by shannonchance

Friendships Etched in Stone

Cathy Whittington and Dave Chance, fast friends since their days working at Superior Marble and Stone.

Cathy Whittington and Dave Chance, fast friends since their days working at Superior Marble and Stone.

Dave met Cathy Whittington when they worked together at Superior Marble and Stone. The two have been fast friends ever since. Dave and I always enjoy getting together with Cathy and her husband Bill. Sometimes we go out, but what we love most is when they invite us over for a home-cooked meal. Cathy Whittington is an extraordinary hostess and cook!

Cathy and Bill Whittington

Cathy and Bill Whittington

Her hostessing prowess probably comes from her years of dedicated work as a flight attendant. She knows how to put people at easy and anticipate their every need.

Dave and I visited Cathy and Bill in their Suffolk home before Christmas.

Following that, we also took a trip over to Superior to say “hi” to Dave’s former boss, Mary Thompson.

Seeing my photo hung on the wall reminded me to tell you this story:

Dave Chance and his former boss, Mary Thompson.
Mary keeps everything under control.
Dave Chance and John Baird walking among the granite slabs.

Cathy joined the staff at Superior in the weeks Dave and I were away on two-week trip to Italy (sponsored by Superior). Dave called in to the business several times while we were traveling. One day Buddy and Mary asked if we’d been to Pisa yet.

When Buddy said he’d like a picture of me with the leaning tower, we spun the car around and headed for Tuscany.

A picture Dave took of me hangs in the Superior showroom to this day.

Shannon Chance and John Baird, perusing photos in the Superior Marble and Stone showroom.
In Pisa, Dave and I found that a little nudge wouldn’t quite do the trick…
…so we determined to try a shove!
by shannonchance

Remembering Lillian

Last Christmas with Ma.

Last Christmas with Ma.

My grandmother, Lillian Forsythe Massie (aka, Ma) always loved Christmas and made sure that it was a special day for everyone in her family.  She’d plan all year.

This is our first Christmas without her (we lost her on January 26, 2012).

This is the last photo Dave took of Ma.  May she rest in peace.

by shannonchance

Another Norman Rockwell Christmas at Kitty Lee and Glen’s

Introducing my Massie grandparents — Layton (Pa) and Lillian (Ma) Massie.  They are my Dad’s parents, and they used to live in Staunton, Virginia.

Layton McCarthy and Lillian Forsythe Massie.
Heather with Lillian (Ma) and Layton (Pa) Massie.
Amanda and Lilli with Lillian Massie a couple years ago.

Although Ma and Pa are no longer with us, most of their kids and grandkids (as well as their great grand kids and their great great grandkid) gather at my aunt Kitty Lee’s home each year to celebrate Christmas.

I enjoy this outing and the chance to catch up with Kitty Lee and Glen (who live in the picturesque Shenandoah Valley), as well as my Dad and the rest of the Massie tribe.

This is the way we’ve celebrated Massie Christmas since the mid-90s.  Before that, we’d all gather at my grandparents’ cozy bungalow at 414 High Street in downtown Staunton, Virginia.

The pictures below were taken December 22-24, 2012.

Arriving at Kitty Lee and Glen’s house for Massie Christmas.
Kitty Lee and Glen Layman at home in Harrisonburg.
Kitty Lee always decorates so beautifully for the holiday.
Dave playing with Kitty’s cat, Whitney.
Kitty Lee’s most recent needle point project (one of two angles shown here).
Enjoying the Layman sunroom (that I helped design many moons ago).
A view of the Shenandoah Valley on a clear day…
…and then the snow rolled in.
And the hills and silos were shrouded by snowflakes.
Kitty watching the snow start to fall.
Massie family dinner. Thanks Dad, Kitty Lee, and Glen for hosting dinner.
The kids aren’t so little any more.
Michelle, Kitty Lee, and Dave looking over my grandparents’ high school yearbooks.
Pa was in the drama club…
…and on the baseball team…
…and on the basketball team too!
Dad and Kitty Lee trying to find their parents’ photos.
Kitty Lee Layman, Buddy Deaton, Heather Massie, and Maureen Deaton.
My cousin Michelle and her daughter Ryleigh.
Ryleigh and Michelle admiring ornaments that record our family history.
Lilli keeps us all in stitches.
Amanda (Lilli’s mom) and her sisters Chelsea and Kaitlin.
Exchanging Christmas gifts with Dad.
Birds enjoying the snow, including a cardinal (the Virginia state bird).

