Mixed feelings

So, today the NBM did a very clever thing and passed her motorbike test.

Well done, NBM!

Naturally, I am very proud of her achievement, especially as I know that it means a lot to her: it seems to have been her dream since birth (at least) to don the leathers. (No, not in a dodgy way. Honestly, some of you have minds in the gutter.)

However, I do have mixed feelings about her new ability, for the following reasons:

1) Bikes are often big and fast, and their riders quite exposed.

2) Motorbiking thus seems like a more dangerous activity than sensible hobbies, such as knitting (although knitters do need to be careful if they're using really pointy wires, obviously).

3) I am quite attached to the NBM and don't want her to get hurt.

But she has all the right safety gear, and she's promised me that she'll be very careful, so I suppose it'll be ok. (If you happen to be driving in Bristol and you see her, could you be extra-cautious too, please? Ta.)

Now that she has the licence, I fully expect that she will want to drag me round motorbike showrooms while she drools and lusts over what she would get if only we could afford it (at last, a silver lining to being quite poor!) I will have to start practising my insightful comments about the relative merits of different machines: "that one's lovely and shiny", or "how many horse-powers does this one have?", or "ooh, this one's nice: it's the right colour to match your helmet". I know: I'm such a petrol-head.

I do have a secret plan to put her off, though. I could make her one of these, and then she'd be too embarrassed to go out on it! Sorted.