Dawn Meredith - Author

 Sitting at the little dock on Lake Burley Griffin, Canberra, Australia, is the charming steam powered paddle boat The Enterprise, one of the oldest working paddle steamers in the world. Unfortunately, she isn't licensed to carry paying passengers, so the only trips are with crew. What a pity! When I visited I had to just imagine what it would be like to travel on this beautifully restored vessel maintained by volunteers.   The Enterprise during her restoration, after working the Murray River at Echuca. As with all things steam powered, I am fascinated and awed by their power and the complexity of Victorian mechanics. It's a testament to their cast iron construction that they are still in use to this day. Look at all those beautiful brass levers and wheels and knobs and gauges!  You can find out more about The Enterprise here It's little wonder that Steam Punk has embraced this period of history and...

Here's my small collection of robots, including a solar powered kit robot (blue and grey), Bumblebee, of course, Robbie the Robot, Kumiki, and some ring-ins, including the very cool USB hub robot. Please note, The Stig is not a robot! (but he does have a torch shining out of the top of his helmet) I'm not sure why I like robots, but perhaps there is a link to my fascination with knights. Is it the protective armour? I've always been fascinated with machinery, thanks to my father, a mechanic and tinkerer. I used to pull things apart and then try and figure out how to put them back together. Somewhere, in a parallel universe, there's another me, working in robotics and loving it. Ever since I saw 'Alien', especially the scene where Ripley battles the alien queen, I've wanted a set of those robotic arms!   As a kid I loved watching Dr Who and cartoons with robots, ie: The Iron Giant, Gigantor, and Inspector Gadget. Robot characters intrigued me, ...

 It's an old saying, but when you're having a bad day or struggling with strong emotions, to 'walk it off' makes perfect sense. There's a meditative reward to walking. The repeated  motion of swinging your arms and thrusting your legs forward does seem to calm the brain. (perhaps not these people, to my left) And it certainly helps the body, toning and relaxing cramped muscles, aiding in weight management and the best thing of all - stimulation of the immune system. It has been scientifically proven to help with depression and anxiety. The Black Dog Institute has some great info  here  "Research suggests that regular exercise may increase levels of serotonin in the brain. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter involved in mood, sleep, libido, appetite and other functions, and has been linked to depression. Exercise may also increase endorphins, which are chemicals in the brain with ‘moodlifting’ properties. " So why don't we do it? It seems to take effor...

For all you overworked teachers out there! At this time of the year we're a little bit frayed around the edges... cheers, Dawn

Came across this the other day, from  Silly Thing   - How fantastic is it? It's definitely on my Christmas list, but retailing at $300 unlikely to be added to my collection. (sad face) cheers, Dawn