Some readers' comments...

I've been humbled by many of those who have purchased Undertakings. I want

to thank them and all of you who have supported the project since 2015. 

 Thoroughly enjoyable book., June 25, 2015

By 

Maria G. - See all my reviews

Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Undertakings of an Undertaker: True Stories of Being Laid to Rest (Kindle Edition)

A very interesting book. Whenever I had to put the book down, I couldn't wait to get back to it. Mr. Swan comes through as a very sensitive and caring man. He mentions the victims of 9/11 and Katrina, but does so with the utmost respect. He participated in both, and relates how he was sent to help out. They are all different stories and they are all pretty interesting. He relates the mortuary business from a very humane side and every once in awhile he relates a story with humor, once again with respect. Loved it!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

 THE POINT OF VIEW FROM A FORMER EMBALMING FLUID SALES REP, April 16, 2016

By 

M.C. - See all my reviews

Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Undertakings of an Undertaker: True Stories of Being Laid to Rest (Paperback)

Having been an embalming fluid sales rep in the past, I find the book to be quite authentic. It is an easy read. You can't put it down once you've started it! I heard Mr. Swan on a radio talk show and became very interested in his book I'm glad I purchased it. It brings back memories when I was on the road selling mortuary supplies and sundries. I recommend this book to anyone who is interested in the funeral profession, especially funeral directors!!!!!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

 Enjoyable !, January 4, 2017

By 

Bellavora (Orange County, USA) - See all my reviews

Verified Purchase(What's this?)

This review is from: Undertakings of an Undertaker: True Stories of Being Laid to Rest (Kindle Edition)

I had a great time reading this book and I would like to read it again. It is full of stories commemorating life of different people and their families. It is easy to read and brings a smile to your face. Enjoy !

Busy calendar coming up...

Wow....a lot of stuff on the calendar as I look ahead to fall...

return to L.A. Talk radio in September,

Wayland Public Library on Oct. 2nd...

Andover Historical Society on Oct. 23 rd...

Dog Ear Books in Palmyra on Oct. 26th...

Brighton Senior Citizens on Oct. 30th...

I may have to take November just to re-coup!

I have several new subjects to get to here at the blog....

one of which is discussion of Rod Serling and his

grave site in Interlaken which I will be visiting very

very soon..

Come back often, I love it when you visit me, and drop

me  a note anytime at undertakings@inbox.com!

SS

A family tradition...still practiced.

If you've ever flipped thru the pages of an inherited Bible, and come across

a clipping of human hair, don't be shocked.  It's been going on for generations,

and believe it or not, is still practiced today....but why do we do this?

Take a look at the following:

“Locks of hair have long served as sentimental and tangible reminders of deceased or far-away friends and close relations. Among family, friends and romantic partners, exchanging a lock of hair was a sign of mutual esteem and deep affection. Upon the death of a loved one, locks of hair were often cut and kept as a way to both honor and remember the dead” (“Hairwork Jewelry,” FIDM Museum Blog, 5/16/2011).

In the almost four decades I spent in the funeral industry, there were many times

that a family would want to take a snip-it of hair from the left side of a persons

head to save for this tradition. (Removal from the left side was usually indicated

because that side of the person is usually not viewed in a traditional open casket.)

 It was usually done after evening calling hours when everyone had left the viewing

 room, and in advance of the funeral.  The hair sample would be placed in a zip lock

bag, or in some instances, the family would purchase a very small two ounce

cremation container to hold those most precious hairs.

 Was it and is it a strange request?  Not at all. I've also had people ask me to take

a fingerprint or thumbprint and place on a quality piece of parchment so they could

place it as well in the family Bible. 

The action has always given peace to the family, knowing that at least in part, the

deceased person will be 'staying on' to some degree with them.

Honoring the dead, acknowledging that their life was meaningful and appreciated.


Final pictures of the deceased? Oh yes, that is the subject for another future

post here.

So as  you think about making pre-arrangements for yourself or someone else

in you family, tell the funeral director what you would like included.

He or she won't think you are weird or dis-connected.  That person will know

that family is important...and keeping part of you on for others to marvel at

is an exceptional act indeed. 

Still available and going strong..

For my new readers around the planet..Undertakings is still available
on Amazon and at Barnes and Noble....if you'd like a signed copy from
me to you...send me an email at: undertakings@inbox.com and I'll
let you know what the cost is plus shipping...

Lots of speaking engagements coming up in the next three months,
plus a return to L.A. Radio....

If your group would like a most interesting presentation about the
undertaking business, drop a note to the above email... I don't
charge for the presentation and I will travel within a reasonable
distance from here in the Fingerlakes!

Have a great day. SS

Get well Peter..

My friend and fellow undertaker Peter Abraham of Bristol in the UK

recently had some minor heart surgery...he's out of the hospital now,

and I want to thank him on the web, and wish him a fast and speedy

recovery.  Peter, pictured here, has a blog in the UK much like this one, called

Confessions of an Undertaker. He also does a You-Tube program quite

regularly.  I sent him my book some time ago, and a few weeks past,

Peter did a marvelous review of my book, and I can't thank him

enough.  My sales in the UK continue very strong, and a lot of that

is due to his support of my writing, and he'll be first in line when

Tales Unleashed gets released.

So, if you are a newcomer here, and haven't heard his review...you

can copy and paste this link in your browser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ynGqFsFqxlM

His review starts at about 2 min, 11 seconds in.

Again thanks Peter...get back to work soon!

The story...

Many people have asked me how I come up with ideas for new stories.....

and the truth is... they just come to me. As I sit here at my computer station

at Loon Lake, I think back over the last fifty years about situations that I have

encountered or been a part of ... and those memories often generate a story

line or two for a new short story. In Tales Unleashed which will be published

before too many weeks, there are several stories related to cemeteries...but

that would be normal, considering almost forty years spent in the undertaking

business.  And as I drive out a country road, by an abandoned cemetery or

farm house, I think, gee, this would be a great setting for an interesting

short story. And so with all that in mind, and having some recollections of

life in a small town, twenty eight such stories have been created for the

new book. The new book will be smaller than Undertakings of an Undertaker,

it'll be a pocket size paper-back, like the ones we used to read as kids.

And there will be seven to ten pencil drawings I've made to accompany

many of the stories...all in all, I think you'll enjoy it.

Can't promise it will be out by Halloween, but we shall see.

If you like the unusual, the odd, the uncanny, I think you'll find it a good

read. Thanks for stopping by...you'll see some postings on Facebook and

other social media when the book 'hits the stands' as they used to say.

Thanks for stopping by today.. you can leave a comment at the end of any

of my postings here in the comments section following the post.

Have a great day....let's hope for some sunshine for once! SS

What a sad time...

 

What a sad time we live in... when a young college girl is out jogging.. then

all of a sudden is gone, snatched, as if she never existed.

The whole nation has been looking for young Mollie Tibbetts for over a month

since her disappearance in mid July while she was out enjoying her day near

Brooklyn, Iowa.  They found Mollie, today, in a corn field.

A suspect has been taken into custody.

We need to pray for her, her family, and our country. The level of madness

in this country is beyond description, with little hope for an optimistic

corner to be turned.

It can happen to anyone at anytime, anywhere.

We gave up the sanctity of being safe years ago, and garner little hope


of returning to those years of innocence that we

all miss so much.

Say a prayer for Mollie. I was greatly touched by

her story.