Friday Challenge!

This morning I arose early (don't you love the word 'arose', so much nicer than saying 'I got up early'). As I said in my 'writing around the edges' post - I have a day of visiting the ill and accompanying a friend to the hospital. Some days I find I have turned into Marmie in Little Women. Off with my basket to bring cheer or whatever. The truth is that my pals and I are aging more quickly than even a year ago - weird but true - and I am happy to do anything for any of them because it has been my turn from time to time and it will be again.
So, I got up quickly - had coffee and talked to my one about his day and mine. He left by 7:20 and I grabbed the dog and took him for an early ramble. It was nice. I picked some wild roses, daisies, lupins and buttercups for my favorite messy bouquet on our way back. When I returned I went into my front garden. I had bought several things at the Halifax Seed store (what a wonderful, intoxicating joint!) - some tomato cages, stakes and two PEONIES! This morning it was time to put the peonies in to my newer perennial bed. Digging, moving the boulders that encompass all of our property, soaking the plants and the ground, moving them, carefully placing lots and lots of rocks around them so the chooks don't replant - all took some time but it was good time. I love sticking my hands in the dirt. I looked around and realized that my front garden needs about ...oh...three or four hours of weeding. Yes! I have no lawn so things have gotten a little wild. I'll get to it tomorrow...Saturday...I thought to myself. Also, the paper work I've been avoiding and ironing all my stupid linen shirts and oh I dont' know - phoning the dentist etc...
My writing work is akin to this - adding new characters (like the Peony Sisters) rebuilding big sections of it, character work - all great fun and the time flies. But scene to scene finding the adverbs (weeds) and making sense of the chaos of my first draft (wild abandon garden) - that I tend to put off.
The Challenge - when you next attack whatever project is your heart's desire - your work in progress - make a vow that you will do the grunt work for a chunk of time before you do the glory work. AND building on the hanged man from last week - say to yourself out loud some version of "I'm choosing to attend to "X" joyfully and with exertion. Those of you who remember my posts on the paramitas may remember that with exertion comes joy.  The nice thing about canoeing out to Rogue's Roost is you exert for awhile and then you get there and then you exert back. IT IS ALL JOY!