I love to travel and have enjoyed traveling around the world since my 20’s when my first long distance journey was to Australia. Meeting new people in distant lands is educational and fun for me. From Belgium to Mexico and other countries, I’m always open to adventure. 

I love the quaint comfort of a Bed And Breakfast and have stayed at several when traveling abroad. Until last night, I had no idea my husband found the intimacy of staying in someone’s home so horrifying. 

The beautiful patio areas and friendly families staying at a Bed And Breakfast bring back fond memories for me and far from wonderful memories for my husband. 

“Having breakfast with strangers and doors with no locks or mirrors that appear to be double sided was so intrusive to me that I left a Bed And Breakfast after one night years ago.” 

My husbands bad experience was brought up after hearing me speak with someone who wanted to barter a family reunion on the lake in exchange for a long weekend of relaxation at their Bed And Breakfast Inn.  

Matthew’s vision of a relaxing weekend on the lake was closer to a horror movie of weird owners spying on their guests.

What can I say- my husband is an alarmist. Matthew can think of some pretty incredible “what if’s” and he does on a regular basis. 

Obviously (as usual) I wasn’t going to talk my husband into a weekend getaway or bartered event and we both quickly agreed that my twin sister and I would have far more fun at this Destination Event. I will handle the coordination with Cindy while my niece, Leigh Ann takes care of photography. 

My son and his wife are working the set up and tear down as well as photography and I will also be handling the prayer for the meal. Family Reunions are and “all hands on deck” team event due to the size of the party.

My husband has never had desire to travel and his history of “sucking it up” to pack his bags is the primary reason he is literally, a home body. According to him, he’s never had a trip that beat the comfort of his own home.

I’m outgoing and my husband is quiet. I love adventure and meeting new people, he hates it. 

“Entertaining” is the last thing my husband wants to do these days after years of being on the Builder Committee and hosting fundraisers on his time off. Matthew is a home builder and developer who has spent 40 plus years in the real estate industry. 

Although we are frequently invited to social events, we never attend due to my schedule other than the annual Christmas Party at work. Matthew is not at all interested in weekly or monthly invitations to this or that after a lifetime of social activities and fundraisers. 

My husbands view on attending parties is rather party pooper and goes like this– “unless I’m working, I don’t want to put on a happy face and entertain people at my expense. I could be home with a martini and my dog enjoying television and relaxing.” Matthew also enjoys having his own bar at home and isn’t really comfortable even at the finest hotels. 

Occasionally, my husband asks if I’m bored being married to him but, I’m not because I travel frequently with my twin sister and our three adult children and/or my three grandnieces. Cindy and I stay busy with Texas Twins Events, The Pawning Planners, Texas Prison Weddings and Texas Twins Treasures. 

I certainly don’t have any spare time to be bored with my responsibilities to clients as a coordinator, Officiant, floral designer and appraiser. 

Matthew and I have very different schedules so finding time for our weekly lunch date with my husband isn’t always possible but, we do attempt to try for a lunch date once a week. Matthew works Monday- Friday and fields calls from his builders 7 days a week. 

I work 7 days a week and take calls and inquiries long after business hours or deal with last minute crisis situations of my team. When the team splits up to work various events on the same day, Cindy fields phone calls from my son or daughters in law, stepdaughter, niece or father regarding an issue they didn’t expect. 

Cindy and I are the “Fix It” problem solvers for our adult children who haven’t encountered a “Tardy Party Bride” or a drunken guest or even an outlaw attempting to object a wedding ceremony. 

Cindy and I have seen it all and also solved it all so, it’s pretty hard to surprise us. Other members of my team are not nearly as “seasoned” regarding something going awry.

I loved spending three months in Belgium in my twenties and finding sleepy cafes full of newspaper reading guests and especially love visiting my home state of California. 

Not everyone loves to travel and I quickly learned after our wedding that my husband especially disliked travel outside the United States. This really surprised me years ago. 

In fact while planning our honeymoon, my husband threw a fit about staying at the Las Brisas in Acapulco with “the possibility of being gunned down by the Cartel or kidnapped.” 

Wild imagination and too much tv? You bet, my husband was so apprehensive about traveling to Mexico that it took me two weeks to convince him to go. Seriously. 

