The Brave Babes Battle Bus - We're All Going On A Sober Holiday!

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse

Welcome to the Brave Babe's Bus. This is a bus full of drinkers old and new, sober and not, and those who are somewhere in between.

We are all at different levels of sober so you can bet that one of us has walked in your shoes.

If you want advice and support then you're in the right place.

Come take a seat or just lurk, we're happy to have you along for the ride.

And here is a link to the last thread so you can catch up on the journey so far HERE

Golly obrigada well done. It's so satisfying to feel in control isn't it. Had you planned to have the 2 Jamesons, or were you winging it?

What about you Saf? Glad you didn't let the Old Git get the better of you yesterday?

I may be speaking out of turn here (sorry if I am) but are you thinking, having nearly done a week, you might be able to 'just have one' later?

I too hate that dithering that goes on in your head once you start thinking about it. It is so much easier to just make that decision and get all your coping strategies in place.

Saf and Fairenuff, so agree with you on making the decision early in the day. Once it's made, it's done, decision over. Previously I would have got up and said 'I think I'll try not to drink today', then later 'I think I'll try to not have too much today', then 'I think I'm feeling a bit tempted, I wonder if I'd better get another bottle in, just in case I feel I really want one, and then I'll be frustrated with myself', then 'I'm hoping I won't open that other bottle, but I feel more reassured that it's there' then 'I'm glad I got that wine, I can have it tomorrow', then 'Now that I'm so in control, I'll just have a glass of wine while I'm cooking dinner', then 'Oh there's not much of that bottle left, I'd better open the other one so we can have a glass with dinner', then ' Oh fuck is it all gone again'.

I wasted to much head space on pretending I wasn't going to have a drink.

so much head space.... and too much head space..... But certainly not "to much" [pedant]

venus you have exactly summed up that little 'monologue'. Why do we always think we will be able to do tomorrow what we haven't been able to do today?

Fairenuff, I hadn't planned to have any alcohol yesterday, but got text from my friend who I hadn't seen in about 3 weeks (she had been away on holiday) asking if I wanted to meet after work for a couple of drinks, and I knew that if I did meet her that's exactly what it would be, two drinks. She only offered me the glass of wine because that's what would normally happen when I would go up to her house, she would have the one glass, and I would finish the bottle. But halfway into the second glass of Jameson my head felt a bit fuzzy and I thought .. oh no not liking this feeling, so hence the decision to drink water!

girls, please don't think this sounds patronising, I just wanted to say how well you are all doing, keep strong :) As the parent of an SN child I know i drink too much at times, but i haven't got quite got to the point where it's a problem ...yet. I avoid it mainly by driving most eves, or running to clear my head.

Just wanted to say that a previous poster said she didn't go to the SN boards, please do come! Mosts of the posts are certainly about parents feelings, not so much the children.

Sorry to intrude girls and take care.

Morning Babes

Thank you all for your kind words.

I've decided that I'm going to step off the bus for a few days and try to get my head together a bit more. I have lots of 'events' coming up and I know that I will and want to drink.

That sounds so utterly petulant I know. I'm sorry if my post appears to make 'light' of alcoholism and abusive drinking but that's not my intention.

I know I can stop, I just have to be ready.

Anyway, I'm being whisked away to a lovely sea-side hotel and I'm going to enjoy every second. Nemo will be with us but DD is going to stay at her friends' house.

So have a fabulous weekend all, especially you noteven, the break will do you good I'm sure.

I'll be lurking and thinking of you all. Keep being Brave Babes xx

PS - I'll be back in time to set up a new thread and links JWN xx

I know what you mean Saf. Out of the last 34 days I have drunk on 7 occasions. Or should I say I have NOT drunk on 27 occasions because I have chosen not to. Making the decision in the morning takes all the hassle out of the rest of the day.

The last time I drank was planned and moderate but DID take a lot of thinking about. My biggest problem is finding myself suddenly and perhaps unexpectedly in a situation where drinking could be a possibility and I have not mentally prepared for it.

Last night DH came in from the shops to make dinner and I thought he had bought some wine. My immediate thought was, 'oh well it would be nice to have a glass' aaaarrgh !! Luckily, he had only got himself a bottle of beer and I won't touch that so it was OK but I think to myself wtf? I would have had that wine!

Happy Anniversary Mouse, hope you have a fantastic time by the sea, my favourite place on earth (despite being absolutely terrified of water).

Have a lovely trip mouse, and come back and post on here whenever you feel like it (and I promise I'll stay off your case ). Perhaps we could just post, and post and post so that you HAVE to come back to set up a new thread... [evil cackling emoticon "ve have vays of making you stay on ze bus"]

You know (because you put it in all your opening posts) that this thread is for ANYONE, people stopped drinking, people cutting down, people still drinking, so you don't have to get off just because you've decided that you're drinking. I sense there's relief in your decision, in just the same way as we have been talking about this morning about deciding NOT to drink today. It's the will I/won't I stuff that is really exhauting. Enjoy your break from that decision making agony, rest your weariness, have fun.

And give nemo a big inhalation of the lovely sea air for his little lungs x

venus - what would we do with out you? Everything that you've posted is right of course and yes, why am I 'leaving' the Bus?

"Welcome to the Brave Babe's Bus. This is a bus full of drinkers old and new, sober and not, and those who are somewhere in between.

We are all at different levels of sober so you can bet that one of us has walked in your shoes.

If you want advice and support then you're in the right place.

Come take a seat or just lurk, we're happy to have you along for the ride."

Maybe I should take the back seat for a while?

I'm off to pack now but I'll be here, lurking for a while and popping in and out. Now that I have given myself permission to stay!

Bye for now xx

Yay Mouse, so happy you are staying and yay to Venus for once again finding a way to express what we all want to say.

Seconded

Liking that phrase too SAF, mind if I borrow it

Hi,

Yaay Venus and Yaay Mouse

Mrs Mousiemouseface Have a super fab time, and don't you dare leave the bus (please!). We all have our ups and downs, don't I know . I, for one, would be inconsolable if you stopped posting (no pressure ). xxx

I will need a bit of handholding this weekend, DC1 not home, DC2 going to Amsterdam for a long weekend (eeeeeeek, doesn't touch how I feel about a group of 18 yr old lads off there, on a spree!), and me and Dh at such a long distance from each other. I wish he was going away too, so that I didn't have the stress of pretending all is ok.

Off to get my cheese and tomato toastie (yum!)
xx

Morning, glad you're staying mouse

all ok in geehousehold. DD only up once in the night and I had a wee lie in (6.45 is a lie in right?). We went swimming this morning and have a playdate later on. Tonight will be tough, Friday night and all but I have much to do tmrw.

Off topic here but just wanted to ask Venus a question, the other day you said I had made an active decision (re walking), I liked the sound of that and was wondering if you could elaborate on it. I spend too much time "bolloxing my head" (phrase borrowed from SAF) and less time actually doing stuff.

wwaahhh!!! i have to be really quick - things all over the bloody place here, got a bloody gas leak and the cooker has been cut off and dd has found 'the dress'! and its imperitive i buy it now! (beautiful long ivory satin 30s bias cut with a beaded bolero currently residing in atlanta just have to say

MOUSE!! give yourself a bloody break woman! have a lovley time, try not to get too pissed and let us all know when you get home!