Linda Blackman
Creator of Balabusta Diaries

WHAT'S THE BALABUSTA PROJECT ABOUT?

Ever since I can remember, my Mom, Grandmother and others, would talk about how a particular woman was a real Balabusta. And now, you too, can contribute your Balabusta Stories. Further details in a moment. At a young age, I learned that being called a Balabusta was an honor. A Balabusta is a woman who is not only a great Homemaker, Mom, Wife, Grandmother, Bubbie, Cook, Baker or Seamstress — she is also a woman of valor and a motivator.

My Grandma Ida was a true Balabusta like so many other amazing women. She knew how to cook, how to make every grandchild feel special . . . (We all knew we her favorite!) Grandma Ida knew amazing ways of making everything perfect plus she knew easy and ingenious ways of keeping a home clean. More on that at a later date.

A Balabusta can be the family glue, the one who helps to hold everything together. A Balabusta may be all or some of the above plus have additional admirable talents and important insights to share. It’s time for us to tell those special stories about Balabustas everywhere.

By sharing these memories, the world can understand the importance of these very special women. The stories might be about your Mom, Grandmother, Great Grandmother, Great Great Grandmother, Mother-in-law, Sister, Daughter, Aunt, Friend or someone else you have in mind. And, if you are married to a Balabusta, please tell us about her too!
Grandma Ida, A Balabusta
Please help me to tell these stories, for, without you, this project will never fully take hold. With your help, I am simply the conduit to collect these magnificent stories and then have the honor and privilege to be able to share them with others.

FAQ's

Some ideas for categories include:

  • Family traditions
  • Historical tidbits
  • Unforgettable recipes
  • Family legends
  • Jewish legacies
  • Amazing chronicles
  • Letters written during wartime
  • Incredible experiences of strength and determination
  • Not-to-be forgotten anecdotes
  • Dealing with adversity
  • Favorite quotes
  • Sisterhood stories and the balabusta(s) behind them
  • Handling delicate situations — family and otherwise
  • Humor that saved the day
  • Undeniable wisdom & other memories

You may have many stories to tell about one Balabusta, or stories to tell about many Balabustas. You may submit as many stories, recipes, anecdotes, quotes and other interesting items as you’ d like. And, you can give a title to each submission . . . like “Grandma Sallie’s Best Brisket” . . . “Aunt Bea and the Day We’ll Never Forget” . . . “Sophie’s Secret for Cleaner Floors . . . Everyone will be given credit for what they write or submit.

Some of you may want to submit pictures of yourself or your Balabusta for inclusion in the Balabusta project. A special panel will review what is submitted and selected for inclusion this project. Please be sure to include a creative title for your short story.

You and/or anyone who knows a Balabusta . . . daughters, sons, grandchildren, husbands, mothers, fathers, other family members and friends. All of us can now have the chance to share the rich legacy of the Balabustas in this exciting and new book which will be treasured for generations to come, L’dor V’dor.
Many of you first heard about The Balabusta Project through an email. Here’s part of what was written in that original email: ” A special thanks to my husband [now ex-husband] who gave me the idea for the Balabusta project . . .When his Dad died, my [then] husband started to talk about the great stories his Dad would tell and how we never wrote any of them down . . . including the ones he used to tell about his Mom and what a Balabusta she was. May the memory of Papa Harold and all the Balabustas we know live forever in our hearts and through the stories we share. L’dor v’dor – from Generation to Generation. Thank you for taking the time to read this. G-d willing, this project will provide a lasting legacy for all of us, our children and their children.”

Please share The Balabusta Project with others and send them our link www.Balabusta.com so they too will know about Balabusta and want to contribute a story too. Please submit your stories on or before December 1, 2022. If you need an extension, just email Linda@Balabusta.com or call 239-777-1776 and we’ll be glad to grant you one.

Please feel free to visit www.LindaBlackman.com – a site dedicated to Signature Speaking: Speak Your Way To Success … transforming those who need to make a presentation into the speaker they need to be when vying for a new business, enhancing the art of speaking (in person or virtually) and/or talking with the media!

Have a question about Balabusta Diaries?

If you have a question, click here to submit a question by email or call me, Linda Blackman, at 239-777-1776..

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