The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Blowing Away The Booze In The Autumn Breeze.

[Mouseface]

Hello.

Welcome to The Brave Babes Battle Bus.

I'm mouse and I have an abusive relationship with alcohol. I can't have just the one drink, ever.

I'm not alone here, there are Babes who are sober and have been for some time, Babes who are still drinking and trying their best to stop or cut down and then there are Babes who aren't ready to stop drinking. Yet.

So, why not come and say hi?

No judgy pants allowed on here I'm afraid, cakes and cheeses are!

And for those who want to know a bit more about the Bus, HERE is our journey so far.

Too hot in the garden, sorry for all of you slaving away in offices.

I should explain that I'm not at work at this week, not needed, hence me constantly being on here finishing all the college work I should have done in the past weeks.

Everyone at work said to me that I should keep really busy, but, actually it's been theraputic, just swimming, pottering, chatting on here, cleaning the house, looking at the photo's, crying occasionally, and just coming to terms with the change, without feeling I have to "put out" for work.

The coffee did me good too, I don't fancy snowboarder, and I'm sure he doesn't have designs on me, but, I really cannot remember the last time I sat with a man and talked politics, the economy, holidays and clothes, just nothingy stuff, and laughing. I used to have a big, mixed group of friends, that I'd known since sixth form, but time and distance means that I don't see them very much any more.

Gradually my friends have become workmates and the DC's parents, and I really enjoyed spending time with someone who wasn't either!

Also (crikey I've had too much time ) after this morning, I've been thinking that I need to make the effort to talk to DH like that. Lately, he comes in from work, and we talk about my work, his work, the DC's, money, then he watches tv, I read my book and we go to bed. Not really the sort of thing to get the juices flowing (sorry TMI!), so then, when he starts, ahem, I feel about as sexy as a plum duff!

Rambling here, it's just made me think a bit (not that I over-think things, no, no .)

not re-reading, sorry for any typo's.

What is a plum duff? , it just sounded right!

hello.

room for another?

i am just so tired of feeling rubbish. it's not just the drinking too much that makes me feel rubbish, but i really feel that if i stopped drinking so much, then i would have the energy to address the rubbish. if that makes sense.

so much of what some of you have posted about underperforming in your lives when drinking rings so true. i feel compromised when drinking, and i just want to stop it. so help me, please.

today i am not drinking.

go see a film together thurso? easy then to have something to chat about that isn't any of that stuff. surprise him with a friday night date to the cinema and dinner or something - film first so at least you have that to talk about over dinner?

Hello lovely babes - busy again today.
thurso you are always welcome to talk about what's going on, you know - I think I am stealing sAf 's phrase of 'this isn't sobriety top trumps you know' - it's also not competitive wrt difficulty of living and down days.
IWW what did you think of venus's plan?
monkeytail and spaqueen and BrawToken welcome. BT I sometimes am in the supermarket and feel a huge relief that I am not battling, I have stopped fighting and there is another option between leaving with alcohol, not knowing where I will end this time, or leaving without it, feeling cheated and angry. It does come, with work and time.
I'm going to a meeting tonight and one of my AA friends has volunteered to stay with DD whilst I go, out of the goodness of her heart - it's just amazing!! I have made a decision not to people please with someone today - it feels odd - maybe I need practice?
Happy sober sunny evenings to all x

Good for you Spa, welcome

Make yourself comfy.

not my phrase noteven - unless i've had a sober blackout and don't remember

MIFLAW, yes thank you, I liked your last post, it made a lot of sense.

I break them all in the end. I am like a French Foreign Legion of sobriety.

No you're not - you're like a rabid AA zealot on commission! Can't help but warm to you though, in spite of myself.

Ahhhh, I have my laptop back

Hello newbies, busy round these parts lately isn't it?! So many people who have issues with drink, you'd think it was a national pastime or something

Mouse she has citalopram. I know that most anti-d's have a suicide risk factor but apparently this is particularly pronounced in teens and as she's already overdosed three times we have to very vigilant. Anyway, so far so good. It's only day 2 so we'll have to wait and see.

Spalady I think for me I started to address my drink problem when I became sick and tired of feeling sick and tired. It turns out that it was effecting far more than my energy levels but it's a great place to start!

Hello to Spa Monkey and Braw

Been yawning my head off this afternoon. It's working with 5 year olds that does it. They tire me out .

Day 11 for me now. The diet's going really well. I have stuck to it and indulged in loads of fruit, salad, gorgeous veggies, low fat sauces, good carbs and lean meat & fish. And no alcohol. Lost 5lb the first week and am really hoping to lose another couple this week but NOT projecting.

The sun is making me think of BBQs and chilled wine (aaaargh!) but I am batting that thought out of my head. Early night for me today instead.

5 year olds are exhausting, I don't blame you being knackered!

The barbecues are out round here (not my house but on my street). So is the beer if the whoops and swearing is anything to go by. It's not even 5.30 yet, tsk.

Hang on Scoundrel let me get the step ladder out of the garage and dust off my riding hat, then I'll join you on that high horse

Hi all, back after a sustained period without net access. I spent a good part of yesterday with a lovely man from BT who fixed the problem and told me lots of interesting network stuff. I've always had pretty good experiences with the BT techies, I have to say. The call centres (in India) are so-so - there are worse ones.

I was thinking with all the newcomers that we might need to upgrade the bus. I thought maybe this one?

