As if Edna Sahm isn't busy enough with the myriad charitable causes to which she generously lends a hand, now, the 90-year-old Escondido philanthropist is writing a book chronicling her life.

She's doing it the hard way, writing longhand on a lined tablet. Sahm does her best work in the middle of the night, she said, frequently scrawling down memories with pencil and pad when they pop into her head at 2 a.m.

"I have great recall at that time of the morning," she said.

Over the last three months or so, Sahm has filled about 200 pages with her life's adventures, which will be transcribed and ghostwritten by author Matthew Aaron. The book's hoped-for publication date is November.

"For many years, people have been telling me, 'You ought to write a book. You have something to say,' " said Sahm. "So I am."

Local author, radio host and business coach Carolyn Gross is handling the publishing logistics. She found Aaron to shape Sahm's recollections into a finished product.

Chapter one, which Sahm sent to a few people around town, is titled "A Half-Baked Start to Life," and details her premature birth on a farm in Minnesota, the early loss of both her parents and life with a foster family.

"I've gotten nothing but good comments. People say they can't wait until the next chapter," said Sahm. "I've got news for them. They're going to have to wait till the book comes out."

Healthy start: A little music, some health screenings and plenty of food will help the Centre for Health Care celebrate both its grand opening and 16th anniversary today. The 40-physician medical center, formerly in Rancho Bernardo, recently moved to a new building at 15611 Pomerado Road, adjacent to Pomerado Hospital in Poway. The community is welcomed to today's festivities, which go from 3 till 7:30 p.m. The formal ceremony begins at 5:30 p.m. Health screenings and children's activities will continue throughout the event. A string trio will provide the music. The event is free and open to the public, said Lynn George, the center's marketing officer.

Sleuth skills tested: The question will be "Whodunit?" when the Play Readers Theater at the Rancho Bernardo Joslyn Center presents "Murder at the Old Town Hotel" as a fundraiser for the center. Directed by Ron Horn, the interactive murder-mystery gives audience members a chance to solve the crime before the end of the play is presented. The winning detective will get free admission to the theater's regular performances, said Horn, maybe not such a big deal, since those shows are free. This production is $5 for members and $8 for others, and includes refreshments. Showtime is 7 p.m. Thursday at the center, 18402 W. Bernardo Drive. Call (858) 487-9324.

- Contact staff columnist Jeff Frank at (760) 740-5419 or jfrank@nctimes.com.