I'll milk the cow; you mow the lawn
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382483)
Rockingham, Australia
January 25, 2017 3:01am CST
Deborah K Mitchell (@Corbin5) wrote recently about snow and snow blowers. It seems she has a new snow-blower with a push-button start. This means that, if necessary, Deborah can clear their driveway of snow without waiting for her husband to do it. It reminded me of a bargain Vince and I made some time into our marriage.
We bought a five-acre property and the deal included a milking cow and a corgi. I came from a farming background and was able, and happy, to milk the cow. Vince had lived in towns and had never milked a cow. We agreed that I would milk the cow and he would mow the lawn. And that's the way it's been for 45 years.
However the 'milking the cow' bit only lasted two or three years whereas the lawn-mowing is ongoing. Vince does have a lovely ride-on mower which I'm sure he doesn't really want to share with me. It does seem I got the good end of the stick though – which brings to mind another post! You can read about 'ends of sticks' here. 
That's a great-nephew on the mower.
That's a great-nephew on the mower.
I wrote recently about strange phrases that English speakers might use but which might sound very strange to someone for whom English is not their first...
22 people like this
21 responses
@averygirl72 (38848)
• Philippines
26 Jan 17
Yeah I would choose mowing the lawn. It looks cool lawnmower. Milking a cow is harder
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (56378)
• Canada
25 Jan 17
That sounds like it was a fair deal.
My husband has always cut our lawn. I never ever did it, even when I was living at home before we married. One evening I decided to cut the grass-I thought how difficult can it be, I've seen him do it hundreds of times. Yeah, right! We had a push mower then and there is a bar that runs across the handle, you have to keep that bar up against the handle or it shuts off. I got quite a work out pulling the cord to start it before I figured that out. And then when he got home from work, it was dark, after 11pm and he asked me if I was going to cut the grass why didn't I cut between the sidewalk and the street-oops!
2 people like this
@AbbyGreenhill (45490)
• United States
25 Jan 17
I prefer mowing the grass to vac. the house! Or to cleaning the toilets! Put me on that tractor and I'm happy. Of couse it's a very sexy looking one if I do say so myself.
2 people like this
@shaggin (74987)
• United States
26 Jan 17
Hmm my dad has a snow blower but I never even thought about how to start it just using it seems confusing enough. I worry if I touch it I will mess something up or get blamed for something so I don't go near it. I do think the short amount of time you milked the cow is the better deal as well! Men are picky about their lawns so your husband probably would not be to thrilled if you did take over that job after all these years. When my dad had a stroke he couldn't do much so I used the rider to now all the lawns and it drove him insane. He kept watching me out the door lol.
1 person likes this
@Shellyann36 (11383)
• United States
26 Jan 17
Oh hubby would love a mower like that. Ours is out of commission. I would love to get him a new one this spring.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382483)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
They make mowing so easy. It's a shame yours is out of commission.
@allknowing (153529)
• India
26 Jan 17
Poor husbands I say. They are taken for a ride and they do not even know that they are
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382483)
• Rockingham, Australia
26 Jan 17
He could have argued against it at the beginning but he was very happy to agree. 
@JudyEv (382483)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
That is very true. He doesn't really mind having to mow the lawn. 
@Jessicalynnt (50523)
• Centralia, Missouri
27 Jan 17
@JudyEv surprised he doesnt branch out, mow for some neighbors, if it's that fun, lol
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382483)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
@Jessicalynnt Most of the neighbours have discovered how much fun it is and have their own!
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
25 Jan 17
Yup you sure did get the better deal. I have never milked a cow either and don't think I will ever try that. I do however love to mow.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382483)
• Rockingham, Australia
27 Jan 17
@fishtiger58 Even self-propelled is good compared to the push models.
1 person likes this
@fishtiger58 (29819)
• Momence, Illinois
26 Jan 17
@JudyEv I would love a riding mower but our lawn is not really big enough to warrant the cost of one of those, so we have a self propelled push mower.
1 person likes this
@teamfreak16 (43655)
• Denver, Colorado
26 Jan 17
I don't think I've ever even seen a milk cow in person, but I can't count the number of times I wished I'd had had a riding mower.
1 person likes this
@suziecat7 (3349)
• Asheville, North Carolina
25 Jan 17
Your great nephew looks mighty happy on that mower.
1 person likes this
@41CombedaleRoad (5966)
• Greece
25 Jan 17
In our house I look after the cats and he looks after the dogs. I got the best deal since there are only6 3 cats to 7 dogs and the cats pretty well take care of themselves.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382483)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jan 17
I think you and I must both be pretty clever, don't you? Or should I make that cunning?
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
25 Jan 17
Lol, I think it is good to divide up chores. THat's cool you can milk a cow
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382483)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jan 17
I think it's good too. It's not fault if my chore ran out 40 years before his, is it?
@JudyEv (382483)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 Jan 17
It's certainly a great improvement on a push type. :)