Have had trouble keeping track of the thread with my iphone. Am still struggling through the non-weekday drinking - god, a cold gin and tonic seemed tempting at about 5pm due to the unseasonably warm weather - but managed to avoid with OMAAT (m for minute, rather than d for day).

thurso, if you ever want to spend the GDP of a small country in a fantastic if quirky hotel in London with your DH, PM me and I'll send you details of the place we went last weekend (special occasion).

SaF, think it may be you with a Ben10 fan in the house, in case you can use some plastic tat quality Ben10 figures let me know. We are about to swap rooms around and I have been authorised by 6-going on-13 DS to divest ourselves of various bits and pieces. Actually, don't suppose I can interest you in an excellent condition timberland down jacket that I bought in a sale last year and which I love but which just doesn't fit any more? Any news on the funding (I may have missed it in the recent traffic...)

clambering up are you still around?

For the benefit of those trying to cut down rather than stop (everyone else shut your ears :) ), I had dinner on Sat night where the sommelier matched a glass of wine with each of three courses. And in each case I finished the food before the wine and wasn't wondering where I could get some more wine. I know it's a bit silly but that really seemed like a major achievement.

My next challenge is to convince myself to attend weeknight events even though I know I won't be drinking / will be trying not to drink. I didn't bother going to a start of year event on my course this week, as I didn't trust myself not to drink and also because I thought it would be boring if I wasn't drinking (FWIW, I have to agree with some of MYODD's posts down thread on the subject of how people will treat you if you don't drink in some circles. When I first got pregnant, I ordered a non-alcoholic drink for a first drink at work drinks and everyone was instantly speculating that I was pregnant, there being no other acceptable reason for not drinking...)

As always, well done to those achieving their goals and will be thinking of those newbies struggling through the evening. It gets a bit easier (am on about week 8 I think and easier but not easy!) in time, but in the early stages gets worse before it gets better...

Struggling tonight - the fridge is calling. Also I keep thinking about situations where I really like a drink, and thinking it won't be the same any more.

Oddly DH is away on business tonight and won't be drinking in front of me, so I don't have that temptation. But there is lots of booze in the house.

oh, and one more thing - jwn, in case this hasn't occurred to you already, make sure the car dealer gave you the key to the locking wheel nuts. It's a real faff if you find you haven't got it.

. Although I do like hummous/houmous as it happens.

legal you are so sensible . That's really good advice as I discovered when I bought a second hand car and didn't even think about wheel nuts until I needed the key. (Actually, I didn't even know you could lock them but now realise how important that is). But I still didn't even think about it when JWN mentioned her car. Doh!

Newly stay with us this evening if you're tempted. I've had a bottle in the larder for over a week and it's been calling to me tonight . Probably because I'm tired. Am going to have ice cold lime & soda, then long soak in bath and early night. But I will be around if you want to chat.

Tonight, I'm on Becks Blue, topped up with diet lemonade and wedges of lime! Yum yum yum. I had a major wobble at about 7pm so broke out the non-alcoholic beers

Did the job too.

Nice to have you back legal xx

Newly - change your name. Something more positive will help you

Why not try a warm bath, clean PJs, a good book and a cup of tea. I have found the last few nights that a cup of tea and several a biscuit really curbs the craving.

I've also ordered some Slimfast type bars for late night sugar cravings. I don't want to swap wine/booze calories for sugar calories!

fairenuff bloody well done you. I would love to lose some weight but I love drinking more, it seems.
Thurso I can really relate to your last post. DH was complaining the other day that we hardly see each other (result) and that when he's home I'm not, and vice versa. I pointed out that it didn't make any difference if we were both home anyway as I am on MN or reading, and he is asleep/watching football or on Facebook. There is no interaction with each other so what's the point? Then, when sex rears its ugly head , it's no wonder I'm not in the mood!! right now, I'm on MN and he's asleep on the sofa. Bet when we go to bed he wants some though . And so, another glass is called for.....

Have got Sunday's Downton recorded - going off to watch that in a bit. MAybe with a posh tonic with lime. Any ideas for a name - I was thinking I could be lush rather than an old lush, but lush is taken.

Hmm.............. how about NewlySober? Or NewlyNew? x

Will have a think. Thanks Mouse.

MIFLAW can you tell us which one of these gentlemen you most resemble

legalalien that bus looked amazing - don't tell all the mumsnetters that our bus is like that or we'll have everyone drinking just to get on here

fairenuff and newlylush I find it much easier just not to have any of my favourite tipple in the house. I arrived home at 8pm tonight, no-one is is, I'm tired and a bit stressed and I know that if there had been wine around I would have been very tempted, and I'd have struggled and struggled. Instead, there was no wine, so I had some apple and soda to quench my thirst and then put the kettle on. Now sitting with a big mug of peppermint tea. And no struggle. It's just easier (for me).

Legal How dare you suggest putting Gerald out to pasture
that monstrosity might be a big shiny new bus BUT Gerald is a part of us - look he's crying now. How could you

x

I agree wholeheartedly venus. The bottle in my larder is one that DH bought for himself ages ago but didn't get around to drinking yet. I only discovered it by accident. (He wasn't hiding it but perhaps I should ask him too). Non-alkies hiding wine bottles, now there's a thought

hey and hi everybody!

I stuck to my 'less' than one bottle and I am now going to bed. I have not had a chance to catch up with this thread... wow but it moves so fast and I feel awkward commenting on all your personal situations, I feel such a 'newby' :)
So..... to everyone who is struggling, I am not strong enough yet to give advice I can only say I am sorry so many of us are here, but I am really glad to have the support.

I hope you can all take care of yourselves, that is where I feel I fail, I just dont care, but I am working on it :)