The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Carry On Past The Offy!!

[Mouseface]

Well, this is our tenth thread so we are throwing a little party!

Everyone is invited! No booze of course, soft drinks and mocktails only!

I'm Mouse, hello.

There are all kinds of drinkers on board the bus. Come and join the journey, whatever stage you are at, drinking, cutting down, wanting to stop or sober already.

Everyone is welcome to post here. Come say hi.

The journey so far is below.

JWN's original thread

Thread two

Thread three

Thread four

Thread five

Thread six

Thread seven

Thread eight

Thread nine

• day 3 -

.. the road ahead looks glum -- f'd up Thursday Friday at work because of a bender on Wednesday night ( called in sick ) and realistically I would need to work to day to catch up because I will lose Monday AM as I am doing a client visit. But feel so down and scared that I cant be bothered ( well I want to hide from the world really )..
Mentioned Friday night I wanted to check out the AA to GF who said . "why they will only want to convert you" . I agree the religious side of it is in contrast to where I stand in live - but I need to do something

So sitting here with a rock in my stomach will try and go out for a swim later chill out .. otherwise I believe I ll be out to the pub at lunch time ..

1 day at a time ... but time goes past in slow-motion

morning all. rugby in a while, but dropping by to say hello. Yesterday was a dark day. I drank in th eveing, but not much, after 3 glases i became so utterly morose and twattish that i regretted even sniffing the bloody stuff. i know i don't want it and that it makes wme bonkers, but still at dark time i think itwill help. when will it end. stil mini volume si i'll be puting t behind me and getting a grip.

laters

Hi Diabolik - please try and stay on track today....if it was easy to stay off the booze when things were tough you would have done it by now. It is difficult, especially when you are having to cope with extra work pressures after the bender on Wednesday - the reality is if you drink now, there will be more benders and more weekends like this when you will have to try to keep your head above water when you are feeling crap.

I don't have any experience of AA, though I am sure others will be along advise - what I do know though is that it can be scarey for a partner to come to terms with the fact that you may be making some major changes in their lives - even if it is for the better - it changes the whole basis of the relationship.
Don't look to far ahead today - one hour at a time if need be.
Take care

ty HC / WIN

Thing is I need to snap out of this self pity thing and get going. Normally I'm a glass halve full kind of person but right now its just empty and the energy levels have gone with it.

anyway enough of this - going to do something to get my mind of of all this and there is plenty to do ..

Wasindie , tell me all about how DTs are doing. I have some Gu choc brownies and coffee for this morning. Well done for talking to DP. Really pleased you've opened up to her about this. Am feeling broody so need some tales of sleepless nights.

Diabolik a thread or two back MIFLAW posted some AA thoughts in non religious speak which was excellent. Go for the swim and take it one hour at a time if you need.

Algee, hope you feel ok today.

Morning all,

This seeing the morning at the weekend without an incredible drouth or thumping sore head is a revelation . and a fab one at that.

Hope everyone is doing ok?

luci you are doing so well, I may join you and buy the book as well.
christiana hope your PC is better behaved today, or maybe its detoxing too!! .
diabolik the road behind you looks glum, and that you cannot change, you can change the road ahead, it is up to you, but I think that you know that if you end up heading to the pub, it is only going to get worse, get dressed and go for a a swim, and then try to knuckle down and get at least a couple of hours of work done, once you have started the task will not look nearly as frightening.

Day 8 for me here.
And today I choose not to drink.
Strength to all.

morning all!!

sorry you feel crap algee!, come on woman!!, you KNOW booze turns you into a right miserable bugger!, dont let the fucker beat you!!

diabolik! - poor old you!!, right, thats the sympathy over with! - i have been going to AA for 4 months, NO ONE has tried to convert me, there is no register, i havent been asked to sign anything, i havent given over my address or my bank details to anyone, in fact, NO ONE even knows my surname - what the people in my meeting do know is that i am powerless over alcohol! - they know that i have the ability to be sober and to improve my life and they want to help me! the words 'god as understand him' are used, the words 'higher power' are used, its totally up to the individual to interpret those words in their own way! SO, how about you give it a try?, it dosent sound like you are having much success on your own! - there are a few people i have met who have found a faith, tbh though, does it really matter?, they are happy, living life to the full and most importantly, they are sober! - i have found that picturing alcohol as a nasty little evil fucker who tells me lies and wants to ruin my life works well - ive always been a fiesty bird and no fucker gets the better of me! , so far, its working!

miflaw has been in AA for several years, i dont think he is about to find god anytime soon either!

wasindie, well done for talking to dp, how is she?