Apparently, my husbands father had a dim view of traveling to Mexico and since I regularly stayed at the Las Brisas with not only my twin sister but also my son, I couldn’t understand why somewhere he had never been that was beautiful, relaxing and fun for me caused him such panic? Good grief we weren’t going to be staying in a cardboard box on the beach! 

A five star resort world renowned for luxury and accommodations? My husbands opinions about traveling to “third world countries” stunned me. I found his wild fears regarding travel outside the US hilarious until I realized that he was being serious. 

The second day of our honeymoon at Las Brisas, Matthew stayed in the hotel as I dashed off to the private beach area because Matthew needed “to recover from jet lag.” I laughed and laughed. Jet lag from a three hour flight? 

I don’t sleep often when traveling. Why? I can sleep when I return home. I’m up early and ready for fun! Sleeping off Jet Lag from DFW to Acapulco? My husband is often hilarious without recognizing it.

Matthew can be a lot of work on trips ya all.  “We don’t know where the bad areas are. It’s dangerous to be in new places. We need to map out the area and be prepared for checking security at the hotel.” 

I travel throughout Texas and other states for not only event services but also, Prison Weddings and other than loading directions into navigation, never worry about winding up in a seedy area. Why? I’ve never been afraid to get lost and find my way again and the “odds” of a carjacking or robbery are pretty far fetched. 

Of course, Matthew worries about things that may never happen. It’s part of his personality. If someone wants my SUV badly enough, they can have it. It’s insured. 

Below is a photo taken of my happy and smiling husband at the Las Brisas. Why was he so happy? We were headed home to Fort Worth. Matthew was thrilled to be leaving Mexico and heading home. 

Literally, ecstatic. My husband just couldn’t believe we were still alive and sadly, Matthew had a good reason to be excited about surviving our honeymoon with a only few minor cuts and stitches from nearly drowning at the Private Cove of the beautiful Las Brisas.

After five days in Acapulco, nothing made Matthew happier than leaving a beautiful hotel with a view of the bay and the friendliest staff I’ve ever seen other than my all time favorite hotel, The Beverly Hills. 

Although we had a private pool outside our hotel room, the resort area offered snorkeling, dining and larger swimming pools. 

Cindy and I had always enjoyed swimming out through an opening into the ocean and back again over the years and had never encountered a problem which may have been why I saw no real danger. 

There was a little floating dock that we would swim out to and back again just outside the cove area. My sister and I would go back and forth every summer to the little floating dock area without any problems and watch the boats in the Bay Area. It never seemed very far from the the resort area for me and that may have been why I felt so safe going out and back again.

My husband had to be “talked into” taking the short drive to the resort area since “we have our own pool right here.” 

After seeing our escorts with machine guns while checking in, my husband was by far more than a little alarmed about needing armed security to leave the hotel and travel to the resort area. Under no circumstances were we going to leave the resort and travel by taxi or pink keep courtesy of the hotel. 

My husband knew all too well about the excursion my sister and I had taken a few years earlier while staying at the Las Brisas with my son and getting pulled over for running a stop sign that didn’t exist. Fifty dollars later, we were back at our safe haven and didn’t drive outside of the resort again. The pink Las Brisas Jeeps are like a big target that you are a tourist.

My usual desire to explore and “go on an adventure” for the day changes dramatically after being pulled over in Mexico. Being pulled over in a foreign country is never a “pleasant experience.” 

Cindy was terrified we would be arrested for running a stop sign I continued trying to explain wasn’t there. If I hadn’t had any money on me, I don’t know what the three people claiming to be Policia would’ve done but, I never drove the Jeep again after that. Sure, the idea of staying at a nice hotel and having a fun vehicle to drive sound alluring but, if you don’t know the area or the danger of leaving the security of your resort- don’t. Stay safely at your resort. 

The first time Cindy and I were driven to the resort area with my son, we were a little taken back ourselves about needing armed guards to drive less than a few miles from the resort but assumed that there was a good reason and never actually questioned the security detail. Sure, it was different but, other than the armed guards, our beautiful little hideaway didn’t seem dangerous. 

For Matthew though, those gaurds were a real eye opener. “Why do we need armed guards? What’s going on? Are there kidnappers lurking just outside of this resort? Something has happened here to require all of this security.” His fathers fear of Mexico and seeing those guards in person at a “luxury resort,” had my husband creating wild scenarios in his mind as to what must’ve happened in order to require armed guards. 

