You can only do the best you can given the resources you have.  Have you been convinced that headquarters will be "flush" this week?  Are you receiving what you need later in the week?  It's not as though your handed an extra $2k so you can pay the delivery service a lead time premium so your at the mercy of the delivery service.   Again; why they would put Thursday's date in the last newsletter while all knowing the numerous reasons the pump jack could be delayed is beyond my comprehension.  I guess they mean't Thursday, 9/5 vs Thursday 8/29.  On the other hand we were all making fun of the word "soon" so that doesn't work either.  How about "the pump jack will be delivered when it's delivered"?  Does that work?