This was definitely a weekend we will never forget. This one is a toughie. I've been dreading this weekend for months. My family has always been my best friends. Every year, my family visits me here in Jersey Presidents Day, Memorial Day, and Labor Day weekends. For years they always joke that I invent or make up holidays to guilt them into visiting me. These have always been my favorite weekends all year. I absolutely love when my family gets to make the four plus hour drive from Mansfield, Massachusetts to visit me. I love getting to be with them as they enjoy our beautiful area and seeing so many of my wonderful friends. Last year Memorial Day weekend was easily one of the best weekends I have ever had getting to enjoy it with Madre, Padre, and my late sister Zannie. We had a great time with friends and delicious food too. This weekend was the first time my parents have visited me in Jersey since she unexpectedly passed away suddenly at 37 years old January 25th. By the end, my parents admitted to me that they were dreading this weekend too knowing how heartbreaking and gutwrenching it would be visiting me together without her. We also knew that it's so important for us to keep living and seeing our friends. We know that is definitely what my sister Zannie would have wanted.
My Saturday morning started with my annual Facebook Live Behind The Scenes preview video of The Franklin Sussex AutoMall Pro Rodeo at Green Valley Farms up on 23. You're more than welcome to enjoy this video below where on my first barnyard bowling attempt, I TOTALLY WHIFFED! I nailed a strike on my second attempt, but the #EpicFail on my first try will probably live in infamy. All good!
On my way back from The Rodeo, I swung by ShopRite Of Sussex for some snacks helping me entertain my parents. I ran into Rock Star Crossing Guard Nick! He was excited to meet me in person, and I was even more psyched getting to meet him. After that, it was time for me to power up and get some breakfast in me at Granny's on 23. Then, it was time for me to finally declutter, organize and clean.
My parents arrived just after 1pm and immediately said "Steve. The first thing we heard on the radio coming here was you stressing and complaining about having to clean because we were coming. Stop it! You're making us sound like monsters!" My place honestly wasn't bad at all. It's just me being me trying to make everything as perfect as possible for my family. Since Madre has been cleaning houses all her life, the pressure is definitely on me! My coworker bestie Shawn said "Steve don't get anxiety over this. Your parents love you, they won't judge you!" I said "No you're right about the love part, but the judging is a sport!" She cracked up. My parents cracked up when I told them that and they said "no, as long as it isn't bad we won't judge you. Hearing you on the radio stressing made us wonder 'how bad is his place?' I'm happy to report that they gave me passing grades!
We had a great time catching up, and then I took them to Industry Kitchen & Bar in Sparta. We had an absolutely phenomenal time there last year and wanted to repeat some of that magic. Tommy, Ricky and the team there took great care of us. Go figure. Tommy without knowing sat us at the same exact table we were at last year, we even had the same rock star waitress Christine. It was tough because that made it even more elephant in the room that while many things were the same, we are missing my sister Zannie. Friday night I learned that Industry just brought back their terrific lobster rolls from last year. My sister loved the one she had last year, and lobster rolls were her absolute favorite food of all time. We all looked at each other, and I said to Madre and Padre "one of us HAS to do the lobster roll in her honor. Who wants to do it?" Madre immediately volunteered. Her lobster roll was terrific. Padre got the delicious Rigatoni Bolognese, and I had the NY Strip Steak. All of them were absolutely fantastic. I then made sure we got the Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet desert even though we were already so well fed. My parents loved it even if they were nagging to me all Saturday night about their food comas. We got food comas but it was well worth it! Saturday night we were able to meet up with several friends at Kite's. We wanted to do Tiki Bar, but it was so cold outside they had to close it. It was great getting to hang out with besties Brad, Steve, Christine, Chris, Spooner and Bryon. Bartender Kevin came running out immediately to hug my parents when we arrived. He is a terrific bartender, and even better person.
1 of 12 2 of 12 3 of 12 4 of 12 5 of 12 6 of 12 7 of 12 8 of 12 9 of 12 10 of 12 11 of 12 12 of 12
I'm trying very hard to not overschedule and exhaust my parents like I did my first few years. There's just so much I enjoyed taking them out to show how beautiful our area can be. We started our day at Claremont Distillery on 94. Padre enjoyed his Advanced Whiskey Flight Sampler. Bestie Christine said "Padre, you look like a kid in the candy store right now. We had a great time there together.
We then ventured over to Alias Brewery in Vernon. It wasn't part of the original game plan, but Padre loves breweries. If Padre wants to have a beer at a brewery after driving all this way to see me, how can I say no to him? We then ventured over to The Irish Cottage Inn. It was great seeing so many of our wonderful friends there. Besties Artie and Margie, Buckeye Paul, Ed, Roy, Paul M, George, and more. I was worried that we were going to coincidentally be there during Music Bingo. I warned my parents earlier I was trying to dodge that. I am trying to not show them my dark side and how annoyed I get during Music Bingo. I don't think they necessarily believed me, until all of my friends there backed me up. I told them how some friends like Music Bingo more, and make it a point to go because they get a kick out of me getting so annoyed. Later that night on my deck, Padre and Madre both told me "okay that was hilarious. It's like the whole bar of your friends loves it literally because it annoys you." Yep. Their son is clearly quite the prize, lol.
I have to admit we had fun playing and it made my parents very happy. There were many tears and triggers, but also much needed laughs too. It was great to be in the comfort of our friends. Sunday night while pulling into my parking lot, I spotted a big bear out of the corner of my eye and pointed him out to my parents. I hadn't seen a bear yet this year! This was a huge win, because whenever my family visits they always want to see the bears. We went to my deck and for 20 minutes I was on the lookout to see if the bear would walk past my deck. After 20 minutes, I gave up, and sat down facing my parents. I let them have the chairs that face my mountain so they can enjoy the beautiful view I get every night. After 30 minutes, the bear walked right by my deck as my back was turned to him. My parents spotted him. This bear was probably 300 pounds or so. He then went to the dumpster as we predicted. Fortunately our neighbors did a great job locking the dumpsters, so no bear problems there.
After leaving the dumpsters, Padre predicted the bear would go back onto my mountain into the woods. He was wrong! All of the sudden we see the bear walking back in our parking lot. He then did something I have never seen a bear do in person. He opened up the driver door of a black Jeep Wrangler across the parking lot from us, put his head inside to smell real quick, didn't smell anything, and took his head out of the car. He then closed the door and walked away from it. Wow! We were joking about how polite the bear was. The previous night, while leaving my Jeep Compass Madre didn't close her door all the way, then reclosed it which set my car alarm off. It went on for a full minute because it just wouldn't turn off no matter what we tried. That minute of my car alarm going off felt like hours. We were so relieved when it finally stopped. We joked that even a bear shut a door better than Madre did.
1 of 20 2 of 20 3 of 20 4 of 20 5 of 20 6 of 20 7 of 20 8 of 20 9 of 20 10 of 20 11 of 20 12 of 20 13 of 20 14 of 20 15 of 20 16 of 20 17 of 20 18 of 20 19 of 20 20 of 20
My parents made it home safely last night. I was able to hang out with my wonderful friends Paul M, Artie and George, then Christine, Chris, Carrie and Brad. Figures we finally had nice weather on Monday the day my parents were driving home.
Overall this weekend went as well as it possibly could have given everything considered. Time to start planning next weekend!