The worst part of our trip was on the third day of our stay when my bad decision to swim out of the cove area nearly drowned us both if not for a strong swimming Navy Seal diving in to save us both. 

My husband had been a little concerned about the waters outside the private resort area and the constant watchful eye of armed security at the resort area. I assured him that Cindy and I had often swam beyond the cove area and never encountered a problem before. Still though, my husband had no intentions of going beyond the open area of the enclosure. 

Matthew didn’t like the force of the ocean slamming against the rocks below our little paradise area of pools, bartenders and servers along with the constant eyes of armed security. “I find the armed guards really unsettling. How can we relax when we are being watched or are they watching for something else?” 

Moments after a pep talk with my husband to stay within the cove area or in one of the private pools “where I can see you,” I wandered out through the cove for just a moment as I had done so many times before. It didn’t take long for my excursion to become one of the most frightening moments in my life. 

How scared was I? After being pulled down the fourth time, I looked at my husband some thirty feet away and told him “I’m okay.” 

I realized that there was no way Matthew could save me and wanted him to stay safely on the rocks of the private beach. I had accepted my fate and wanted to keep him from joining me. 

It’s terrible but true that my life flashed before my eyes and the realization that I had no strength left to pull myself up again was so sobering to me that lying about my situation to my husband was the only way to keep him from diving in. 

I had wondered in my exhausted mind if while taking in water bobbing up and down  that after drowning right in front of my husband “who would take care of my twin sister, my son, my nieces and grandnieces, and I wondered if they would remember how much I loved them?” Would my brand new husband look after my family in my absence? Could I trust him to take my place? Looking out for everyone for me because I had made a mistake on a holiday and drowned? 

Trying to keep Matthew from coming in after me became my last wish. I wanted to save him from the same fate of drowning. As I kept being pulled down, I knew that I had maybe one or two more times left of being able to pull myself back up before never seeing his face again. 

Certain that I must’ve looked scared to death, just a few minutes later, I calmly accepted my fate. The “I’m okay- stay there. I’m going to make it back. Don’t come out” I yelled while coughing up water somehow let my husband know I wasn’t going to make it back to the shore. I just couldn’t keep myself above water although I’ve been a strong of a swimmer my entire life. 

One last time, going under, I said “it’s okay. Please don’t come after me. Stay safe.” I went down again and Matthew jumped in anyway. 

Watching him jump in to save me was one of the saddest things that I’ve ever seen him do. I didn’t want him to see me die and certainly didn’t want him to die trying to save me. After all, I swam out of the cove like I had so many times before. Not him, me. 

Apparently, an earthquake the night before had created an undertow so strong that it kept pulling me back down as I tried to bob back up again. 

After several minutes, the pain from a lumpectomy incision under my left arm prevented me from fully using my strength to stay above water. Using only my right hand to pull up had left me completely winded and exhausted.

My surgery was ten days prior to our trip and I refused to let it keep me from going on a honeymoon to Acapulco that I had argued for weeks to convince my husband to take with me. 

My doctor argued with me over this decision to go ahead with my honeymoon plans and told me “the chance of infection for such a deep incision was a danger.” In fact, he sent me with antibiotics “just in case.” 

The next few minutes were a blur as I saw my husband yelling some 8-10 feet from me “what’s wrong? Something is pulling my legs down. We are going to drown out here!” He screamed “help us!” 

My lungs were on fire and my vision was blurred and my left arm was killing me. Matthew didn’t know there was a strong undertow pulling me back down. My husband had assumed that I was having trouble swimming due to my recent surgery. The swift undertow was surprising because my husband had never experienced one. Snorkeling and pool activities were what he was accustomed to.

A tall man who had been sipping a tropical drink above in the resort area and looking out to the sea finally saw us and moments later, dove into the swirling ocean that had continued to suck us both under. 

My strength was completely gone and my husband was quickly tiring trying to keep me from going back under. I tried to relax and float on my back but still went under water.

It was during last few moments, I remember thinking “I hope he saves Matthew first.” Why? I already knew and in my heart had accepted that I would never make it back to the shoreline or the cove. 

The hero that saved me first was very strong and pulled me back to the cove and threw me up on the sharp rocks before going back for my husband. 

