Dorothy’s Blog

A friend wrote recently that she feels blue in the morning. It’s hard to get up and get moving, she said.  I know how she feels. Sometimes I just lie there wiggling my toes to see if I can feel any connection.  You don’t want to wake up and say to yourself “Eeeek,morning!”  You want to say, instead, “Ahh. Morning! What can I do today?” I’ve found that there are two things – maybe threeRead More

A few secrets of life prompted by a presidential card BY DOROTHY WILHELM It’s Never Too Late – January 5, 2014 The mail recently brought the usual things: a few bills and a note from some organization called Funeral Alternatives reminding me that cremation is convenient and economical and asking me to “like” them on Facebook. Also, the president – of the United States, not the funeral company – sent me a birthday card. “That’sRead More

MY GRANDPA DUMOND By Val Dumond (granddaughter) © 2007 Note: Val read this charming memory at both sessions of The Family History Writing Workshop of DuPont’s Hudson Bay Days.  It brought cheers and tears and was the highlight of the day.  What we learned is that we can’t let these memories get away.     This memory brought tears and cheers at the Family History Writing Workshop My grandpa was a gruff old softy whoRead More

I don’t like class reunions. You never can find anyone you remember, and the jocks still won’t talk to you. But word was this might be the last reunion for the class of 1951 so I was in Spokane last weekend for the hundredth birthday of North Central High School. Every reunion has a theme. The 30th year was the “Let me tell you all about me” event. We all sported designer outfits and exaggeratedRead More

My father never voted. He waited his whole life for a candidate who would be worthy of his vote but somehow it never happened. Dad was not one of those who believe that if you don’t vote you can’t complain. Instead, he complained early and often about the candidates who seemed to waste no time in falling to his lowest expectations once they were in office. After he didn’t vote, he spent the next fourRead More

50 & Better cover My newspaper column appears in several publications.  Take a look at how it comes out in 50 & Better in Kansas City.  “Don’t Stage Manage, my son told me.” 50 & Better was one of the pioneer publications for people enjoying their second fifty years.  I think you’ll enjoy it too. Here’s a peek: The Minnesota contingent of my extended clan will arrive to celebrate Mothers Day and birthdays in justRead More

Charmin’s app for smart phone. tip of the Day!  I have  taken quite a lot of heat since my column came out on Sunday for writing about the fact that there are no apps for bathrooms – or so I thought.  But the paper no sooner came out than I received this  email from Dr. Dan Davidson in Olympia, and this is what he said:   Mrs. Wilhem, Enjoyed your article in the Daily OlympianRead More

It’s been six months since I had my big fall on Thanksgiving Day.  I was helping my daughter in law set the table for dinner, at one minute and at the next minute I was lying on the floor with a dozen strangers staring at me.  At least,I thought they were strangers.  I had no idea who they were.  “What am I doing here, I kept asking.  I heard one of the young nephews onRead More

When I told the meeting planner at the West Seattle Senior Center that I’d be bringing a red nose for everyone, she seemed more touched than I would have expected. Turned out she thought I’d said I’d be bringing each person a red rose.  This happens pretty often.  To tell the truth it’s hard for people to imagine why I’d want them to wear a red nose, and I’ve got to tell you it tookRead More