Northern Michigan Wedding.
5/23/2010
There I was on the bridge between Little Glenn and Big Glenn Lake looking over the north end of Sleeping Bear Sand Dunes. What made it extra marvelous was it was at sunset. The whole visual stimulating image glowed spectacular with a triple hued mauve-purple sunset outlining the dunes. The reflection from the lake was sparkling like enchanted pixie dust. This was a moment to capture your imagination and make indelible mental images that are permanently placed in memory.
It was simply gorgeous. We were up west of Traverse City attending a long time friend's wedding. When you are in southern Michigan you tend to overlook the daily blessings we have available. I am talking about cell phone coverage and hotel accommodations. We do not have the glorious visual scenery that abounds up north. There was a problem with our GPS unit. When we were traveling in an east to west direction we had a strong electronic artificially accented voice admonishing when you made a wrong turn. When we went to a south to north orientation the GPS signal would get dropped due to the van's metal roof blocking the satellite signal. One thing we were reminded of was the location in that area is at the forty-fifth parallel. Being halfway between the North Pole and the Equator I imagine the angle of reception had to be dead on to complete the information highway instructions to our destination.
There is the somewhere back in time feeling you pick up when you are out on an adventure. The Bride and Groom planned the wedding, reception, and made arrangements with a non-chain motel. It was refreshing staying in this clean and comfortable room. There was a meeting room for group visiting where we met after the reception. Outside there was a volleyball area, a basketball hoop area and a fire pit. It also had a horseshoe pit and outside chairs. The lake access had its own dock and viewing area. It really was an overall nice motel set up. It presented very well. It was like time travel back into your youth.
The oddity seeming out of place was baseboard hot water heat. Each room had its own thermostat located down in the end of the register. It was located down just above the floor. You that are bifocal challenged understand this positioning paradox. If you are where you can reach the dial you can not read it. You could match a number dial to an approximate comfortable temperature. Kneeling down and trying to read the dial was easier if you used the emergency lighting flash light placed on the window table. I mastered that pretty quickly. I picked the appropriate temperature setting as other people did not believe the chart and set theirs to roast. We were comfortable without need for extra blankets.
Tracing the air conditioner plug cord down the blue extension cord that was securely plugged into a three pronged outlet expander was a treat. I had never seen this in a motel setup before. The bathroom was outfitted with two, count them, outlets. They both were ground fault interrupter (GFI) outlets. One was labeled no hair blow driers and the other hair blow driers. The GFI outlets were a key safety feature as the shower curtain was confused if it was to block water spray or to allow full aqueous permeability through a membrane. Most of the shower water was on the floor outside the shower stall. Judging from the water stains on the dry wall this confusion has been occurring for along time.
Another oddity was there was cable television so if you had an absolute need for paranoia you could connect to the negative reality of CNN and other depressing channels. It was nice not turning on TV and not having to put up with the incessant noise and visual over stimulation. In our "we have to be connected world" it was interesting talking to other wedding attendees. Regardless of which cell phone carrier you had there were no bars for cell connection at the motel. At the reception it must have been right next to a tower as everyone had a full complement of bars and connectivity.
The reception was in an exquisite old township hall. This was built of knotty pine walls darkened with the patina finish of time. The floors were white pine tongue and groove. The open cathedral ceiling was more knotty pine. Support beams were a mixture of wood and metal beams or support rods. It was an outstanding venue for a warm picturesque reception. You know how it is good friends; good food always makes for a good time. It was a time to make new friends and catch up with seasoned long time friends and family. Some of the people made valiant pleas but I was able to agree that their grandchildren were almost as beautiful as mine. Weddings, graduations and anniversary parties are my preferred parties. These emphasize the happier portion of the circle of life.
Sunday morning there was a collective breakfast party of twenty five that caravanned over a pretty route to the Cedar Inn. It was another opportunity to visit over a common meal. That is were long term relationships get reattached and strengthened. Breaking bread together is the symbolism and reality of friendship bonds. The more we look for differences the more we find each other similar in wants, desires, dreams and fears. Faith is the glue that holds dreams and our futures together.
We did a little side trip before heading south towards home. We went up Michigan 37 to the light house. Standing halfway between history and present day on the forty-fifth parallel gives you time to pause and think. Living there and back then would have been literally a huge gap in reality and the comforts we take for granted in our everyday lives.
Carrlin and Brian, may your love endure the trials and test of time. Your future looks secure from Southeastern Michigan. I wish you safe travel for your move to Anchorage.
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