My wife and I went for a walk this morning. We’ve lived in the countryside for nearly thirty years and are surrounded by sheep and dairy farms. Now I’ve been around farms all my life and like to pride myself that I know one or two things about livestock.

So as we walked home I noticed a cow lying flat out on the ground while the other cows were standing up. I thought that looked very unusual and became convinced that the cow must have passed on.

In fact (with apologies to John Cleeese) it had definitely ceased to be, it had gone to make it’s maker, was bereft of life, had kicked the bucket, i.e. It was an ex-cow!.

I pointed this out to my wife and said I thought the cow had expired. She wasn’t so sure so I emphasised my point, confident in my expertise, by stressing:

“That cow is dead!”

At which very moment it decided to get to it’s feet.

I’m sure there’s a lesson in the somewhere………?