I was so tired that it was difficult to lift my head to watch my husband being drug beside me on the rocks. I remember reaching my right arm out to help pull him up and with help from our new friend and hero, we had finally managed to get back up to the resort area.

The hotel staff had medics on hand to treat our scraped arms and legs, our hero was back in his private cabana. He was there and then, he was gone. 

Bleeding, exhausted and fearful, it would be later that evening before we met the hero again and bought him dinner to thank him. Without his help, we both knew that we would’ve never made it back to the resort.

The stranger who thought nothing of diving off a fairly high cliff to jump in and save two strangers didn’t want any fanfare but, wherever he went for the rest of the week, other guests called him “the Hero.” He truly was. 

The other hotel guests continued to stop us and tell us how they had watched the Navy Hero singlehandedly save the honeymooning tourists from drowning but, none of these “watchers” dared to face the danger that our military hero did by jumping in to save us. Only he knew the actual danger and only he alone had risked his own life to save ours.

My brother is a retired Naval Officer and knows all too well the dangers of drowning in the ocean. Why? He’s seen accidents on ship and, off the ship with his twenty years of service. 

Having a Lake House in Arkansas for years,  I learned the dangers of drowning firsthand on my sisters very first visit and only visit to our home and the dock in Arkansas with her grand twins less than a year earlier to my honeymoon in Acapulco. Two near fatal accidents in a two year window are pretty sobering realities. 

Arkansas and Acapulco will forever remind me of just how quickly a holiday can become deadly. 

Lake living quickly teaches you the importance of safety. Far more people die on lakes than in oceans. It’s shocking but, true. No one expects to drown in a lake but, it happens more often than you might think.

Requiring life jackets in our boats or even on the dock sounded a bit “overboard” to my twin sister but, babies can’t swim and the lake off our dock was 84 feet deep. 

Cindy loved our dock and private cove and I decided to bring the twins car seats for their boat ride to the marina to keep them safe. A baby falling out of a boat was my reason for carrying the car seats to the dock. 

Yes. I worried all of the time about a lake accident. Anyone that lives the “lake life” knows all too well that expecting the unexpected is key to a safe weekend of boating.

My first stop with Cindy and the twins was the marina to buy life jackets. Cindy was shocked at the expense of them but, life is priceless. Marinas aren’t known for being inexpensive either. 

I had insisted on the most expensive life jackets for the twins who were a little over a year old and, it was the single best investment that I’ve ever made. 

The reason these particular life jackets were far more expensive was the collar attached to the back of the neck for toddlers. Effectively, a floating hood. 

Sure, there were cheaper life jackets and the Beaver Lake Marina had a wide assortment of life vests but, I wanted the “safest” option available. 

My twin sister had refused to wear her life jacket and it would be the life jacket that literally saved Maryssa who was on Cindy’s lap some fifty or so feet from the dock when a leg cramp caused her to fall off her floatie. With Maryssa safely buoyant, I chose to save Cindy first. 

If I hadn’t turned from Makenna to check on Cindy and Maryssa, I might never have seen my sister bobbing up and down and Maryssa floating a few feet away from her. 

The blue floatie was drifting towards the marina and too far from Cindy for her to grab it. 

Standing on the dock with Makenna, I saw Cindy bob down again as I put Makenna in her playpen and dove in to get Cindy, I watched Maryssa calmly floating on her back safely in her life jacket. The only person panicking besides me was Cindy. 

I couldn’t panic because keeping a level head would be essential to getting everyone safely back to the dock. There was no one nearby to help me. My son and niece were off on the jet ski leaving only Cindy and I along with Maryssa and Makenna virtually alone with none of the nearby neighbors on the lake that morning.

Knowing the lake as well as I did, Maryssa wasn’t in any danger of floating too far away because the lake was calm that day with no wake. Her life jacket was holding her head up as she calmly floated a few feet from Cindy. 

Thank God no boats were near the dock of the wake would surely drown Cindy and quite possibly, Maryssa! 

Saving someone from drowning is a very quick decision. Saving two people from drowning is such a difficult decision that in a matter of seconds, a mistake could prove fatal. I’m a very strong swimmer.

I grabbed Cindy first and quickly swam her to the dock railing and then swam after Maryssa and pulled her back with me. It was the first time in my life that I had encountered such a terrifying experience on the lake. 

I will never forget standing on the dock and seeing not only Cindy in distress but also, five feet away floating calmly with her chubby hands in the water, Maryssa. 

