But I commiserate with you, I used to love my "me time" in the goatshed... not anymore...
So do, I it's quite special just being on your own with the girls, I like last thing at night best, when you go in, sometimes they are restless, maybe bleating for their supper, then after milking, feeding etc, just leaning watching them pull at their fresh hay and quietly chomping away, such a calming time, then leaving them all settled and peaceful for the night
.
But if you do end up using a machine, you could still have that 'after' time, talking, stroking, etc the milking itself is only part of that bond, it's the rest of the contact and interaction that makes them so endearing (I think so anyway, don't we love our kids and goatlings even though we aren't milking them? and sometimes old milkers that have stayed on as 'pets'
)