Oi what a mess! I went back into that weird version of my game, and found out the following:
The imposter my sim apparently had an affair with died. She had the "heartbroken" moodlet, and apparently "witnessed" the death. Now, I had saved them at the camp ground when I had last left them. No urn anywhere. Yet, both of them were at the camp ground when I went back into the game. The other "Ford" apparently was a flagrant philanderer, and also had a son who was married who had 2 kids of his own.
Here's where it gets even weirder - Lara's "daughter" was not in any of the houses. I visited every single one!! Yet, I was able to call her, and "invite over" - she was a child, not a toddler or baby. Now Lara's husband Harrison who was sleeping when I saved, was STILL in the tent. Now, I ask you - how on earth could one sleep through the wife having an affair, a pregnancy, then the death of the lover, AND the results of the affair grow up to be in the child stage??
What is he, Rip Van Winkle??
I was so mad I just deleted the game!
Here's the last part which I guess is the "silver lining". So, I recreated my sims in Sunset Valley, moved them in etc. The husband learns the cooking skill, and makes dinner of "nice quality". I put the leftovers in the fridge, knowing full well in 6 hours I'm going to have to interveine and delete the bad food. Yet, that never happens. Food is still good a day later, yet, this is the very same fridge that my first Ford couple had...go figure!