Knitting a Horse

This morning I woke up feeling behind on things. I've been glued to the computer for three days editing but I knew I'd have a break today while clients had a look at the rough cut.

So gee...I should fill the larder, do the laundry, take care of the bills and paperwork, tidy the house. I really must fit in some yoga or hooping to move my body, at least an hour. And there are this week's Artist's Way tasks to do and today would be a good time to get them started. Oh, I need to decorate the partner hoop before Sunday, too. Since I am not reading this week, I ought to catch up with my friends by phone. And wasn't there...Argh.

I had to stop myself. Stressful! I hate all those ought/should/must/need things. They are always way more than can actually be accomplished without exhaustion and the way they hover makes me feel horrible. So what do I do when those sort of things overwhelm me?

I knit a horse.

Not (necessarily) a literal horse, but a project to show off at the end of the day. A project that lights my passion on the spur of the moment. Procrastination, yes, but the knitted horse is always an accomplishment of some magnitude; something elaborate enough to justify the undone laundry or unpaid bills. "Look, honey, I knitted a horse! Life size with a hand plaited mane and embroidered button eyes. Took me all day! I think we'd better order in tonight."

And thus this morning I unexpectedly began knitting a horse. It's taking the form of rearranging the living room, which has follow-on effects in the rest of the house as I shift cabinets around and rehang the kitchen door, clean under cupboards, and consider moving the stereo, too. I will accomplish some nagging tasks in the end, but this was not at all what I'd intended to do with my free hours.

Still, it's a nice horse.