July 12, 2020
See-through Situation Not Covered By Self-help Books
By Dorothy Wilhelm NOTE: I HEAR FROM MANY READERS ASKING ME TO RECALL “NORMAL TIMES.” SO LET’S JUST STEP BACK A FEW MONTHS WHEN WE KNEW WHAT “NORMAL” MEANT – FOR A LITTLE SELF HELP. If you put porcupines in your stew, you have to peel them first. “There are no self-help books in this library!” A glance at the neatly organized shelves at our local Senior Activity Center told me the library volunteer wasRead More
July 6, 2020
JUST THE TICKET
Last Sunday morning, I received my very first speeding ticket, after maintaining a spotless driving record for 55 years. I’m really upset. I never had a ticket before. I saw the police car parked near the road that connects Joint Base Lewis McChord to Lakewood (in Western Washington State.) People who live out here know that military roads are enthusiastically patrolled, but I zipped past serenely. After all, they never want me. Until now. AsRead More
June 28, 2020
THE FACTS OF LIFE
The Facts of Life by Dorothy Wilhelm The facts of life came in the mail in a plain brown envelope. It was brave of my mother to send for the book it contained, “Where Do Babies Come From?” The magazine ad promised it would explain the beginnings of life in a clear, easy-to-understand way that mothers and daughters could share. That kind of sharing was very rare in 1946 when interesting things still cameRead More
JUNE 13, 2020 BY DOROTHY WILHELM It was 66 years ago last June that my husband-to-be sold his 1942 Chevrolet to put an engagement ring on my finger. The ring had what I thought was an incredibly huge diamond — almost a quarter of a karat, a guarantee of prosperous times to come. Deliriously happy, I said to my father. “How do I keep my ring looking sparkly for years and years and years?” InRead More
June 21, 2020
2020-06-19 Fathers Day
In those days, the father-to-be sat, penitent, in a littered waiting room, clutching a paper cup of coffee, staring down at a growing circle of spent cigarettes, and slowly withering under the glare of passing nurses. He was never allowed near the delivery room. The general opinion, frequently expressed by senior nurse or nun, was that he’d already caused enough trouble and should now have the decency to keep quiet and out of the wayRead More
June 6, 2020
Chapter One: Personal Wearable Device
There was no need to make a fuss about it. The police were very understanding once the situation was explained. Throughout the whole trying incident I behaved wisely and responsibly. I hope you’ll mention that to my children if you happen to be talking to them. I hate to let the kids find out about these inevitable little kerfuffles. Next thing you know, they’ll be saying, “Hmmm, looks like Mom has trouble traveling these days.”Read More
From The Suburban Times MARCH 22, 2019 BY SUSANNE BACON If you feel that you have heard all of Puget Sound history and nothing could surprise you anymore – think again! For the other day, I finished reading legendary author and humorist Dorothy Wilhelm’s latest book, “True Tales of Puget Sound”. And I just wish history in school were taught as lively and interspersed with fun facts as this beautiful book manages to do. DorothyRead More
March 25, 2019
Across the Fence: Dorothy Wilhelm tells Sound history
MARCH 22, 2019 BY SUSANNE BACON If you feel that you have heard all of Puget Sound history and nothing could surprise you anymore – think again! For the other day, I finished reading legendary author and humorist Dorothy Wilhelm’s latest book, “True Tales of Puget Sound”. And I just wish history in school were taught as lively and interspersed with fun facts as this beautiful book manages to do. Dorothy Wilhelm has a giftRead More
February 18, 2019
2019-02-13 Swimming Upstreams Special Valentine Show
Unexpected Gifts is the subject of the special Valentine edition of Dorothy Wilhelm’s internet radio show, “Swimming Upstream,” playing at this very moment at www.itsnevertoolate.com. The idea of the show is that love – like valentines – can come at unexpected times and in unexpected packages. < Sam Longoria’s bio says he was born in a volcanic crater on Mars. This may not be completely accurate. The first “gift package” is a reading by Sam Longoria,Read More
February 18, 2019
TRUE TALES OF PUGET SOUND
Starting at the very beginning. Readers often ask me where they can go in some of the communities I wrote about in True Tales. Start in DuPont at the site of the original Fort Nisqually. Now, you can’t visit the original Fort because the site is on the grounds of the Home Course golf course. Though if you stand at the entrance, and look at the wide vista, you’ll see the land much asRead More