The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Head To The Summer Of Sobriety

[Mouseface]

Hello

I'm Mouse

Welcome aboard The Brave Babe's Battle Bus. There are a whole host of lovely posters here who will support your journey to sobriety, however you choose to get there.

We are a Bus full of drinkers, non-drinkers and those who are somewhere in between.

BUT - we will never judge or leave a poster out in the cold. So, find a seat and settle down for the journey ahead.

And HERE is the last thread and those before it too. Just follow the links to read the journeys so far.

Morning everyone!

Well done kandi - a massive success. I managed it as well yesterday and had the same wobbles at about 6pm but made it.

All of the booze in this house has just gone down the sink and am off out shortly to stock up on soft drinks and vitamins.

Father's day is always a hard one for me but am trying to think that my dad would want me to look after myself so ODAAT is the motto for the day.

Let's hope the rain stays away x

Thanks wasonce I think perhaps the thing that is bothering me is that AA doesn't seem to advocate doing a half programme, in that I've been encouraged to immerse myself in it and follow the steps properly. I hear often in meetings that people have tried to just do the bits they like and leave the rest out but that it hasn't worked (for them). Perhaps I just don't hear about the people who manage it that way. I have a good friend who went to AA for over two years but hasn't now been to a meeting for over five years and is still sober. I think I might engineer a little chat with him about it all, he knows I'm going to meetings so it's not like I'll be divulging a big revelation. Thanks for the humour, I like humour in most shapes and sizes so long as it doesn't contain bigotry No tootling celestial horns here! hehehe.

Sharpkat - I find that thinking that my (both dead now) parents would have supported my not drinking very encouraging. I have a picture of my mum close to where I used to hide the vodka which used to frown at me. She looks happier now!

wasonce and ma* - take off those banana skin shoes, it's not a good look and people with point and laugh!

Arggh Babes, I have been struggling, really struggling. Have a lot of leave to use up and took another week off which has been largely wasted on account of hangovers.

I just want to go back to that place where I was when I strated posting on this thread - fully present in my life, full of vitality and activity and optimisim.

I haven't read many previous posts - just wanted to check back in, and please, ask for some support in climbing back on the bus. I know it can be done. In many ways it's easier than the exhausting drinkiing treadmill - but I know all too well how that spark of determination can be snuffed out and it can seem terribly difficult.

Have some none-drinking rellies visiting this afternoon so that should keep me busy.

Hello to all the familair Babes and all the new ones.

Hello 4c4 - we have not met before but just wanted to say hello and please come back on the bus. I managed to get the courage to join yesterday.

Time off is a killer - I have been off for 10 weeks which is why things have got really bad.

Anything you could do that you would enjoy and get you out and about next week? I need to make some plans as well but never seem to actually do anything. I am going to give myself a kick next week though and try and enjoy my time off.

Will be back later x

Golly, I have just read this thread. I stopped drinking 3 years ago using AVRT. All I can say is that it worked for me and it got easier. If you are having doubts about one particular method, that is fine, and shows that you like to question. Sign of intelligence. You'd ask questions before you bought a house, a car, a dog, a facelift. (silly examples off the top of me head, byswim).

BUT... you have not had a drink for weeks. YOU have not had a drink for weeks. I loved the story about your mother's photograph. It bought a tear to my eye and that is what has prompted me to post. Maybe the method you are choosing to use now is just what you needed to get you STARTED on your journey. To someone in a long term alcoholic stupor your WEEKS are an unbelieveable and inspiring achievement.

Maybe you have credited AA with this achievement (and we are NOT going into a debate here about different approaches, agree that does NOT have a place here) in the same way that Dumbo the elephant thought that he could fly because of the magic feathers; a psychogical placebo. That is slightly how I think about me and AVRT. The link is only about 200 words long and it tells the reader all that they need to know. But I needed it for my magic feathers to help me to fly. Some people don't need magic feathers but I did.

The really great thing about your last few posts is that you don't sound as though you are about to crash the offie. You sound stronger and stronger in your familiarity with not drinking. If you did sound as though you were going to drink I wouldn't have posted, would have left it to the main people here. In terms of physical addiction you have done it. And psychologically you sound very very strong.

I think it is fine to doubt and question everything, except your inner self.

Masonicgirl , what a lovely post! Thank you so much, I feel a bit --> I used to get told off at school for asking too many questions daft if you ask me because isn't that how you learn?

I don't feel like I'm about to fall off the wagon (bus ) at all, but I doubt things would stay that way for long if I were to abandon AA at this stage, and tbh even though I don't believe in 'god' as such, there is something very nice about handing it all over and the feeling that I'm not the one in control as my history shows that left to my own devices I don't have much in the way of will power to stay stopped alone.

