You'll never believe what my tortoise does!

I've just realised that I haven't written about my recent attempts at paper engineering so here goes.

This is an Archimedes Screw.  Unlike "real" Archimedes Screws it won't lift water as it is made of card and acetate but it will lift salt.  Very slowly and with a lot of salt not getting to the top but it will lift salt.

This Merry Go Round will indeed go around merrily.  It is wind powered the wind being supplied by blowing hard on the vanes at the top.  

But the tortoise.  Ah the tortoise.  When the handle is turned the tortoise types very slowly with one hand and scratches his head with the other.  Reminds me of someone who lives in my house.

Deep down in the burrow

Many creatures live deep down in the earth, hidden from view.  We can see them when they come out to find food but much of their lives are hidden.

Have you ever wondered what rabbits do when want to put their feet up?  Well, now I can tell you.  They watch TV!

I made this model yesterday.  Turn the handle and the channels change.  The Rabbit family has a choice of Rabbit TV (home styling, I think), Carrot TV (food and cooking) and Fox TV (horror movies)

Pigs can't fly but cows can.

Remember the dog which ate my homework?  

I made a friend for him today.    A flying cow.

The dog ate my homework!

One of the best things about retirement is the opportunity of learning new things.  I've written before about MOOCs (Massive Open Online Courses) and opportunities to go on day, evening or weekend courses but just recently I decided to join our local U3A - the University of the Third Age.

U3A  isn't as solemn as it sounds.  Each month there is a general meeting which includes a talk - next month ours is on Morecambe and Wise "with a bit of magic thrown in" but there are also small interest groups.  I've signed on for just one for starters - paper engineering.  This morning I went to my first session and we made this model.

It's quite hard to photograph because it's actually a moving model with cams to cause the dog to shake his head as though "worrying" the book - there's a handle on the far side to turn to make this happen.  

Next time we've been promised a flying cow.  Watch this space!