Every great love story begins somewhere

Every great love story begins somewhere. We set out to discover the chance meetings with romance that changed people’s lives.

At First Sight
By Monica Hesse, January & February 2006

Late one night I heard someone banging around in the hallway outside my apartment door. It was so loud, I finally got up to investigate. When I opened my door, a man fell into my kitchen—passed-out drunk. I tried to shove him back into the hall, but he was too heavy. Instead, I left him on the floor, went to my bedroom, pushed the dresser in front of my door, and went back to sleep. Not long after, I married the lug. —Ann Frick, Mocksville, North Carolina

My wife and I met at a salon on Halloween. She was getting a manicure; I was having a fingernail of my vampire costume fixed. She thought I was either really weird or really fun but decided to hope for the latter. —Sandy Bumgarner, Rohnert Park, California

I used to work as a probation officer in western Washington State. I had one difficult parolee who kept reoffending. I was forever convincing him to go to the eastern side of the state—out of my jurisdiction. Once there, he'd reoffend and another parole officer would get him to move back west! Finally, this other officer and I decided to meet to discuss the problem. "This other officer" is now my wife. We didn't invite the probationer to the wedding. —Bill O'Connor, Anchorage, Alaska

I met the love of my life on July 1, 2005. We saw each other July 3, 4, and 5, and married on the 6th. When you wait 63 years for your soulmate, you're really sure when she comes along. —J.D. Stucker, Shelbyville, Kentucky

A recently divorced father, I phoned a local resource center to see if they knew of any single mothers who'd like a place to stay, rent-free, in exchange for watching my kids. For ten years this fantastic woman cared for "hers" and "mine." Then we got married, and now she cares for "ours." —John Grote, Bonney Lake, Washington

I was singing in a folk concert and planning to move to Washington the next day. But halfway through my set I heard a lovely voice harmonizing with me from the audience. I never made that trip. Instead, my wife and I just celebrated 24 years of marriage.—J.E. McCreary, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Jesse & David: Good People, Great Parties, Servants of the Community

Jesse, President of the Chester County Convention Center 2000 - 2007, and David VP of the Keystone Hospice of Pennsylvania, met in 1999 playing softball in the Philadelphia Gay & Lesbian Softball league. It was an instant attraction and shortly thereafter combined their homes of two dogs and three cats. Settling down in Center City in a cute Trinity home Jesse immediately jumped into political activities running and winning as the republican committeeman (in 2004 he was picked as a delegate to the Republican Convention. Several days before the event, Jesse resigned saying he couldn't nominate someone like George Bush for president. I applaud him for that, as did the NY Times and other prominent organizations in the country.) David in the meantime kept himself busy by dedicating himself to more worthy causes volunteering for various AIDS organizations and elderly care facilities. Fast forward 8 years later...

City Paper - Longtime politically active Philadelphia couple Jesse Walters and David Traupman are moving to Miami Beach on 7/7/07. Having threaten their friends and family over the past 5 years with this dream, they finally decided to "walk the walk" and pursue their long-term goal of running a small hotel in a warm climate resort. They will be exploring the Miami area looking for that special hotel to buy so that the rest of us "Golden Girls" can winter or at least have a fun place to stay while attending the White Party. We will miss them dearly.

Looking for a few good stories of Love and Match Making!

Oh to have too many blogs and not enough time to interview candidates for this blog. Does anyone have a love story they want to tell me and have me feature on this site: info@phillychitchat.com

Kip and Michelle happily rowing along

Kip and Michelle have been married for two years now, but it wasn't always smooth sailing as Kip was one of those guys that just didn't get the clue or maybe got the clue but was afraid of committment, you be the judge. Their story begins on the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia. Michelle rowed for the Baltimore's Loyola College and Kip rowed for St. Joe's University here in Philadelphia. During one of the many collegian races along the river they were in the holding pattern waiting for their race to be called to line up. It was there in 1998 that they caught each others eyes, and it went on like that for almost the entire season until Michelle was able to catch his eye on dry land and a conversation began. They dated a bit, but because of the distance their relationship was more of good friends sharing stories of school, friends and life. As graduation approached Kip planned to return to his native Seattle, his friend Michelle said she didn't have any plans and decided to go to Seattle too. It was here that their friendship would turn into a more romantic one...
for the next 5 years. At some point Michelle decided things weren't going the way she had imagined and as she envisioned being married and having kids by the time she was 30, decided to end the romantic part of her relationship and return to the Philadelphia area where she was raised. Soon after Kip also came East, finding a job and settling near Michelle. They began spending more and more time together, going to movies and exploring the many hiking trails of the Appalachian Trail, which ran through central Pennsylvania. On one beautiful spring day Kip asked Michelle if she could play hokey from work so they could enjoy the blossoming fields and incredible vistas of spring along their favorite Appalachian Trail. She agreed. About an hour into their hike Kip decided to have a picnic, stating he had brought along goodies for them. He laid out a blanket, and pulled out cheese, crackers, got down on one knee and asked Michelle for her hand in marriage. She said yes, and then he pulled out a large bottle of Champagne and two glasses. Michelle later learned that Kip had taken her dad out for dinner a week earlier and had asked permission to marry his daughter. A year later they were married, and today they live happily ever after outside the City where they first met, Philadelphia.

