The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Carry On Into 2011!

[Mouseface]

Hello and a Happy New Year!

I'm Mouse, one of the passengers on this wonderful journey to sobriety!

We are a real mixed bunch of people, all trying to control or give up the booze - ONE DAY AT A TIME.

Come meet the others.........

And here are the previous threads, the journeys so far

And zany I put the words 'failure' in '...' because I don't see you as a failure, just someone who doesn't yet know what they want.

Think it through and be kind to yourself. As whitenapteen suggests, some simple being good to yourself things might be the perfect start.

You are soooo right Venus alot of the time I think I set myself up to be a failure as I sit here during the day planning everything I am going to do later, sort finances out, tidy house, walk dog, cook dinner, tidy up, do washing, not drink, to a fake tan, go to bed early etc etc and surprise surprise I don't manage it all so feel even worse the next day. I will definately go to the shops later and stock up on lovely non alcoholic drinks to help me later. Just sick of feeling that I do everything wrong sorry for being self pitying, this is not usually like me. Think I should bow out of the dating game for a bit as rejection is crap!

I will try it one step at a time and will decide to do my fake tan later whitenapteen nothing tango though

Thank you

Morning All

Zany they are wise words from venus, you need to make a firm plan about what you are doing, not - mights maybes and perhaps is.

The only person who can make these decisions is you, and you need to want to make them to have any chance of sticking to them.

There are always going to be reasons to drink, you have to decide whether those reasons are really worth you feeling bad about yourself, and that is then a self perpuating cycle.

I stopped drinking 6 weeks ago when life really couldn't be any worse. 6 weeks later I am really content and happy. The problems are still there, but I am able to look at them with perspective, and the good things that are in my life (kids, family, health, job, me) have become so much more clearer than through the alcohol fueled fog that surrounded all my actions and thoughts.

I woke up today and felt really tired, but I was so glad not to feel hungover, and so glad that had anything happened to my kids last night I would have been there and present for them!

You need to decide - where are you - where do you want to go, and then start planning, if it involves stopping, ever single one of us will be here for you.

Also - my thoughts are at the moment, you shouldn't try and cut down, this is obviously not working for you, you need to stop completely, even if it is just initially for today. and then maybe tomorrow. I think that you need to take "drinking in moderation" out of your list of options, because I don't think that it is working for you at the minute.

Why wait till later zany? Seize the moment and go now. Buy non-alco beer and some fake tan and something healthy for lunch (soup? and an apple and a banana?).

Do some little things and it will re-inforce your good intentions.

I suffer a bit from agoraphobia and sometimes find it difficult to get out of the house. On those days, I find myself putting it off longer and longer then of course end up not going and so I never buy the healthy food I planned to or buy myself the treat I deserved.

What's stopping you from going now?

Thank you guys, have decided to grab life by the b**llocks. Made doctors appointment (just routine stuff), paid a bill and will go to ASDA after work and I have picked the kids up. Just had a bit of a wobble and not sure how I feel as literaly 2 minutes ago I received a phone call from my solicitor to say my decree absolute has arrived! Feel so and yet very if that makes sense. Just need to re morgage now to pay XH for his half of the house!!!

BTW what does a mean

Morning all

MIFLAW - CONGRATUBLOODYLATIONS!!!! How fab. Give little miss MIFLAW a squidge from me please. Well done to you all xxx

Red - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY DEAR RED, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU! xxxxx

thurso - I've PMd you xx

Hiya Mouse, you sound more upbeat today:)

Yes, decided not to let some things get on top of me, things that are out of my control IYSWIM.

I've said what I needed to re EE, well almos, so will just keep plodding on with the rest of my life!

You okay?

Happy Birthday Red
Enjoy your meal out - are you going somewhere nice?

Hiya mouse glad that you are feeling positive today.

Thurso I wish I had wise words to say, but I really don't, but please keep posting how you are feeling, if it helps you. We all have your back.

Right, really need to try and do some work!

Happy Birthday Red! Hope you have a lovely day.

MIFLAW - Congratulations on the birth of your daughter :)

IsInDe - sounds lovely where you are I am jealous.....

Zany - Venus speaks very wise words and a lot of what she has said I have done myself during the last couple of days. I find myself staying in more, ignoring chores and projecting to the next day and then the next etc. During the last few days I have made the effort to exercise every day and get out and about and get to the shops, pay that bill etc - it helps to think you have achieved something and not wallow in self pity of not being able to drink.

