George seems to have given up on the idea of walking. He was about ready to do it on his first birthday. Now he’s happy to wander round holding onto things, and can walk happily holding one of our hands, but he doesn’t seem interested in taking it any further.

He’s had an ear infection in the last couple of weeks, which gave him and us a couple of sleepless nights, but he’s over that now, and back to his happy self.

George fell over
George, our neighbour from across the road fell over the other night. We were just getting into bed, and I heard a crash and went out to find him lying in his driveway. His wife had phoned an ambulance while he lit up a fag. I offered to help him up, but he said he’d rather wait for the ambulance…

George was outside late at night because he always is. Every time you enter or leave the house, he’s there, watching the world go by, and stopping anyone from parking anywhere they shouldn’t.

Late at night he comes out to feed the foxes, who have learnt to cluster round his gate waiting for him.

It’s tempting to say that at his age, he shouldn’t be being so silly. But, why? We don’t criticise young people for doing risky things (like skiing or parachuting) we think that’s somehow Ok, whereas when someone older does something that, for them, is just as dangerous, like going out in the rain, we think it’s irresponsible..

Doesn’t make much sense to me. He’s old enough to know what he wants to do and make his own mind up.




Housing benefit
My tenant in Manchester has, by the sounds of it, got another job – which is good news as he hasn’t been able to pay his rent for the last few months. Hopefully, the housing benefit he’s applied for will come through to pay the arreas eventually.

It’s a major, and completely inexcusable problem with local authorities that they can’t process benefit claims for months on end.

I had the same problem when I had to claim benefit years ago – it took Lewisham council 6 months to pay my benefit. By which time if it hadn’t been for my parents, I’d have been on the streets.

I can’t think how councils are allowed to get away with this level of negligence.

However, all I can do (unless I want to evict my tenant, which I’m sure many landlords do in this situation) is wait for however long it takes, and hope I can cover the mortgage myself – which luckily, I can.


Vegas
Next week we’re off to Vegas to film the new documentary – I’ve ordered lots of new equipment, but I can’t help feeling I haven’t done enough planning. The trouble is I don’t know how to plan this shoot – the people I’m following will do whatever they’re going to do, and I just have to follow them and hope I can make a film out of it when I come back.

I’ve got a vague plan of how to do that, but I’m really going to be winging it.

Lisa and Sam meanwhile are going to be living it up in Caesar’s palace while George is looked after by their long suffering parents. Hmm…


Work
Ok – it turns out my documentary is available in WHSmiths, un-edited and packaged with a book in a very neat looking bundle and as part of a series of videos on all kinds of subjects –whether these are done without copyright, I’ve no idea.

It’s still looking very much as though whoever released them has done so without the permission of Electric Sky, my distributors, and I’ve posted off a copy to them so they can take action….

What they can do about it, since the company publishing the DVD has now gone into receivership, I don’t know…

New year, new website
I’ve now got my new website set up – due to a very helpful company http://www.agdesignpro.com/ who I found on Elance – as part of my new year resolution to do more outsourcing.