When I was growing up, we used to have brightly covered feather dusters made from stained ostrich plumage. Said feather dusters were not quite as pretty as this image, but they did the job.

Today’s Gratitude Item: Rain-avoiding short cuts. Also having ones *Christmas* cake and eating it too. There are an amazing group of parents at school who regularly do very kind things for the staff. With Christmas coming, they supplied each staff member with a beautifully wrapped piece of Christmas cake and a lovely note. Even though I don’t “do” Christmas, this was an incredibly thoughtful gesture.