I threw a bowl across the kitchen today. That sounds more dramatic than it was. It was an empty plastic bowl that had toppled off the teetering tower of clean dishes in our drying rack. I had finally cleared the sink and this clean bowl had the audacity to follow its gravitational pull and land … Continue reading
Author Archives: welderbeth
Tuesdays with Lori
Lori is my oldest Dallas friend. I met her all the way back in 2008 when our dogs became best buddies at our apartment complex. She was single-momming it at the time and we quickly became part of a community in our complex that is unlike anything I’ve ever experienced, even to this day. When … Continue reading
Atheism for Lent
I once gave up spoons for Lent. For those who are unfamiliar with the Christian calendar, Lent is the 40ish day period right before Easter, starting on Ash Wednesday, a day when many go to church to have ash crosses smeared across their forehead. Many Christians give up something sacrificially, to remind ourselves of the … Continue reading
For When You Are an Imperfect Parent
You. Hey, you! Psssst, yeah, you- the dejected-looking woman with damp spit-up drying down the length of your right arm and swollen eyes from crying periodically throughout the day. Congratulations! You made it to bedtime. Take a breather, sister. Sit down, stay awhile. Let’s not mince words. Today was rough for a multitude of reasons. … Continue reading
I’m Back and I Have a Roomba
When you last heard from me, I left you with the news that whatever curse has befallen the Wise Family was slowly picking off members of my family days before Christmas. I’m happy to report that both Alex and the Kid recovered. After Christmas, we were supposed to go to my hometown to visit my … Continue reading
A Plague Be Upon Us
Captains Log, 12/23/2019 A plague lurks here. It all started back in October, ye see, my old man and I tried to take a weekend trip to Kentucky and the weather delayed our vessel so long that we had to cancel. Then, ye see, we had plans to meet halfway between this here homestead and … Continue reading
A Holy Home Fire
It was 1:04am. I rubbed my bleary eyes and slid my feet out of bed onto the carpet of used tissues, the CPAP alarm repeatedly crying out over the baby monitor. I padded across the hallway and quietly cracked open the door. I sidestepped the spilled basket of toys and crept across the dark room. … Continue reading
A Great Banquet, Indeed
I do not usually live life on the edge. I’m not interested in sky diving or wrestling an alligator. I don’t like to stare into the face of death; I prefer to keep my eyes tightly shut. Except for one weird thing. It started one cold morning in my early 20s when I was on … Continue reading
A Cemetery Sob
One of the most memorable customers in my first job at the dry cleaners in college was a woman who came in and accused us (me) of ruining a very expensive scarf. She pointed to one tiny thread and insisted that we pay her for the scarf, which was several hundred dollars. It was one … Continue reading
Finders Keepers
“What color is the bag?” asked the man behind the counter. I thought for a moment. “It’s white, black, neon purple, green, and orange squiggles. Soft-sided, like a duffel bag” He blinked at me. I blinked back. He raised his eyebrows and muttered Okay. I’d been at DFW airport all day and had gone literally nowhere, … Continue reading