Anyway, mulling it over today... I think for now I shall keep working through the steps. Especially because I've got to the ones where I start clearing out all the crap that I've been holding in my head for years and it makes sense to me to make some inventories, some apologies and learn how to do this daily once I've made sense of the past. No harm in that, is there! Once I've done that I shall have to see how I feel about AA. This will be some time in the future because I daresay it'll take a good two or three months at the very least to get to that stage.

I've been astonished at the speed with which the AVRT has worked for me. I'm still using it (shortform) occasionally but the difference is immense.

Thank you again for your lovely post and well done on three years!

Golly one the reasons I'm an infrequent attendee of AA is because I found some of the members are very prescriptive even if the fellowship isn't. Everyone's journey from alcoholism to sobriety is personal, even if there are similarities none is identical. When I was told about 90 in 90 at my first meeting I almost left immediately as from a practical perspective I wouldn't be able to do that. I also felt that my commitment/desire not to drink was being questioned because of that. Luckily I then found a women's only meeting which I've found much better for me. When I do go to meetings now, I am reminded of what an insidious and progressive disease alcoholism is. And that's helpful to me.

Starmucks - there's a women's only meeting close to where I live but unfortunately it's on a night when I do something else so I haven't made it yet. My other activity (choir) doesn't run during school holidays so I'm planning on going once the summer holidays start.

I chose my home group because it had a much easier going feel to it, less prescriptive like you say, and with a more laid back feel despite the meetings sticking to the message and staying on topic more than many others I've been to.

I sometimes wonder if I should just shut up and get on with it without constantly picking apart how I feel about it but I wouldn't be being true to myself if I did, and if I then had a sudden epiphany about it not being for me further down the line, I think it could be quite devastating in terms of my recovery.

Anyway, I'm rambling on today, I apologise. I don't feel I can talk to dh about any of this at the moment as I don't want him to worry that I might pick up a drink again, and my sponsor is very much 'on programme' and I know she would simply try to steer me back into the folds of the programme without actually properly addressing my concerns, so I'm left with you lot and thank goodness you're here!

Hello Babes

Reepicheep here

I just want to say to those who fought our corner last night, thank you so very much. There are obviously posters out there who feel it acceptable/appropiate to dive in here and spout the stuff that Safety1, Purplebrickroad and Antidenial did. I don't think anyone of the Babes, old or new, found it helpful?

Anyway, hopefully, that will be the last of the invasions.

So, Kandi - well done

Masonicgirl - awseome post to Golly and congratualtions on your own success

All is okay in the Mouse house today, hoping all Babes are okay today and not struggling with what the day might meen to some.

4c4 - I'm sorry to see that you've been having to fight of late. You know where we all are. Stay on the Bus, it WILL get easier and less of a fight the longer that you do this xx

BTW, stay out of AIBU. There's a thread about AA and 'the cult'. It's from last year but has been reactivated for some reason.

Hope you're all okay. xx

I realise I'm talking to myself.

Just wanted to say night to you all, off to cook steak for DH and open a bottle of fizz.

Have wonderful evenings Babes

Be strong, be good and keep going xx

merlincat - leave them to it and come and share my mahoosive cream cake!

I'm happy to share if it keeps you from AIBU! What are you up to this evening?

Seriously, it's just not worth it. The deletions on here are because of the same uneducated nonsense that certain posters (safety1, Antidenial and purplebrickroad) thought we'd be interested in.

Stay here merlin, stay with me and think of ways to put this 12 foot fence up around the Bus!

p.s it's obviously the same troll posting on that thread, there's no point arguing with him/her, brick wall and head spring to mind.

Right - not much of this cake left now, final chance for a bit

Hello Mouse

Was - I have a cream horn in the fridge

Merlin I haven't looked over there, but stay here and chat instead. 4c4 you probably need to cheeck in here more frequently as well. I have found that just keeping touch with all the babes has kept me on track. There is always someone around and even if I don't post I just like to see what everyone is up to. It is always useful to think what would Jesus do?

Is that where you keep it?!

Mine was is a Devonshire split

It saved me from opening a bottle of wine though, so I am forever in its debt and will have to be a loyal customer from now on.....!

Mouse maybe offering cream cakes to a 450 cal dieter was not an ideal thing to do
450 cals!!! How did you do do it, and what did/didn't you eat?

I always think of JWN when I hear the lyrics from a track a track on Lady GaGa's new album 'I'll dance, dance, dance, with my hands, hands hands, above my head, head, head like jesus said'

That's what Jesus would do, I'm sure!

Not sure what a track a track is - think I'm having a sugar rush