How Many Parties Are Too Many Parties?

So I'm in St. Louis. Have been since Tuesday evening. Let me tell you, the train ride was a little boring. Short but boring. Except for that moment when I could have sworn I saw a monkey in a tree. In central Illinois. I winter. It was too big to be a squirrel. It took me until today to even consider that it may have been a raccoon. Stop laughing. I had to get up early that day! And I think Starbucks puts mild hallucinogens in their bottled frappuchinos.
I have been at a party EVERY night so far and have another to go to tonight. I go home tomorrow. Evening, thank god. It's been lots of fun though. Staying with a friend from high school, sleeping late, cooking for said friend. I also go to hang out with some friends from GRADE SCHOOL! It is weird seeing people I knew when they were 5 all grown up and adult-like. Yes, it's true that when they were 5 so was I, but still.
It wasn't until very late last night that I discovered the next door neighbor has WiFi and I could get on the 'net. I had been developing withdrawal symptoms. I couldn't get on FailBlog!! The horror!
I am returning home with some classic St. Louis only (or maybe just not in Chicago) items. R&F kluski noodles for one thing. Two bags of 'em. Every other brand just doesn't taste right to me. And Old Vienna's Red Hot Ripplets. These are potato chips. Incredibly hot, spicy, ADDICTIVE potato chips. My friends and I call them "crack chips" because they are SO addictive. We contend that they are sprinkled with crack. They are heaven. I might suggest though that you don't eat too many in conjunction with too many beers. The next morning feels like hell. But of course I will continue to buy the damned things when ever I can!
The following is one of my hosts favorite pre-dinner munchies. Whenever I make these and she's around they disappear in record time.

Rumaki

One or two packages bacon
two or three cans whole waterchestnuts
honey
brown sugar
toothpicks

Remove bacon from packaging and cut in half. Cut any particularly large waterchestnuts in half too. Wrap each waterchestnut (or half) in half a strip of bacon and hold together with a toothpick. When all chestnuts are wrapped (or you run out of bacon) coat each piece with honey and sprinkle with brown sugar. Place on a cookie sheet (with a lip) or the bottom part of a broiler pan and broil on high for 5 to 6 min. Keep an eye on the toothpicks, they very well could catch fire!
And yes, they did catch fire on me once. I now know to soak the toothpicks in water for a few hours beforehand.

--Little Bird has been tripping down memory lane