It is not until something goes wrong that you realise how important certain things are to the full and effective functioning of a small business and how stresful your life can become without them. Whilst there are some things that you can probably make a plan with, or you can bodge with a cheap purchase to get through a couple of days of a trying situation. Some items are apparently indispensable, and my advice is that if you have one of these things then a spare is probably essential. Not a spare however that is quite old and unreliable, and that you only take out of the cupboard when you are desparate for an extra machine during a rush period, which is what we had been relying on, but one that is nearly new and can actually do the whole job if required. Now I hasten to add at this point that if ever you do a business analysis and discover that your indispensable piece of equipment is your partner, by which I mean the person you share your life with, I am not advocating that you immediately go out and get a replacement. I guarante that this would not help you to create a stress reduced environment in which to work.

During my quieter moments I managed to empty some more boxes from our house moving at the beginning of the year and have even persuaded Gavin that a trip to the tip might be a good idea. He started to sweat and come out in hives at the thought of throwing things away, but I was quite surprised at how he got into the swing of it after a while and managed to do it with a spring in his step and joy in his heart ;) Only another 50 boxes to go and several rooms and we should be there.... ;) Oh my how can it be possible to accumulate so much rubbish in 13 years.
Note to self become a minimalist. I wonder if that is even possible when you are a farmer?????
See you all soon
Helenx