So much for the parade.

I got to the restaurant at exactly 8:12 pm....we were supposed to be there at 8:15. Everyone else showed up at 8:30. I secured a nice 6 seat table by the windows so we could see the parade while eating. We were all having a good time. I was having a Holy Virgin Mary and everybody else was drinking beer and liquor. Then I went down for a cigarette outside and ran into Jim and Jonathan who were blitzed and I got a good whiff of bourbon from their breath. I went back upstairs thinking that I hoped they wouldn't continue to drink (like that wasn't going to happen) and that they wouldn't fall down and hurt themselves or get mugged by anybody. I sat back down at the table and suddenly I was angry that I couldn't be drinking and having fun like they were.(not) Then I started to panic and then I just felt like I had to escape and so I handed my camera to Chris and asked him to get some good pics and then turned to everyone else (almost in tears) and said I can't be around this much alcohol right now and good night. Walked quickly home and called both Chris and Ken and told them how I was feeling and that that's why I left. They said they understand and maybe they do but until you live it you never really can know what it's like. I'm OK now and looking forward to coffee in the morning with Chris and Jewel and then the Food Expo. I'm OK. Sometimes you can't fight and just have to run. It's not a bad thing.