Clarice Cliff (1899-1972) Blue Plaque

 It is always nice to see Clarice given some honour but a bit lacking in design I would have thought something nicer like the late Terry Abbots did for her former terraced home.

I think the opportunity to showcase her work would be a grand idea for Stoke? and tourism in that neck of the woods. On her 100th Centenary Wedgwood had people painting her work, and why not? Since she is such an icon for many Emma Bridgewater being one influenced by powerful women.

These days people want an experience not a statue or plaque and as much as Will Farmer is an expert the floor is yours, In fact dealers are the main outlet for her wares these days, a nice band or club but it is pure finance, and why not? seems to leave out the many genuine collectors. Her work appeals to a wide selection of people around the world so jump to it Stoke.

The film The Colour Room was just a story and not the whole picture Clarice lived another 42 years after the story ended surely someone will make a film of her life? not just her work?

I dare say I will get some negative comments as we are not allowed to have thoughts and ideas of our own? wrong indeed.

I will update this blog if and when needed so watch this space to find out more... A few images to give the piece a Bigarre look lol lol...

Lesley White 2024.

A bromance with a straight guy? If you gay?

 The very thought of a close relationship no sex would have been dismissed a decade or more ago... But now not so much so.

I am alone now after my partner of 25 years passed in the pandemic, and thought this is the last chapter of my life? not so by all accounts, have met some lovely guys as friends.

The secret is not to fall that can be difficult but not impossible? so there you have it or not as the case maybe.

Companionship can be a wonderful things in your mid 60's, Not all gay people are loose or slags, sorry to those that are but we are all different, and should be viewed as such. I have many women friends that have settled for a nice sensible guy so you never know?

When someone gives you butterflies in your stomach at 66 it's the same as being 16 believe me, but in a sensible way love is not wasted on the young these days. The changing of your life age and other things can be a challenge.

But live for the day and enjoy the fun if your heart misses a beat or two know your still human..

Chris Rogers 2023.

How to deal with a ghoster with a wicked sense of humour

 We all know what ghosting means? a person who was a friend just drops you right? I make sure the ghoster never gets the chance to forget me.

I appear where they are every day that way it makes them feel insecure, evil I know but fun even so.

Never say anything just smile it kills me the look on their faces, sheer? I always say do the opposite to gain that satisfaction and it is for sure. How long do you do this? a few months or years?

Don't stalk but don't walk away it could be they think your unstable? who cares crazy is scary right?

You have to have a bit of a sick sense of humour so go for it lol lol lol... whoo whoo

Chris Rogers 2023.

Antidepressants/mood stabilizers/withdrawal and more?

 In the news at the current time are Antidepressants, getting on them and coming off them is most important.

The type of ssri is important too some have a short life 24-48 hours then you get withdrawal if you stop, where prozac has several days life, so it is best to taper or cut down as it is known to everyday people.

You can change your ssri to a long lasting one when you want to taper off. See  GP or Psychiatrist for tapering and med changes. I have recently had to come off sertraline when I tried to cut the 25mg I suffered bad withdrawal. I understand a 20mg liquid is available, and a Prozac liquid cutting by 3mg a week is the best or even a fortnight. Why does this matter? having bipolar 2 makes all meds matter and no way should you ever take ssri's without a mood stabilizers otherwise you could go high and manic.

Mood stabilizers are Lamotrigine and Lithium always start all meds at low doses why? I was on Quetiapine 300mg for a year almost asleep 247 so I only needed 25mg my system was sensitive to meds.

 Be kind to yourself because withdrawal is murder and can be brutal too if it takes you 6 months no worries. These pills are given quite freely without a thought on how to get off them. Insist on a tapering schedule. It can include liquid sertraline and a syringe 2.5g per fortnight or month if it helps to stop withdrawal. You can ask for fluxatine prozac 10mg easier to taper and in liquid form too take advice never do it on your own...