Lee Ann and Rick Stief late bloomers

Some would say that Lee Ann was a late bloomer, but the truth was that she just enjoying the ride of life in her convertible. She was independent, she has the most friends them I know, and good friends at that, she was close to her family, she had a career that took her to places like Alaska, Chicago, Tallahassee, Atlanta where she met some of her best girlfriends. When she finally did begin to settle down closer to home, she got a little place with her sister and picked up a side job, not only for the extra money, but for a social outlet too. Maybe marriage wasn't in the cards for a girl of 30, but it wasn't something she dwelled on as life was busy. Most weeks she looked forward to her side job and the regulars/friends that began requested her especially because of her contagious laugh and personaility. One of the guys was Rick Steif, he seemed a little shy and after weeks of coming in and ordering a sandwich and a beer, Lee Ann announced to the guys that she was heading out the following week for a week on the beach with a friend and she would see them sometime after the trip. And just like anyone that was smitted with someone, Lee Ann thought about the shy guy Rick and was determined that the next time she saw him she would give him her phone number. The following week Thursday came, but Rick and the boys did not, imagine the anxiety that occured, did they find a different bar to hang out, did she miss her chance. The next week the boys return to their former haunt, Lee Ann prepared a piece of paper with her number on it, and walked out to give it to Rick. As she approached Rick called her from behind and asked if he could speak with her and then asked her out. It would be another year before she mentioned to him about the piece of paper she was about to give to him that evening. After 5 year courtship, on Christmas eve, Rick and Lee Ann made a trip to Cape May to attend mass and enjoy a great seafood dinner at the Crab Trap. As they walked along the beach, Rick and Lee Ann enjoyed the sunset, and Rick asked Lee Ann for her hand in marriage. She said yes, she couldn't eat dinner, and they rushed home to be with their families and friends to celebrate. A year or so late on March 20, 2004 they were married. (**I took the following pictures at the wedding and I can assure you they are not the best as I was late to the wedding and quite haggard**) [I love this photo of Lee Ann laying flowers at the statue of Mary.]

The happy couple prepared to walk back down the aisle. At this point there was an enormous cheer from the crowd, it was really heartwarming to know all their friends and family were so excited with their union.
Lee Ann, Rick and a 2007 Daytona 500 driver
Their babies - Stella, Gandolf, the other dog and nephew Quinn.Gandolf and Stella
Happy 3rd Anniversary Rick and Lee Ann.

Janine and Tom - Love, Laughter and Life

I wanted to start off with my sister Janine. She sent me the beautiful piece below. She and her husband are so wonderful together, their kids are so much fun, and I miss them all as they live in Charlotte, NC and I don't see them nearly as much as I wish I did.

Many people over the years have asked us how we met and we always seem to look at each other and smile, feeling as though we’ve known each other our whole life. For as much as fate plays a part in one’s life, it was fate that brought us together that one spring day. I had been living the typical post college life on my own, with three roomates in an apartment, but above my father’s doctor’s office. I was teaching during the week to pay my way and attending whatever party was available on the social scene to mend my broken heart after recently breaking off an engagement.

After a depressing winter, Spring had finally come. The trees were in bloom and the birds were singing. In just a few short weeks it would be time to go down to the Jersey Shore, my most favorite place in the world. Two of the girls that I was living with worked in Philadelphia at an engineer firm. They were talking about this new, young and oh so hot engineer that had just been hired. Tommy was his name and that I should someday meet him.

The company my friends worked for participated in a lot of spring sports. After the games the team would relax at the local neighborhood bar, The Manor. After one particular day, I teased up my South Jersey Sicilian hair, put on a little lip gloss and drove my smokin' Camaro over to the hot spot. As I entered I met my roommate and we made our way over to the cute Italian sitting in the corner surrounded by at least a half dozen girls. Our eyes met, we said hello and my heart sank as the competition pushed me aside.

The days went on, but I didn't forget about that Tommy, and as luck would have it I wouldn't have to wait long to have another encounter. That summer, my roommates and I got a summer shore share as has been a ritual for many years; we looked forward to lying on the beach, clubbing, and dreaming about meeting our soul partner. My friends often asked me “what type of man I wanted to find” and I would tell them, “someone who makes me laugh!”

One night the romance gods were smiling down on me, and we ran into that cute Italian boy from The Manor, Tommy. It was that night we finally clicked and spent most of the time talking as if we were the only two in the club. We found that we had many similiarities and views on life. I found out that he was from Pennsauken NJ, the same place where I was born; we talked and laughed all night long.

On our first date he came to my parents house; my brother said he was so nervous that he shooked everyone’s hand at least twice. My mom was impressed with him immediately excited that we had similar backgrounds and he was very close to his family. That night we had our first of many meals at Garrity’s in Sea Isle City. He ordered seafood and red wine, and I was head over heels in love. We gabbed the entire night, laughing and enjoying each others company.

After dating for more than a year, we married on August 21, 1993 at my childhood church in Cherry Hill, N.J. The years have gone by, the love has grown, we have children of our own, but the laughter just grows stronger. We are so blessed to have such a full life and two wonderful children. Although our trips to the Jersey Shore are limited, the memories we made there are still fresh in our minds, and the love in our heart is fuller as the years go by.

Joanne Woodward once said “Sexiness wears thin after awhile, and beauty fades, but to be married to a man who makes you laugh everyday, ah now that’s a real treat!”

Our kids Nicole and TJ (Thomas Joseph)