My Epic Weekend In Pictures: Great Time Seeing My Family

Here's my editor note: next week I'll take a quick vacation from my Epic Weekend In Pictures. I'll be going away on vacation in Nashville! I can't wait to see my Bros from home! You can see my shenanigans throughout the week on my Instagram story @SteveAllanRadio. You'll see and hear all about it when I'm back the following week for sure! I've been wanting to see Nashville for years. It was originally going to be the destination for my bachelor party, just because that didn't work out doesn't mean I can't still go to Nashville with my friends and have fun!

This weekend I didn't have to work, and it was my best chance at going home to see my family before early June when I make my way back up there for my Dad Padre's birthday. I knew going into the weekend that our weather situation wasn't looking too good. Talk about widespread storms! I wanted to get the most time and most out of every minute I could seeing my family. I was able to drive and get up there Friday night in 4 and a half hours or so. Without any traffic it should usually take me four hours door to door from Vernon, NJ to Mansfield, MA, vice versa.

Padre saw me pulling into our favorite local brewery up there in Norton, MA. Bog Iron Brewery was delicious and they had a Soul Cellar ice cold IPA ready for me to go when I arrived at the bar. Everyone was so excited and happy to see me, it really warmed my heart. I had time for one beer there, and everyone working there said "awh just one beer and you're leaving already?" I promised them that I would return the next day, but in the meantime wanted to go home and see my Mom Madre. It was fun getting to surprise her a day earlier than planned. It was also great getting to watch The Boston Bruins NHL playoff game Friday night. The Bruins didn't play great, and lost, but it felt better screaming at the television with my family. Misery indeed does love company sometimes. Getting to watch sport with my family was just fantastic, even if the outcome wasn't what we wanted. We had pizza delivered from my local up there favorite, Stefano's. It was a great, quiet Friday pizza night in with my family and I loved it.

Saturday morning I did my usual "Steve is back home, must see Gillette Stadium in person," visits. It is definitely surreal seeing how dramatically different the stadium looks now. I'm hopeful once the construction project is complete that the new look will grow on me. It's no secret I'm also not too great with change and am a creature of habit. Despite the changes and my Gillette selfies not looking as fun as they used to, I still had a nice visit. I prefer back when you could see into the field at Gillette Stadium from nearby CBS Scene, whereas now your view is blocked with their massive scoreboard expansion. Ah well. At least it should give fans attending the game a better experience.

I then ventured over to Stop & Shop in Mansfield to get flowers for Madre and Zannie. With how much my Mom and sister have put up with me, it's the least I can do. I'm the luckiest guy in the world to have my family.

We then took a family field trip, all four of us to Bog Iron Brewery. It was fun to relax there for 2 Soul Cellars instead of 1 the previous night. We also had fun seeing our Bog Iron friends as well.

We were then able to go to another one of our favorite local spots around, Geno's Sports Bar. Their menu might not be the largest, or have huge variety, but everything they do offer, they do very well. Their New England Clam Chowder is fantastic. It's so good there are times I bring it back with me to Jersey for friends to enjoy. It's that fantastic. They know how to make amazing Chowdah there, that's for sure!

Saturday night dinner bunch was great with my family, my Uncle Jeff JDawg, Jeffrey and his daughter Vivi. We all had wonderful meals, yes of course I caved and did my usual Buffalo Tenders. I was thinking about switching it up doing New England Clam Chowder and a house salad, but once I got a whiff of the wings from another table I caved.

Sunday morning I knew the weather wasn't looking good. Tons of rain, wind and thunderstorms. I knew it was going to be a tough, challenging commute back from New England to New Jersey. The weather forecasts I was monitoring throughout the weekend confirmed exactly that basically. Friday night I made the decision instead of leaving early Sunday morning to try to beat the treacherous driving conditions, I would merely stay later and longer than usual, and do a goodbye lunch. I was able to meet up with my family, Aunty Donna, Uncle Leisure Paul, cousins Matt and Brandon, plus his girlfriend Sophie. Wow. We had so much fun with so many laughs. Saturday morning I promised Aunty Donna I would see her and Uncle Paul for lunch Sunday before I went back to Jersey. Saturday afternoon, Sophie reached out to my sister Zannie and invited us to watch Brandon's band playing. We couldn't make it out to Fall River, but still wanted to see them. We invited them to join us for lunch. As the day progressed, we reached out to cousin Matt and then formalized a plan to hit Alberto's in Norton for my goodbye lunch. We tend to pick places that are close to highways for me so I can get on the road quicker.

Communication comedy gold. Saturday night, Aunty Donna and Uncle Paul learned that Brandon, Sophie and Matt would also be joining us for lunch. They had no idea that we were communicating back and forth making plans. We were all very excited to see each other. We laughed almost nonstop for 90 minutes, having fun busting on each other. I'm so beyond blessed to have them. Instead of my usual pizza or wings, I switched it up and ordered a sausage they call "Fenway Park." I asked for it without onions and peppers, so plain.

My family was busting on me NONSTOP. "Hey Steve, have a sausage, hold ALL THE FUN." "Steve, you're getting Fenway Park but without the Fenway!" LOLOLOL. We all had fun busting on each other and everyone had a great time laughing. It's no secret I'm a plain Jane picky eater, that's for sure. Then the teary goodbye happens as I have to say goodbye to my family.

I then hit the road at approximately 1:30pm in Norton, MA. This was an Epic Adventure. The first hour in Massachusetts the rain was happening but honestly not that bad. I was PSYCHED. Then I crossed over the Connecticut border and everything changed. The rain and windstorms were intense.

I stopped at a Buffalo Wild Wings in Danbury Connecticut just to unwind, stretch, hit the men's room and have a beer to take a break from driving in the nonstop pouring rain. I even had to drive by a rollover too. Thoughts and prayers to whoever was involved in that, it looked pretty rough. I made it back to Vernon at 7:05pm.

I always call my family to let them know I made it back home safe. Padre laughed when I called and he said "Steve you sound exhausted! Please get some rest, bud." I then watched The Bruins still make us angry as they lost in Game 7 at HOME against the Florida Panthers. Up 3-1 after having the greatest regular season in NHL freakin history. Nope, not bitter at all! Best of luck to my friends who still have teams in the NHL Playoffs.

LET'S GO CELTICS!!!! Overall I had a great weekend. Time to start planning next weekend, where I'll be packing up for Nashville! #WhatCanPossiblyGoWrong