56 Comments

Your mom sounds like a force to be reckoned with. It does take some chutzpah to go through what she did and come out a winner. Great story!!

Expand full comment

Oh, she will love hearing this comment, Gloria. Thank you.

Expand full comment

Yeah the oldsters who grew up during the depression are a different breed altogether. It’s etched deeply into their personalities.

Expand full comment

So true.

Expand full comment

Great story of a powerhouse of a woman❣️

Expand full comment

A powerhouse! She is going to love hearing this.

Expand full comment

Wonderful story

Expand full comment

Thanks, Ed.

Expand full comment

Such a lovely story 🤍

Expand full comment

Thank you!

Expand full comment

What a great mom!

Expand full comment

Laura, you described your mother,my aunt, to a T. Great article & pictures ❤️👏

Expand full comment

Thank you so much, Lois. I'm so glad you think I captured her spirit.

Expand full comment

My mother was not like your mother! She tried to sell World Books to support our family when my dad worked at the UN in the 50’s, but was miserable and gave it up. She and my father went on to run a very successful bookstore on Cape Cod, but books sell themselves. Her super power was knowing what her customers wanted to read and ordering those books.

Expand full comment

Lovely Sally. Running a bookstore is a gift to the community. How great that your mom found a great way to use her talents professionally.

Expand full comment

Such great memories of your mom. Thanks for sharing this with us Laura.

Expand full comment

Loving your mum, Laura.

I think people 'buy' relationships and your mum's storytelling lies at the heart of building great relationships. Hope you have a cracking 100th in planning

Expand full comment

Thanks for your lovely response, Lyn. Indeed, we've been planning for her hundred for years and just had a great time celebrating her 99th. All the best.

Expand full comment

Would love you to join me on my Substack and read about some of the old ladies I grew up with. Would really value your thoughts 😊

Expand full comment

99! Fantastic! Love the reveal of her father not being good at sales, and her knowing the reason why! Also love her secret to longevity! That picture of you and her together is great. The title of your book is going to pull in lots of readers, I bet!

Expand full comment

Thank you so much, Courtney, and I'm glad you think my book's title will attract the readers I'm writing it for. All the best.

Expand full comment

My dad was a teller of tales, as well. I never knew what to believe! In an alternate universe he was a writer, not a gym teacher.

Expand full comment

How wonderful to hear. I bet his gym students appreciated his stories.

Expand full comment

They 10000% did.

Expand full comment

The photo of you both elicits such a warm feeling in me! Love this story!

Expand full comment

Thank you, Rebecca! How kind of you.

Expand full comment

Thanks for the uplifting story! So much better than the alternatives.

Expand full comment

Thank you so much!

Expand full comment

What a loving memory of a woman with eminently transferable skills. Her stories (forget true or not) made the objects people bought even more valuable.

Both in the jewelry business, my father was an excellent salesman. He knew just when to shut up.

My brother was awful. He talked people out of sales. His talking drove my father out of my brother’s store. Approaching Xmas when I helped out, my brother’s talking drove me up the wall. Also to get a PhD sociology. 🤷🏽

Expand full comment

Love it, Irwin, knowing when to shut up. It's so coll that you have a shared experience from your family.

Expand full comment

Great story, Laura! Thanks for sharing it.

Expand full comment

Thanks, Abby! Great to connect with you here.

Expand full comment