Before getting the culverts in place enough to build a simple bridge across them, life in the UP took on the glorious days of an instant summer. The snow was all gone, trees were leafing out, the sky was a brilliant blue and the sleepy little town we were near woke and was ready to socialize.

One morning, I got a phone call on the bag-phone we had hooked up to the 12 volt battery. Jamie announced there was going to be a bring-a-dish party at Buck’s place on Saturday. Bring-a-dish and your own ‘liquid refreshment’ parties were very typical, there was no burden on anyone for the cost of food or beverage, yet offered a good time. Jamie gave me the times, then announced “oh, by the way, Charlie and I are getting married at the party and Buck is officiating”. Huh??? Well, that put a new spin on the day.

Having been a cake decorator and putting myself thru massage school creating wedding cakes, I decided that would be my gift to the new couple. A few phone calls to the bride’s closer friends got me how many would be at the party, what her favorite cake flavor was, and the flowers she would have. I had only three days to pull this off.

First thing on the agenda was to check my supplies for the necessary ingredients for frosting and cake, make a list, and do a quick run to the store. As quick of a run as could be when the nearest store was 15 miles away, and we were still walking across boards over the creek and dealing with washed out roads.

The day of the wedding arrived overcast and a light drizzling rain. Pete packed his camera (he was taking the event pictures), and I loaded the cake, in layers, onto a board that went into the back of the truck for the ride to the creek.. our transfer point. In the rain, I balanced the cake carefully as I made my way across the slippery foot path, and placed the cake tenderly in the back of the jeep for the ride to the party. The cake was a big hit and I was ‘forgiven’ for not bringing a dish to pass when I claimed I brought dessert!

Everyone was amazed at our tales of the wash out and how we were managing. We were ‘anointed’ with honorary local status, since we not only had survived a record breaking winter, but we were staying for the next one… apparently, many new residents left after the first winter…lol.