I would have never forgiven myself if something had happened to one of the twins or my sister. 

Drowning deaths on Beaver Lake were sadly, a regular occurrence that everyone knew all too well. Life jackets save lives. Ask me, I know. 

Without Maryssa in a life jacket- I would’ve been forced to save Maryssa or Cindy but, would effectively be, unable to save them both. That life jacket was a life saver. 

Had Cindy been in a life jacket, the disastrous lake incident would have never been so close to being fatal. 

My sister wears a life jacket now. We all do. I’ve learned that preparing for the dangers of water requires a life jacket. 

A passing boat would’ve been too horrible to consider or had I not turned around to check on Cindy and Maryssa, far worse as my sister was unable to call for help. 

I never returned to the lake again with my sister and the twins. It was too much for me and far too dangerous for the twins. 

My son loved the lake and always wore a life jacket but for Cindy, going back into Beaver Lake again was something she would never have any desire to do. We both wearily realized that things could have turned out far differently. 

The lake house eventually sold and the twins learned to swim in my pool back home in Fort Worth. It was important to me that they both learned how to swim as all of our children did. I believe every child should take swimming lessons. 

I’m a firm believer in lake safety but, while on vacation in Acapulco, never even thought about a life jacket in an ocean? I know. It was stupid. For some reason I was Mrs Safety at the lake and Mrs Risk It in the ocean at Las Brisas? Vacationers never wear life jackets on the beach or in the ocean. 

I know that while standing on the dock for 1-3 seconds watching Cindy with Maryssa before making a plan to save them and diving in as far and fast and I could that choosing “who to save or how to save them” had been the exact same question that our Naval hero had been forced to ask himself when he chose to dive into the swirling ocean to save us in Acapulco. It’s an important decision when you decide to risk your own life to save someone else much less, two people. 

Although as children, all of my siblings grew up swimming in sunny California, we always assumed that the “ocean would throw us back.” It always had. The problem was that there was no sandy beach off of the cove in Las Brisas and nowhere for the ocean to throw me or my husband but down. 

What had happened to the usual calm ocean surrounding the private beach I wondered? I had spent several summers swimming off the Las Brisas cove area and sunbathing on the small floating dock just outside the cove. Nothing like this had ever happened before. 

Had I known that an undertow just off the private beach was going on, I would have never left the cove. But, I didn’t see the flag alerting guests to stay within the cove area and, I didn’t see the danger either. 

My husband will never forget “trying to save you and being unable to save myself” in Acapulco. For a person who has spent their entire life in the ocean and even made numerous dive trips to Mexico with another family while staying at the Hotel Barracuda in Cancun, drowning had never occurred to me. 

I trusted the ocean to “throw me to the shore.” But, my childhood memories of getting caught in an undertow and thrown back onto the beach were quite obviously, unfounded. 

My husband was happy to leave Acapulco and even happier that we were still alive after a disastrous accident that no one expected on our honeymoon. 

You never forget nearly drowning or, saving someone else from nearly drowning. I never will after the lake incident and I’m certain the man who saved my husband and I won’t either. 

Cindy and Maryssa’s lives were spared off the dock at the lake house. It was a Godsend and miracle that Cindy didn’t panic and fight me trying to save her but, by the time I reached her she was far too tired to panic. I was too exhausted to panic in Acapulco too as was Matthew. 

Had Cindy been in the water alone with no one in the dock, Cindy would’ve surely drowned that day just as easily as my husband and I would have in Acapulco. 

Back in Fort Worth, Matthew vowed to never return to Acapulco again and, we didn’t. Other than nearly drowning together, a few stitches and scrapes later, the one thing we appreciated the most was the fragility of life. My antibiotics kept me from getting an infection. 

My husband has only been on three trips in all twelve years of our marriage. One of those trips was to spread his fathers ashes in Colorado at Pikes Peak. 

Although Matthew hates traveling, his fathers last wishes in his will specifically asked my husband to travel to the top of the mountain and spread his ashes. 

Planning this trip so quickly after his fathers death caused him (as usual) great anxiety. “What could go wrong? The rental car breaking down? The plane? Bedbugs? Robbers at the hotel? Food poisoning?” Yep. That’s my husband. 

None of the above occurred and other than my fear of heights causing a bit of anxiety, we made it to the top of the mountain and spread the ashes with my husband getting far too close to the edge. 

