First Lockdown Christmas , will it be the last?

My street was busy as ever and except me, nobody was wearing

I felt awkward when I got in my local  Wilkinsons to do a bit of Christmas shopping and nobody but me was wearing a mask! Would have thought was enforceable.

To prevent the flu I wore 4 layers of tops and a clinical mask under my fabric mask.

I served the kids Afghan pomegranate seeds hors oeuvre  but they refused and asked me where was the cheese and biscuits. 

Made sure the table centre was appropriate for kids and would keep them busy while I got Christmas dinner going ,

Their drinks were chilled as they like it,

And to stop them eating the chocolate coins I laid some chocolate bars for the eyes and mouth,

The kids and I set the train tracks and set the the train on automatic mode to give that Christmas touch ,

I got ready and changed mask so as not to give them anything funny,

And the kids put their Christmas jumpers ( Amazon Find brand, great stuff!)

Hours before I baked everything from scratch, Christmas pies, Christmas cake and Christmas pudding,

I used vegetarian butter ,

And I tied and cleaned the living room which was hours before an office and work area for me and the kids. The picture is not showing the other two tables, bookshelves and my sewing machine area. All good, everyone here is creative and productive!

My friend Felicia sent me a make up set as she was worried I wear Superstay as per below I showed to the ladies at our Women Only event hosted by  Power Rising ,a great American org bringing women together!

As for my high street brads.... I must say Rimmel is okay so is everything Loreal and high street brands. If the brands were not very good they would not be known!

As for my friend Lily Christmas present! The package looked lovely. What I thought was perfume turned up to be powder,

I used the make up on that day but makes me wrinkles and I am not rich, so if I get them I don't have the plastic surgery option rich women do, but here how it looks 

I got bling jewellery, which is really lovely 

And I bought my fortitude ring 

Young women wear purity rings, engaged women wear engagement women but I wanted to wear a ring that symbolises the magazine I closed because of harassment at my sons ex  Catholic school.

 The beautiful blue stone is Afghan turquoise. I bought it from this shop because its a shop that traditionally sells diamonds and diamonds have killed thousands of Africans, just in Angola the war was over 30 years, Mozambique endured terrible decades of suffering, DRC etc !

I can't forget and will never forget how detestable diamonds are and yet I will never forget that though I have done nothing to change the situation , I did created a magazine elsewhere where I profited nothing and yet I did something good.

If only war would stop fuelling money greediness , if only diamonds meant nothing or very little! 

Cape Verde has thousands of slave descendants , people who were stolen from their country and families and enslaved , subjected to violence, rape etc for over 4 centuries, all for money and greed so why do we expect the love for diamonds won't last for many more centuries to come?

I hate diamonds or the idea of diamonds valuing so much yet I really like the turquoise stone and the idea that was way cheaper and handcrafted in London where I live makes it really worst more than any diamond in the world!

If only people would stop buying diamonds and realised that it fuels wars!

Best wishes,

Ariane