It's twelve hours since my last blog and the going has been tough. I haven't slept for over 24 hours and I'm hoping that my tiredness is the reason I'm feeling a little fragile right now. We (my Deputy Manager and I) are sitting in the Lighthouse and so far today we have had about ten customers. I must admit that it's not how I thought things would go; I honestly thought we would be a lot busier. Ironically, our lack of business has been an absolute blessing though due to the fact that we have a bank of computers that refuse to behave and that seem to have minds of their own. Does anyone know a good ICT Technician? We are suddenly becoming aware of our own lack of expertise in this area and it doesn't feel good, given that the financial success of the business is largely down to the ICT side of things. The library side of The Lighthouse is solid - fortunately we are blessed with the services of a fantastic librarian!! Joking aside, it's scary. I currently have no access to vital software, the printer has just flashed up that it's about to run out of toner (and we can't find a supplier in Malawi), we have lost our Internet connection and I have an IT Help Desk that tells me it will call me back, but rarely does. To top it all, my camera card has just snapped and I have no means of uploading photos. All in all, things could be going better! Are we downhearted? Well, yes, I am a little. Suddenly, all the joy and euphoria of what we have acomplished over the last two months is under attack. But I know we have to pick ourselves up and sort things out; I guess this is the harsh reality of running this business. We now know that we are facing a huge learning curve; I am aware that the buck stops with me and it is a sobering thought right now. So at 5pm I will go home, give Sam a huge cuddle and a walk and then go to bed and get some sleep. I know that things will be brighter in the morning - they always are! I am very grateful for your thoughts, good wishes and prayers. Jayne