I found it ironic that falling off the mountain hadn’t entered my husbands mind when thinking of his usual “what could go wrong” list as I quickly reached over to grab his windbreaker to pull him closer to the fenceline while he was spreading his fathers ashes. 

Apparently, Matthew was so distraught about spreading the ashes that he had no idea how close to falling he was. I didn’t know that he was crying with the wind whipping the ashes around both of us, it was hard to see. The ashes flew around my husbands face and finally, flew away. 

We stayed on the mountain another hour to give Matthew time to collect himself before the tram arrived to take us back down to the rental car. It was very sad. I don’t know how others feel watching the ashes of someone they love float away but, I know it hurt my husband deeply. 

My husband and I “made it through” our trip to Colorado and returned home again where he planned to never again leave “the comfort of our home.” Three years ago for our anniversary, my husbands boss suggested traveling to their beautiful vacation home in Destin, Florida. 

Surprisingly, my husband was “game” for a holiday and had no fear of burglars, bed bugs or food poisoning. Matthew knows I love beaches and for some reason was pretty gung ho about a wonderful beach house right on the ocean. 

With promises of fun in the sun and a surprise trip, my husband knew my all time love was the beach. “You’re going to love this even though I know that California is your #1 destination choice, you will love Florida. I just know it.” 

The problem? We both came down with the flu, the rental cars were sold out and it was far too cold to enjoy the beach. I hated Florida. My husband hated it more. Being sick away from home in a strange house with a cold and empty beach, we were miserable and both wished that we had stayed home. 

Watching Foxy on the Kennel Cam at Hulen Hills refusing to eat and wandering around miserably in his resort stay, our dog was as miserable as we were. 

I’m fairly certain that Florida was the last time my husband would suddenly view traveling as a good idea. 

My husband prefers to stay home with our Beagle, Foxy Wortham. Our feisty pet is the same age as the twins now and loves it when they spend weekends with us. Foxy adores Maryssa and Makenna.

While my twin sister and I regularly pack up the twins to travel to Destination Events and vacations, my husband happily waves goodbye to such adventure and unpredictability. 

Matthew has no desire to see new sights or learn new customs. We send him photos of our adventures and call to check in. We stay at safe hotels and never go anywhere alone. My twin is my best friend. Last night while I was preparing for another day of Appraisal Appointments in Parker County, I answered a phone call regarding a barter at a Bed And Breakfast in exchange for orchestrating a family reunion in Arkansas. Intrigued, I immediately loved the idea with the twins finishing school soon. 

I will always have fond memories of Beaver Lake other than the “lake incident with Cindy” and for a number of years, enjoyed a lake home and weekends of fun in the sun boating or lounging on the dock. 

But, I also saw the very real dangers firsthand of life on the lake as well as vacation or even honeymoon surprises that no one could predict. 

Maryssa and Makenna both wear life jackets on boats as does young Madyson. It’s a rule that can very well save a child’s life. No one expects someone to fall out of a boat or be in an accident but, it can happen.

The twins are older now at nearly 14 and very good swimmers. Teaching a child to swim is the best gift that you can give your children.

I’m game for spending a long weekend in the Ozarks this August when my usual schedule of weekend events tapers off. Cindy and the twins are too although the twins love California as much as we do.

Of course, my usual lake safety hat will be in place and I will be the “Safety Nazi” again. It’s a nickname my family gives me. I’m okay with that if it keeps anyone in my family out of harms way.

My youngest grandniece is 2 and a few months older than Maryssa and Makenna were on the lake that summer in Arkansas. Madyson doesn’t swim yet and because of this, Cindy and I are “helicopter MeMe’s” with Madyson near water.   

Last year while on the Santa Barbara Pier for a rehearsal dinner, Cindy and I both kept telling my niece to keep Madyson away from the Pier. Little Maddy is fascinated by water. 

Cindy and I were both keeping a close eye on her at the very first visit to a beach in California. 

Our reason? Falling off the dock into a swirling ocean would have killed her. My niece thinks we overreact but, we have seen too many near tragedies in our lives around water. 

Leigh Ann let Madyson sit near the water and I quickly grabbed her and put her life vest with arm floaties on. It only takes a second for a child to be swept away in an undertow. 

