Green and country in the city 24 December

• I've often been hearing sparrows when I am out in the garden, sounding they were over the wall at the bottom of the garden, thought couldn't think where they could be as there were no bushes near enough (but I am bad at telling where sound comes from). Then on Saturday 16th there were 7 sparrows and one robin in the creeper coming over from my neighbours' on to my shed roof. I used to see them in the bushes in my neighbour's garden the other side, now cleared, so I was pleased to see them after all these months.
• The pussy willows on the banks of the Lee Navigation are showing tiny buds.
• I picked 3 rose buds from the bush in the front garden today and put into a vase on the mantelpiece amongst the Christmas cards.
• I've decanted my sloe gin.
• My back has been well enough to do a little bit of sawing up of off-cuts rescued from skips.
• I am making a decoration - a felt deer - I got free with a craft magazine. I hope to have it on the tree with the home-made decorations which stands on the chest of drawers on the landing before I put it away. I don't have Christmas things up for long. The door wreath and the robin cushions on the bed come out a week or two before the event but the Christmas trees are put up very close to Christmas - yesterday (Saturday 23rd) this year. I take them down on New Year's day as that's easiest on a day off.
• I have been responsible for the lost property box from our big event in August. I put out a 500 piece jig-saw for staff to complete so I could check it was all there before taking it to a charity shop. One colleague said I could count the pieces, but I ignored him! Lots of staff had a go. One of the cleaners did half an hour at the end of a couple of shifts. She is going to get one for her family at Christmas. It turns out it is missing 2 pieces. Despite this, a colleague who didn't have time to do much but enjoyed what she did, is taking it home to do at home. jig-saws are wonderful things, they can be done alone or with others and then taken apart and done again.