by shannonchance

Christmas Day

We’re enjoying Christmas day at my Mom’s home in Middletown, Pennsylvania, as is our annual tradition.

Here’s wishing you and yours a day full of peace and love!  From Heather, Leslie, Cynthia, Dave, and Shannon.

Christmas breakfast with my sister Heather, friend Leslie Lee, mom Cynthia, and husband Dave.
Mary and Tim Bigelow came to visit during breakfast. Haven’t seen them since October in Dublin.
The famous playwright, Leslie Lee, who recently retired from teaching screen writing at NYU.
Dave catching up on the news.
by shannonchance

You Must Have Had Your Weetabix!

Have you had your Weetabix?

Have you had your Weetabix?

I felt like a reindeer just before dawn on December 15, as I dragged two overstuffed suitcases, a backpack, and a fragile gift bag through the streets of Dublin.

I was headed for the 747 Air Link bus to Dublin Airport and Christmas was in the morning air.

A passing man remarked at the sight of my lanky frame tugging its equivalent weight in baggage:  “You must have had your Weetabix this morning!”

I nodded in agreement, though it took me a half-minute more to figure out what he’d actually said.  (At times, the accent still throws me off, and I’m not quite familiar with the Weetabix brand.)

Arriving home to the States, I found Weetabix in the cereal aisle of my local Harris Teeter.

Unfortunately, this cereal is chock full of wheat and gluten so it’s a total “no go” for me… but the sight of it still made me smile, thinking of my morning jaunt through Dublin and that friendly passer-by.

by shannonchance

More Studio Fun

We're going to move the awning up and add signage. (The sign is not there yet. I PhotoShop-ed in a version to see what it might look like. The sign will have to be approved by the Downtown Design Review committee.)

We’re going to move the awning up and add signage that looks something like this.

Dave’s studio is in the building at the back of the courtyard (in the top photo). In addition to designing and renovating the inside of the building, we also need to figure out how to use his courtyard well.

I PhotoShop-ed a sign onto the photo to see what that could look like.  In honor of the movie, I’ve used Helvetica font here.  (Please note:  No sign is installed yet.  The design Dave selects will have to be approved by the Downtown Design Review committee before we can do that.  It is likely to be much smaller than what I’m simulating here.)

I’ve included a few photos Dan Bell sent from the other night….

Shannon and Dave celebrating the new studio.
Shannon Chance and Jenn White hamming it up.
Raaaaawwwrrrrr!
by shannonchance

Dave Chance Downtown

We haven’t yet started moving Dave into his new photography studio at 610 High Street, but we’re starting to design how he will use the space.  Our friends Jenn White and Dan Bell met us there the other night to celebrate Dave’s news.

Looking north on the 600 block of High Street in Portsmouth, Virginia. Dave’s new studio space is at the back of his courtyard.
Dave in his new space.
Inside the space as it is now.
Jenn White and Dan Bell brought champagne to toast the move!
From the back door of the studio, you see the back side of five houses I designed on Green and London Streets.
We proceeded down the street to the Baron’s Pub.
And Jenn’s boyfriend Landon joined us.
Here’s the nearby St. Paul’s Catholic Church that’s near to our hearts.
by shannonchance

Faculty Lunch Abroad

My last day in Dublin was filled with fun and with near misses.  (I tried to cram way too much into a single day and I ended up missing half of the events I’d planned to attend.)  A high point of the day was lunch with the faculty of Electrical Engineering Systems (EES).

