Man's work vs women's work...

Today I did what I consider "Man's" work.  I took the cardboard to the recycling depot which happens to be at the city landfill... or the dump.  I went to Canadian Tire once a mecca of the Canadian male who wished to purchase things for their cars, including tires, but now more of a all purpose yard/car/sports-gear/housewares type of place.  To round off the day I mowed the lawn (or rather moss) for the first time of the season.  


Why do we consider this mans work.  Its not as if my husband doesn't do inside cleaning (he's very liberated that way and has a lower dirt tolerance than I do!).  In fact we share most of the household duties fairly equally with the exception of the kids.  I get the most of that work simply because I'm the one home with them!  We have a great system: I cook - he cleans, one does washrooms - one vacuums.  (Back off ladies, you'll have to find your own fantastic guy!!)

So why is it that the outdoor work is considered mans work.  Is it because you get to use big, loud machines!   Of course men do seem to prefer the bigger, badder tools for the job... I prefer to rake leaves - hubby has a leaf blower/mulcher, first it blows them into place then you turn around and suck them up, chew them to bits and spew it into a bag!  If we needed to wash the house I get out the hose... hubby has a pressure washer for this, sure it does a better job, but its loud!

As I was mowing today I came to a realization... its actually a pretty peaceful thing to do (with the proper hearing protection of course).  Really that's the key... nobody demands anything of you when you're mowing the lawn and if they did you wouldn't be able to hear them!  Ahh.  Bliss.  No whining for snacks, no requests to watch a new video or channel, nothing, but the roar of the equipment.  Not only does it cause you to work up a sweat, but you get to be in a little bubble of alone time as well!  Try to get that while cleaning the kitchen... in my house if you even stand near the cupboard with the snacks in it kids start circling like sharks.

Of course there are some outdoor tasks that I'm not as quick to get involved in:  cleaning the gutters - uh no thanks, hanging xmas lights - sure if we hang them in August rather than November, cleaning the dog run - well only if I really have to!  But from now on maybe I'll volunteer for the tasks that require hearing protection so I can have myself a little peace and quiet!