I dipped my toe into 2006. An old back up  CD with all my personal stuff from the old company I worked for: A collection of photos, songs and postcards.   I had never looked back until now at that CD.

It’s strange at times because I have kept everything.  I’m a paper girl, with loads of harddrives and memory sticks scattered all over the place, an old fashioned luddite and ephemerist (or hoarder depending on how you look at it!).  I noticed the estate agent at the end of the road doesn’t appear to even have a printer let alone a computer.  It’s all laptops and clouds. However, I feel unsure about all this.  Everything feels very unsafe hanging up there on a cloud no matter what people say.  During my recent difficult period letters and things that I found were vital.  A paper trail, hidden pieces of paper all buried in the house saved me.  In my obsessive way I could even find out how much the European Lottery Guild or ELG conned my aunt out of thousands of pounds!  Anyway, here’s some stuff on a theme of April….

Cover of Blighty The National Humorous Weekly April 24 1954

Storyville 40 April May 1972 cover photo Fats Waller is courtesy of Roy Cooke (Storyville was a Jazz magazine that ran from 1965 -2003) featuring jazz history and discography.

True Story Cover April 1953 No 365 Jean Simmons cover who co-stars with Victor Mature and Robert Newton in Gabriel Pascal’s screen adaption of Bernard Shaw’s ‘Androcles and the Lion’ for R.K.O (Printed by Ben Johnson and Co., Ltd,. York.

After 12 years I’m finally having to say goodbye to what I would call my home which was in no way perfect but it was my home filled with memories which stretch back to 2005 before I even had my music break which was 2008 when I went to America to work with supremely talented David Baron who is releasing his first solo album Anthem of Stars on Hear & Now Recordings. Two tracks are now available here on Amazon.   I couldn’t have done it if I had had to pay the full price of rent in London. So for that I am so happy.  I went to America several times  I released 3 albums and I travelled more than I had ever dreamed I could do.  I was free.

I’m sad that my aunt died but she was very old, she never had to leave this house and she had me.  She had a very fruitful film extras career in her 80s including playing David Walliams grandmother on the Royal Variety Show, Harry Potter and numerous other films besides and we got on well.  To my astonishment she even has an IMDb page. !

However, if mourning her death was one thing what followed was a nightmare.  I am indebted to my boss during this hard time.  I have been unable to do any music. I have managed to ensure that I won’t be made homeless.  I have found somewhere close by to live……

Unmarked unknown postcard

On top of this I developed what they called the 100 day cough, the Adenovirus which travelled from Australia and is related to the hooping cough virus. Despite numerous visits to the nurse and finally the doctor all he could say was ‘that’s a very fruity chest’ and tell me I had another four weeks to go. Even the Queen had it at Christmas and she’s never ill.  I picked it up off someone on the plane coming back from Mexico.

But this hardly bears a mention whilst tragic events take place all over the world.  I turned the News off at the end of my bed about a year ago.  I was on a loop and I couldn’t get out of it.  I’m always listening.  Always worrying.

But I am also a warrior.

Part of article about Rock Hudson from Picturegoer Film Annual 1956-57

Here is some ephemera I have found around my room and I can see I have been hoarding.  I work in a private house and I noticed a letter to Rutger Hauer on the hallway table where the post is displayed.  An agent who must have been a real big time lives upstairs.  Occasionally I see letters for Peter O’Toole as well which is all the more strange since he passed away a long time ago!    Suddenly the memories came flooding back and I found this…

Rutger Hauer’s office sent this photograph to Lettie who joined the Rutger Hauer fan club some years ago

I joined the Rutger Hauer Fan Club because of the Guinness Adverts and got sent this really quite nice photograph!   I’m still a big fan and saw him recently in one of his earliest roles in a very good film called Turkish Delight (1973).  It is the most successful Dutch film ever made but virtually unknown here.  A classic 70s film if you like that era which I do.  There were no happy endings in the 70s…!

Back to music,  I went to Mexico in February and this was shot on an airplane runway.   I actually liked it in colour but I think in black and white suits the mood. I believe finally ‘If?’ will be out very soon.  I have some promo copies already.  It’s quite down tempo, personal, and it really started so long ago that the songs perhaps are definitely part of my life then than they are perhaps now.  I can’t wait to finish off all the videos.  I will drip feed them out.  I think the next video I will put up will be called ‘If?’ the title of the album which was filmed in the Aquarium lift at the Berlin Radisson Blu Hotel last year.

Lettie in Mexico February 2017

I’m glad it’s finished and at 35 minutes it’s short too!

The most I guess upbeat track Volcano produced by David Kosten was inspired by my trip to Sicily and Mount Etna which erupted the other day.  She vents her anger every so often just like I do sadly.

View from the top of Taormina with a view of Etna to the right May 2013

I won on the Grand National  on One for Arthur; the second successful bet I have done in the last six months.

I had just watched another depressing 70s film with James Caan in it called The Gambler (1974) so I don’t want to get into the habit….

Raphael Tuck & Sons Gem Easter Series No 3 3637 April 14 1911 Dear Jill Just a card to wish you a very happy Easter I know that I should not have time to write to you before. Love to you and to your mother, Maud

Postcard Bonnes Paques Le Coq dit bonjour a Vignette

Avec un baiser 16 Avril 1911

Date unknown from Claire in Germany ‘On Friday I’m going to see Zulu finally I hope its just German subtitles and not dubbing ..Happy Easter

The weather is so nice I am definitely up for a game of Miniature Golf…

Miniature Golf in Central Gardens Bournemouth The Photographic Greeting Card Co 1968 from Lettie’s collection which she believes to be the largest collection of Miniature Golf postcards in the world! (Only because nobody else collects them!)

H A P P Y    E A S T E R !

x x x

Miss Zena Dare on the back ‘with fond love from Uncle Arthur’ April 22 1905

Yosemite National Park, California date unknown produced by 5 Associates, San Francisco California

Lettie’s lyrics to ‘Goodbye’ just found from the album  ‘Age of Solo’ 2008