WNT looking for a window seat about half way up the bus please. Bit of a 'can't lose control! goody two shoes (can't manage the 5 in heels anymore though)' that never went for the back seat.
First - thank you to JWN for having the courage to post and to everyone else who has stepped on and off the bus with their stories and experiences. They have all had an effect on me. I really hope that wherever each of you are on your journey that you reach an accommodation with alcohol that best suits you and those you love. For me that has finally been a decision that it is the first drink that I must resist, one day at a time - so no alcohol for me today.
I am about a week behind JWN in not drinking alcohol. Interestingly, whilst initially I counted days and then weeks sober, I can't tell you how many weeks it is now, just that I last drank on 7 June 2010. So I am now conscious of the months passing - all in just a few weeks. Partcularly now with children I find time flys by anyway and my not drinking has been so much better for them and DH.
Christi hope that your DD is improving - very scary when they are so poorly.
Luci you do sound more in control and strong. Hang in there for today and (here I think it is OK to project) think how good you will feel come Monday morning.
To everyone else I hope that today, for you, you can resist the undermining voice in your head, by whatever means available to you -distraction, work, posting here, walking, knitting, cooking, hugging those you love instead, you know what works for you.

Morning all.

I see some are at the 'low' stage of the detox process.

At least you all realise that which is a positive thing. Keep going, it does get better, I promise.

Christi - how is DD today?

My parents are coming to see us today. And this will be Nemo's very first hair cut (mum used to be a hair dresser pre MS and other health issues) so all of his scrummy curls will be no more

I have a feeling I'll chicken out!!

Hope you are all strong on today's journey!!

MOUSE!!! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! KEEP THE SCRUMMY CURLS!!!!, i lurvvvvee little boys with lovley curly hair!, it makes me want to kiss them!!!

btw, wnt is right, i have no idea how many weeks i have been sober, it just feels nice to not worry about it -

we are going to mil for lunch, believe me, if i can survive that particular hell without a drink, i can survive anything! , so today

I WILL NOT BE DRINKING!!

JWN best of luck with the MIL... you have my sympathies.

Mine just spoke to DH on the phone and even hearing the conversation third hand was enough to test me. I really do dislike the old bitch (but at least DH does too, so no arguments about it).

Mouse ... Keep the curls. Or better still, bag them up and send them here, DD only just through the baldy baby stage and hair is still sparse, so I could stick them on her! She is continuing her latest ruling that she only wears party dresses. Every day.

Morning everyone, may I join you?

I've not had a drink for three days and yesterday I managed to go to the pub with DH and have a glass of lemonade while he had a pint.

Hoping to get through today and beyond. I've tried to stop a few times recently but never got beyond 12 days. A week really feels like a struggle, so I'd be glad to come here if I may.

Oh - and I was on Jareth's thread when she started that, so hoping to see her around later!

Hello LRD

Nice to see you over here. Of course you can join us!! The more the merrier so to speak.

Well done on 3 days!!

'A Day At A Time' stick it to the fridge door.

MsGee - hello you, I am really thinking about not cutting Nemo's hair!

JWN - you can do it!! Also, I feel your pain re MIL.

Hi Mouse - good to see you, I thought I'd killed the thread!

Afternoon babes, hope all are well on this bright and breezy (just like me ) Sunday.

Had a good night minus beer and whiskey, here's to Day 2....I will not be drinking!

LRD - Kill the thread? NEVER!!!

So, how are you feeling about giving up the booze?

Hey Munky

Not sure yet, mouse - I don't want to jinx it (if that makes sense) by thinking of it in 'big' 'giving up the booze' terms yet.

One thing though - I've noticed that before, when I get past day 3 or so, I really, really want to sleep all the time. Is that familiar to anyone?

We're going out for dinner tonight so I will need to be strong and not have wine.

LRD - yes re the sleep, it's all part of the detoxing. Alcohol is a stimulant and you aren't pumping yourself full of it anymore.

I know what you mean with the 'big' giving up thoughts.... just take it easy and be kind to yourself.

Take it slowly tonight, try not to worry about it or over think it.

Kismet wakes up! Yes, LDR, I'm sleepy all the time, even though I am sleeping much better at night. Puzzling, isn't it?

Resumes humming.....

Ahhh, thanks Mouse and Kitten, good to know it's normal!

I thought alcohol was a depressant - is it both then?

LRD just think of today. This evening think what you will choose to drink instead. What about a sparkilng Elderflower in a wine glass. Compared to white wine (my previous drink of choice) it is not so dry but I find it better than coke etc and more interesting than just water. Have devoted some time to finding soft drink alternatives, as have others on this thread, but then I always enjoyed pondering the wine aisle. For Elderflower try M&S Elderflower Presse - not too sweet and not too fizzy. Belvoir is quite 'vegetal' in smell (bringing the wine 'nose' in to play!), Bottlegreen is a bit fizzier (the Elderflower and Pomegranite mix makes a change and has lovely rose appearance) and I found Sainsbury's 'Taste the Difference' the least palatable.
Curiously, whatever I choose to drink with dinner I rarely get through two wine glasses full and feel no desire to have another as a reward for clearing up, because it's been a hard day, I deserve it etc whereas before I could successfully empty the wine bottle and, towards the end, open another.

LRD - it's a depressant yes, but it is also a stimulant due to the initial highs you get.