My niece thinks that Cindy and I are always overreacting but, we aren’t because we now know the dangers of water and the possibility of a few seconds becoming dangerous.

I require a life jacket for anyone who isn’t a strong swimmer and, my family no longer questions my rigid rules. Life has taught my family that safety first does save lives.

Inviting my husband for a weekend getaway to a Bed and Breakfast with promises of fun in the sun got a good laugh but, as usual no interest from my husband who now uses Foxy as an excuse to stay home. “Foxy is too old to go to a weekend spa. He’s set in his ways. The best thing we can give him is a good life at home with familiarity.” 

I quickly added that the B&B was “pet friendly” in Arkansas. 

My husband always surprises me. He’s like an onion with layer after layer of interesting things that I was unaware of. 

“Foxy is an only child. He wouldn’t want to be around other animals at a pet friendly Bed & Breakfast.” Sleeping in someone else’s bed is something my husband doesn’t care for either. Whether it’s a luxury hotel or less private B&B. 

Matthew went on by using the Psycho movie about strange people running strange hotels, motels and B&B’s. “Didn’t you watch Psycho?” I explained to my husband that the movie was based on motel. It wasn’t a B&B. “Staying at a strangers house? You don’t know anything about them. They could be Axe Murders. Spy on you with electronic devices or two way mirrors.” What the? Matthew has a wild imagination. 

The Psycho movie had Anthony living in a home near the motel not in it but, my husband still pointed out that Anthony with keys to all of the rooms. It was actually a good point. Access and lack of security are the main thing my husband remembers about the Pschyo movie aside from the shower scene of course. Who doesn’t remember the shower scene? 

My husbands imagination of “what if?” Had me off laughing again, as usual. “Eating with people we don’t know? What if we don’t like the food?” How his vision was so different from mine I had no clue. 

I like variety and trying new foods. At the B&B my son and I stayed at, it was the first time I had tried hominy. It was tasty and interesting. 

When my son was young, I took him to Jefferson, Texas to ride the train and stayed with a lovely older woman who made us a wonderful array breakfast foods and also gave us tips on places to visit while in town. 

I told my husband how nice she was and what a lovely trip we had while he shook his head and asked “did your room have a lock on the door? Traveling with a child and staying with a stranger could’ve been dangerous and disastrous!” My son was 4 and I felt completely safe at the B&B. 

I’ve decided that my husband has no future plans to leave the comfort of our home and will never stay at a B&B based on his ideas and questions about why anyone would open their home to strangers and how uncomfortable he would be in a strangers home. “No privacy. Even the bathroom is down the hall and somewhat public.” 

That’s my husband for you. I don’t need all that privacy- after years of modeling and being in a room with countless others changing clothes to “run a rack” of clothes, privacy flew out the window for me. 

It looks like I will be loading up my twin sister, grandnieces and other team members to address the Coordination of planning a family reunion in Arkansas without my husband joining us for a relaxing weekend on the lake with us at the B&B. 

One day perhaps Matthew will join me on a trip to beautiful and sunny California but, I’m not holding my breath. The photo above was taken at one of my favorite places, Santa Monica. 

While my hilarious grandniece didn’t want to pose for this picture, it was her first visit to the beach and she had a great time.

Traveling isn’t for everyone. I’ve learned that my love of travel doesn’t extend to my husband and that’s okay. I have a twin sister who loves adventure and meeting new people as much as I do. 

Cindy and I will always love the ocean and we’ve both learned the importance of safety in the water. 

Our Aunt Shirley sent not only my sister and my brother and I to swim classes but also her three children at a very young age. My son was in swimming classes at two years old. My grandmother never learned to swim and her fear of water haunted her entire life. 

Had she learned to swim, I’m certain she would have enjoyed living in Guam and California near sandy beaches far more but, her fear of water was simply too great for her to overcome. 

Cindy’s grand twins, Maryssa and Makenna  will soon be finished with school and ready to join us on an adventure this summer to Arkansas. 

For these two sets of twins, our adventures never end. More events, more new families and more Travels Of The Texas Twins. Maryssa and Makenna love new adventures and Destination Events give us an opportunity to visit new places with time to meet new friends. 

Clients from Texas Twins Events and The Pawning Planners are friendly and welcoming and although my husband worries about going into strangers homes or staying with strangers, I’ve never met a stranger and look forward to new adventures…