At lunch, I got to joke around with people I had met throughout the fall (like Dave Berber, Colm Murray, Gavin, Kevin, Finn, Dave Dorran…).  I also met Mick Core for the first time, which was a treat.  He came to teaching after working in industry for decades, where he had 400 employees to supervise, so we had fun discussing organizational leadership in relation to college campuses.

I’ve no pictures from the pub where we went after lunch.  But I assure you, we had great fun!  I became too engrossed in conversation with Ted Burke to remember to document the event photographically — before dashing off to an Embassy party that I never found.

I’ve included photos of lunch, though.  You can’t miss noticing the demographics of this group are much different from my department back home!

This is the Kevin Street campus of DIT, which houses Electrical Engineering Systems (EES), among other programs. You’ve seen the glass penthouse in earlier posts.
EES gift exchange…
…in full swing. (Boy is Kevin curious about the manly gift Dave received!!!!)
Colm Murray lucked out with this gag gift.
Colm Murray, Dave Berber, Mick Core, Shannon Chance, and Gavin Duffy.
by shannonchance

Faculty Lunch at Home

I returned to the US just in time to attend the Hampton University Department of Architecture faculty holiday luncheon.  This year the Chair of our Department, Mr. Robert Easter, hosted it. (Thanks, Robert!!!)

We dined at No Frill Bar and Grill off Colley Avenue in Norfolk.  (This was a fabulous selection of places to eat!  Many thanks to prof. Mason Andrews for the idea — I have missed this restaurant.)

The luncheon flew by so fast that I only caught the briefest glimpse of what’s been going on at HU.  It looks like the department has been doing just fine without me, though, which is very good to know!  🙂

Here are some of the characters I spend my workdays with back home:

The Hampton University faculty of architecture…
…at our 2012 Christmas lunch.
The talented, energetic, and creative Dr. Carmina Sanchez.
The woman on whom we all depend, Ms. Deborah Bowers. Notice that she has a halo!
James Ford, a new adjunct who is helping teach first year studio. We can also be seen together on HU’s website.
by shannonchance

Chili with Duane and Kitty Kat

Chili with Dave and Duane last Sunday.

Chili with Dave and Duane last Sunday.

Duane Wilson has been feeding Dave and me for the past 13+ years.  Duane was president of the Port Norfolk Civic League when we move to the neighborhood.  There weren’t many others willing to take office at that time; he clearly needed some help.

I was immediately drafted to serve as recording secretary and corresponding secretary (little did I know, these were two distinct and labor-intensive jobs). Duane was thrilled to have help and he has thanked us hundredfold over the years.

He lives just three blocks from our home and he phones us at least once a week with an invitation to head to his house for dinner.  Dave and I have learned to anticipate a call on Sunday night, when Duane is prone to be “cleaning out” his refrigerator.  He didn’t call this week, so we rang him and asked if he had any leftovers on… and by golly, he did!

He’s such a generous person that, in addition to feeding us, he has also:

  • Installed (with Dave and sometimes me) all four copper roofs on our house.
  • Let Dave paint the porch flooring in his garage.
  • Hosted our wedding shower at his house.
  • Taken us along to his daughter’s wedding (as his date — hee, hee!)
  • Thrown my 40th birthday party at his house.
  • Introduced us to dozens of his friends over the years.

Duane and I have learned yoga and opera-appreciation together. Our attendance at the opera is due to his girlfriend Julie; we all enjoy our time with the opera crowd.

It’s wonderful to have Duane, Julie, his Kitty Kat — and others from his group like Ann, Clara and Jimmy, Ken and Sally, Eric and Ann — to count among our friends.

My view from aside the fireplace at Duane’s house.
Dave chatting with Duane and Kitty Kat.
Ms. Kitty checked me out…
…and decided I was still okay!