Green and country in the city 3 December

It's been 3 weeks since my last post and I don't feel I have been doing very much green or country but thought I will record the few bits:

• I am doing a mini spring clean as I have a friend coming to stay the weekend before Christmas. I am a clutter bug who hates housework, she is allergic to dust and cat fluff! I am making an effort and tidying and dusting bits that haven't been sorted for years! Have got rid of a couple of dozen books to the charity shop (lots still 2 rows deep on the shelves but none on the floor at the moment!). Also some other bits chucked or gone to the charity shop. I would like this to continue next year.
• I put out the blackcurrants in the garden after decanting the blackcurrant gin. I did try cooking some with sugar and water but they weren't tasty enough. As I was closing the conservatory door a fox trotted down the garden path, across by the pond, to where I had put the black currants and ate them! How did it associate the smell with food?
• On Thursday 16 November it was so mild I didn't bother with any heating - but Friday morning the second heavy frost of the year! (No heating on this evening either.)
• Saturday 25 November there was no rush of cold air when I opened the bathroom window after my bath. There was a thin layer of ice on the wildlife water dish though.
• On Thursday 30 November when I opened the curtains there was no ice on next door's grass but pond looked odd so I went to check and there was some very thin ice on the pond and some thicker ice on the wildlife water bowl. I broke the ice. Later in the morning after bringing in some logs I checked the water bowl and the bits of ice had all frozen together.
• Recently in the mornings when I am in the garden I can hear sparrows. Don't know where they can be, with the ash tree one side and all the bushes the other gone. It sounds like it is coming from over the back but no likely bush that I can see. Nice to hear them though.
• Yesterday I had my first Christmas card (from my eldest brother, his wife and my nephew).
• Last week on my day off I was on the way to the post office and spotted a skip in the road parallel to mine. It had a lot of clean off-cuts so took an armful home, then went back with the trolley and got nearly 2 trolley loads. Most need sawing at least in half but my back is playing up so haven't sawed any.
• As well as the osteopath, I am taking ginger tablets (anti-inflammatory), using turmeric as much as possible, and tried some marigold tincture in water today. Like to use kitchen medicine.
• On 24 November there were some paper whites in bud in a flower bed by a University College London building behind work.
• Supposed to be a large moon tonight, but it's been overcast all day.