Had a really rough time last night.
As I mentioned in another thread, it's been three years and I'm doing great, overall. But last night I went with my wife to an engagement party for a friend's daughter. I've skipped a lot of parties and my wife's okay with going solo. We have a game plan, where I have an out. I usually stay for a while and then ghost. I really hate parties where I only know a few people, and hate making small talk.
So before going last night, I told her I was probably going to leave early. When we got there, some of her book club friends were there. I talked to them for a bit but they hang out together. I spent a lot of time standing around feeling out of place. But what really bugged me was everyone had a drink in their hands the whole time. And they were making frequent trips to the bar. I knew they'd all be wasted in short order, so I told my wife I was leaving and she was okay with it. I did end up staying an hour and a half, but my wife didn't get home until 11. That would have been hanging around with drunks for 5 hours! I'm thinking of just not going to these events at all in the future.
Ugh! The old me would have had a few drinks and made small talk the whole evening. But I would have ended up getting pretty hammered. The new me is way better off it it just means skipping parties like this.
= new reply since forum marked as read
if that is what is best for you! 
It's scary and hard to do alone - sounds like you have a great partner to help you out.
I don't go to many family gatherings anymore, same deal - I stand around sober, not interacting much with a bunch of tipsy relatives.
The relatives get put out that I don't show up much, but my wife totally understands and supports me. She takes the brunt having to make excuses, bless her heart.
I would not have made it 6 years sober without her.
Some people can never shake it no matter what (my mother); others, like you (and my older brother) might be more correctly categorized as habitual drinkers, as they keep it at home and manage to avoid a lot of alcohol-related issues (like not being able to hold a job, losing one's family, DUIs etc). My other brother falls in the middle because he had the same job for over 25 years, has a successful marriage, etc, but when he's out with others he will invariably be the most drunk person there and has had multiple DUIs. I wish he'd quit alcohol but have little hope that he will.
You have a loving family and I am so happy for you that you have chosen sobriety and been clean all this time. I know it is not easy, but what I gleaned from your post is not so much that you were aching for a drink at the party, but that you have moved on from drinking and now find it unpleasant to be around drunk people. Right or wrong that's my take.
Way to go. 
You've determined what you can handle and did the right thing. I've learned where I belong and where I don't, like bars (though I never really went to them even when I was drinking). I belonged to a women's AA group and we'd go to dinner before someone's celebration - and I felt comfortable there since I knew that no one else was drinking. The woman I used to celebrate with had been sober since 1974!
And though I make it a point to avoid events where people are bound to be drinking, one thing that I've learned is to make sure I have something in my hand - soda, water, coffee - which prevents anyone from offering to get you a drink. 
Hang in there and keep up the good work. I never thought I'd make six months, but I have 12 years as of last April. So if I can make it, you can too...