Thurso - :( sorry to hear about your husband, I have no experience of depression but it must be hard to manage :(

I am on day five and feel surprisingly strong and upbeat, usually by now I am thinking okay I have done well so will have a drink at weekends only and will do the same next week however next week usually diminishes to 4 days off and then the next week 3 days off etc etc... Sleep has been a huge issue as night three I didn't sleep a wink, literally lay there all night, I got up at 3.30am and went and got a hot drink but it didn't work and I woke up yesterday feeling wretched. However I did realise that I drank far too much coffee in the evening and I am a bit of an insomniac which is partly why I think I started drinking wine in the evenings in the first place. I bought some decaf coffee yesterday plus some Nytol and I had a much better sleep last night so feeling a bit more positive. Strangely I have wine in the house and garage but not once have I been tempted to have that so I think I am in the zone for now, just got to make sure I stick to it beyond a week, beyond 10 days or three weeks and keep it up.

Take care ladies X

Hello! , I erm, used to hang out here, have been away for a bit

Looks like I picked a good day to pop in, congrats MILFAW and happy birthday Red (I did think of you the other day and wondered if you had anything to do with those earthquakes in Yorkshire, am sure all the smutty quips have already been made though!).

Anyway, I just wanted to say that I am thinking of you all even though I am not posting at the moment. Drank over Xmas and guess what, struggled to cope with DD, behind in work, etc.!

Am now in new healthy mode, dealing with effects of sloppy parenting with DD, going to gym, not drinking, trying to work .

Anyway, I just wanted to say much love to you all. Stay strong. xx

Afternoon lovely Babes,

How's everyone doing? Thank you for even more birthday wishes! Haven't decided where we shall go to eat tomorrow night - although I live in a pretty small place there's loads of choice and the beginning of January tends to be quite quiet for going out!

Pretty busy at work at the moment so can't reply to everyone who's posted today but I am trying to keep up. Thinking of you all x

MsGee - Lovely to hear from you. Lots of love to you too x

yippeeee

lovely to see you xxx

MsGee so glad to hear that you are well and back on track! (Although I am not on track at the moment...) How's little MsGee?

Hi there MsGee lovely to see you around.

ah ladies, its so nice to be back. Little MsGee is a delight but not sleeping so well. I was really ill with flu before Xmas and she ended up in bed with me, so trying to everyone back in the right bedrooms has been a battle this week!

She finally ceased the rioting (I do not use the term lightly) last night and actually slept!

So what have I missed here?

Red I failed to be on track at all over Xmas and am taking it one day at a time to be honest. Today I am not drinking but I don't know about tmrw!

Venus how are you? Is DD back from travelling? (please tell me I don't have you mixed up with someone else!)

IsInDe

Love the name change.

Oooh, staples catalogue, you know the way to my heart . I had a wee spend on provisions before Xmas and am enjoying my new pens, diary and in trays (colour co-ordinated to magazine files, noticeboard andn printer).

DTs will soon be letting you sleep. Honest. It does get better. Stick to the routine and it will all be ok. Do not (like I did) start creating stooopid routines you will have to follow for months - for me these include singing 6 lullabyes at night (still do that, if my mum stays, she has to do another 3), sitting with DD at night till she sleeps (I used to be in there for hours with a bottle of wine), bringing DD in bed all the time (hence current sleeping problems), going in every 2 minutes to soothe.

I can be your how not to get your DTs to sleep coach!

MsGee you're on track for today and that's all any of us can be!

IsInDe I hope that you get some sleep tonight. Well done for Day 4!

OK, lovely Babes... almost my home time. I hope that everyone has a lovely evening whatever they may be doing. Take care everyone x

isinde I need a coach of my own today - missed out on tendering for a good contract because I hadn't read the brief properly. Spent all my time focussing on their requirements and writing a good proposal and missed the line that said that they would need 4 hard copies (as well as the electronic version). Gah! Stupid woman

Hi everyone,

Just written a post and lost it all, and need to sort out DD before the babysitter arrives so I can go out to AA. I am absolutely shattered. Feel a bit downcast too. Still going to make myself go though. Will try and write when I get back but it might be tomorrow.

Love to all, x

DD out of hospital tonight. DS refused to go to school today - point blank refused. he is a little shite.I am trying really hard not to a)drink and b)really lose control with him!