Mine taught me the Laws of Good Writing:

1. Cleave to the concrete.
2. Cleave to the Anglosaxon.
3. Relish brevity.
4.Cleave to the ineluctable.

I've never forgotten 'em, even though I am not as good at using them as she was.

She also taught me some other wonderful things -- how to cuss politely, how to understand Latin (long forgotten), how to turn the most common events into Mythic Tales, the art of Naming Things, how to bake a potato...I dunno how long the list would get if I pursued it. She also taught me to tie my shoes and hangs up my pants with the seams together and tuck in my shirt.

A