using remote mule client mule 2.0.1

I would like to run a standalone mule client, I am using it for some handy testing to a remote mule server.

I see lots of comments from people using a standalone mule client, so I know it is possible, but I cant seem to get the environment in place to start the java class with the mule client code.

I have no problem starting a standalone mule server using the wrapper class.

the 2.x documentation doesn't state how to set up the standalone env, any clues that you can give me?

thanks
Carolyn

INFO  2008-10-13 12:28:36,328 [Thread-0] org.mule.config.spring.MuleApplicationContext: Refreshing org.mule.config.spring.MuleApplicati
ERROR 2008-10-13 12:28:36,343 [Thread-0] org.mule.config.builders.AbstractConfigurationBuilder: Configuration with "org.mule.config.spr
java.lang.NullPointerException
        at org.mule.util.ClassUtils$9.run(ClassUtils.java:241)
        at java.security.AccessController.doPrivileged(Native Method)
        at org.mule.util.ClassUtils.loadClass(ClassUtils.java:235)
        at org.mule.util.ClassUtils.isClassOnPath(ClassUtils.java:584)
        at org.mule.config.spring.MuleApplicationContext.loadBeanDefinitions(MuleApplicationContext.java:196)
        at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractRefreshableApplicationContext.refreshBeanFactory(AbstractRefreshableApplicationC
        at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.obtainFreshBeanFactory(AbstractApplicationContext.java:423)
        at org.springframework.context.support.AbstractApplicationContext.refresh(AbstractApplicationContext.java:353)
        at org.mule.config.spring.MuleApplicationContext.<init>(MuleApplicationContext.java:102)
        at org.mule.config.spring.MuleApplicationContext.<init>(MuleApplicationContext.java:56)
        at org.mule.config.spring.SpringXmlConfigurationBuilder.createSpringParentRegistry(SpringXmlConfigurationBuilder.java:95)
        at org.mule.config.spring.SpringXmlConfigurationBuilder.doConfigure(SpringXmlConfigurationBuilder.java:71)
        at org.mule.config.builders.AbstractConfigurationBuilder.configure(AbstractConfigurationBuilder.java:38)
        at org.mule.config.builders.AbstractResourceConfigurationBuilder.configure(AbstractResourceConfigurationBuilder.java:78)
        at org.mule.context.DefaultMuleContextFactory.createMuleContext(DefaultMuleContextFactory.java:97)
        at com.iex.tv.rta.tests.common.poc.POCMuleClient.getMuleClient(POCMuleClient.java:157)
        at com.iex.tv.rta.tests.common.poc.POCMuleClient.run(POCMuleClient.java:86)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:619)
Exception in thread "Thread-0" java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError
        at org.mule.api.MuleException.initialise(MuleException.java:138)
        at org.mule.api.MuleException.setMessage(MuleException.java:81)
        at org.mule.api.MuleException.<init>(MuleException.java:64)
        at org.mule.api.DefaultMuleException.<init>(DefaultMuleException.java:56)
        at org.mule.api.config.ConfigurationException.<init>(ConfigurationException.java:35)
        at org.mule.config.builders.AbstractConfigurationBuilder.configure(AbstractConfigurationBuilder.java:44)
        at org.mule.config.builders.AbstractResourceConfigurationBuilder.configure(AbstractResourceConfigurationBuilder.java:78)
        at org.mule.context.DefaultMuleContextFactory.createMuleContext(DefaultMuleContextFactory.java:97)
        at com.iex.tv.rta.tests.common.poc.POCMuleClient.getMuleClient(POCMuleClient.java:157)
        at com.iex.tv.rta.tests.common.poc.POCMuleClient.run(POCMuleClient.java:86)
        at java.lang.Thread.run(Thread.java:619)
Caused by: org.mule.api.MuleRuntimeException: Failed to load Exception resources
        at org.mule.config.ExceptionHelper.initialise(ExceptionHelper.java:138)
        at org.mule.config.ExceptionHelper.<clinit>(ExceptionHelper.java:90)
        ... 11 more
Caused by: java.lang.NullPointerException
        at org.mule.config.ExceptionHelper.initialise(ExceptionHelper.java:114)