Zopiclone is another difficult to quit cut slowly 3.5mg is the lowest dose but you can cut into 3 quarters for weeks then half for weeks then jump off all together, Again take GP/Consultant advice, I was addicted for 3 years and managed to quit.

The side effects whilst on them were; as below 1 to 11.

 Lamical/Lamotragine 25mg to 300mg.

1. Tiredness 2 IBS 3. depression 4.anxiety 5 Suicidal thoughts 6. memory issues 7.hot sweats 8.confushion 9.mood changes 10.desperation 11.sadness.

The above can happen with Ssri's too. Sertraline is one of the worst also known as Zoloft in America,

Try not to read the horror stories online, it can be difficult but help is available people like Mind nationwide have lots of tips too. I am only speaking with over 40 years of mental health issues I am not a Doctor so please use your own thoughts and always consult medically trained people...

Good luck be kind to yourself it matters.

Chris Rogers 2023.

Dame Gracie Fields 1898-1979

"Our Gracie" as she was lovingly known by at least 2 generations of people, the down to earth comedienne was a superstar selling 4 million records at the height of the depression.

Her life is well documented with many biographies, Gracie made 14 films, 4 American telecasts including: "Miss Marple with Roger Moore and Jessica Tandy", "A Tale Of Two Cities" with Denholm Elliot. "Mrs Arris Goes To Paris" and an "Old Lady Shows Her Medals".

10 Royal variety/Command Performances 1928-78. Gracie left hand coloured 1939 picture by myself.

Her war effort normally goes under the radar she raised millions for the British war effort, in Canada and America, she was the hardest working star of the lot. 

It did her no good to be classed a traitor because it really was not true, she came to England three times during the war without Monty Banks who she married in March 1940.

When Italy joined on the side of Hitler Monty did not have nationalisation papers and as such would have been regarded as a prisoner of war, hence Gracie going to Canada and America who could blame her protecting her loved one? Both The Queen and Gracie were considered important enough to kill to lower moral with the English.

All was forgiven well almost in 1948, when she sang; "Take Me Too Your Heart Again" at The London Palladium. I personally feel her Hollywood years as a film star were the best. "Holy Matrimony" 1943 with Monty Wholley, her own favourite on you tube and; "Molly And Me" 1945 again with Monty Wholley is so popular on you tube 1.2 million views, her last film; "Paris Underground" a WW11 thriller again 1945, is so popular the star was Constance Bennett and quite a nasty bitch by all accounts

 I uploaded the films because The offical Gracie Fields appreciation are to busy being Divas to do this... typical of their style for the last 13 years.

Many of her recordings are available some rare material on 3 cd's "Ramona" 1928-40, 20 tracks "Requests 1930-52" 20 tracks,and "The Real Gracie Fields" 100 tracks all supplied from my own collection...

A few years ago I was given many personal cards and letters of Gracie and Boris whom she wed in 1952, 2 years after Monty died on a train from a heart attack. I even have her Canadian Dollars signed too.

I have been a Gracie fan for 57 years since hearing her Gramophone records as a kid, I am still around and enjoying "Our Gracie" I watched her last Royal Variety performance in 1978, with my mother who cried her eyes out with sheer joy, sadly Gracie died 10 months later aged 81 at her capri home , Boris passing away in 1983. 

Vera Lynn and Anne Shelton were the younger WW11 entertainers who stayed close to The BBC microphones, although Vera did a small tour in Burma and Anne sang and recorded 2 tracks with Glenn Miller both ladies had their own Radio shows Vera with "Sincerely Yours" and Anne with "Calling Malta"

Most of the hangers on are long gone too, I will mention no names, sometimes you can see the wood for the trees... Gracie toured many theatres of was more than all the others often on the front line, aged in her late 40's, after the war she continued to appear on telly in "Startime" for ATV and Gracie and Just Gracie for BBC "Her This Is Your Life" from 1960 can be seen on you tube again uploaded by myself

Left Gracie in "Mrs Arris Goes To Paris" 1958.

Stars On Sunday was Gracie Fields favourite show and she appeared on many times, sadly "A Gift For Gracie" 1971 from Yorkshire Television with Bruce Forsyth and others is considered lost...

That's a rap for now just enjoy Gracie Fields a true original and a superstar.

Chris Rogers 2023.

Noele Gordon 1919-1985

There was a time in the 60's and 70's Noele  above was never off our ATV screens. Over 2000 episodes of Lunchbox  1957-1963 were made at the old Aston studios. One complete episode survives and a few bits and pieces.  

The photo above is a stunner what a looker Noele was? Crossroads ran from 1964 to 1988, Noele was written out in 1981 much to many people's horror, she did reappear in 1983 for a few episodes and then gone forever. Larry Grayson was a close friend of Noele's you can see him on his own This Is Your Life on you tube which I uploaded a few years back so popular it is too take a look!

 Lionel Rubin was the drummer with Jerry Allen and his trio, on Lunchbox he passed away in January 2021. He was contacted in 2017, and asked if he wanted to talk about Noele and his answer was sadly no.

His details were passed on to the Crossroads appreciation society and no more is known. On facebook you can join the Crossroads appreciation society or The Noele Gordon appreciation Society, what fabulous articles to read take a look.

Noele was a stage star of the 40's, and appeared in Diamond Lil with Mae West in 1948, I understand Noele was not a fan of  Mae West?

Brigadoon was Noele's favourite theatre show the part of Meg Brockie in the 1950's Meg was her Crossroads name too in the 60's. 

Noele had 2 roles on screen 29 Arcacia Avenue as an over the top neighbour and The Lisbon Story 1946, Below but Most copies have bits of Noele missing. 

Noele studied Tv in the States and her magazine programmes became the staple diet of early ITV Midlands network, and Lunchbox was another show although her singing was an acquired taste.

Alan Grahame is the only surviving member of the Jerry Allen group, he kindly spoke to me several years ago, his wife had dementia and he told me Noele was godmother to one of his children, his wife was a dancer on Lunchbox.

Nolly left.

Crossroads was a soap that was on between regional and national news programmes on ITV.

I recall the time was 5:25 pm daily.

 I myself met Noele in 1979, at a charity football match at Groves football ground, off the Stourbridge Road Halesowen. All in white she had a double decker bus as a rest room, she could be seen smoking upstairs, Noele did a lot of work for charity. I used to go to the Grosvenor  hotel on the Hagley Road Birmingham, Larry and Noele were quite often there..

I remember Bill Buckley from Tv's That's life singing Meg is Magic outside ATV studios in 1981, when she was fired, that awful picture of Noele with dark glasses and a ciggy in her mouth, was iconic  like Norma Desmond in

 Sunset Boulevard...

 Noele  in an interview said:" Watch Me I will prove there is life after Crossroads and she did just that."..

A friend did not like Noele but was a fan after seeing her on stage he said she was sensational. A British version of Ethel Merman for sure.

Sadly Stomach cancer. took Noele's life in 1985 after two operations it was terminal, sadly Noele stopped living once sacked from Crossroads, it had been her life. I visited Noele's grave the day after her funeral a lovely bouquet from Danny La Rue, and Wayne King, dedicated to a fighter on the card. A tribute from Pat Pheonix, Elsie Tanner from Coronation Street, and a lovely bouquet from The Sunday Mercury who Nolly was writing a column for at the time of her passing.

Nolly the lady of Scottish Heritage born in East Ham is Buried next to Jocky her mother in a Ross On Wye Cemetery, one of her biggest fans was Tigg Gordon known to us as Lynn, who sadly passed late in 2022 hope your watching from above? You would have loved this for sure.

 I am saw "Nolly" with Helena Bonham Carter, written by Russell T Davies, who wrote it's A Sin. Noele and Crossroads are as camp as Christmas it's self  What an outstanding programme I stayed up to the early hours watching it. You will love it...

Chris Rogers 2023,

Clarice Cliff: Dusty Springfield and Dorothy Squires two tough ga...

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