The Brave Babes Battle Bus - On Their Way To Spread The Festive Cheer, Without The Beer!

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm mouse.

I have an obsession with drinking, I can't have a drink, not just one..... it has to be more. Always more.

So, I got on the Bus, this Bus, full of Brave Babes who will help and support me all the way. Come say hi, grab a seat and a . We're a real mixed bunch that share one thing without any doubt - alcohol abuse.

And if you want to read about our history, it's HERE

See you on the Bus xx

Hello and happy new year to all of you, I hope your Hogmanay celebrations were good and calm and peaceful.

I've been lurking and reading for a wee while now, unsure of whether to post. 2011 was the first year for 20 years (since early teens) that I went from one end of the year to the other without a drop of alcohol. I celebrated my first year of continuous sobriety on Halloween and everything has changed for me for the better. I'm an alcoholic (and an addict too, although alcohol was always my drug of choice). I ended up in horrible situations through my drinking, it made me utterly miserable and yet for a long time I couldn't even see it was a problem. I started going to meetings in 2009 but was a serial relapser, ended up spending 4 weeks in rehab in 2010 and things finally began to change after that - or rather I began to change - I threw in the towel as they say and my world is transformed. I don't crave drink at all anymore (or any other mood altering things) I'm genuinely comfortable in reality and that is something I never was. Dont get me wrong somethimes reality is crap but i can deal with that too now. I got married this year, to a wonderful man who is also in recovery and we are having a baby next year. I also have an older son and i can finally be the kind of mum he needs.

Anyway, I just wanted to say I am full of admiration for what you guys are doing here and introduce myself. I never thought I'd be in the position of having gone a whole year comfortably not drinking but I did - it can be done and I feel like I'm free at last.

enidwhat a great and positive post to start the New year!
Day 1 achieved yesterday. Was in bed at 10pm and didn't get up until 11.30 this morning.
Now that's how to celebrate the new year!! Breakfast has been coffee without the paracetamol so that's the first plus.
Catch you later Babes
waves to Silver

Morning all

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

What a lovely post Enid. It sounds like you have a lot to look forward to next year.

In the end, last night, we decided not to drive over to my sisters, but when I rang to apologise I actually had a really nice, long chat with her, much more than I did at Christmas, or than I would have done had I gone to the party.

Dc2 wasn't doing anything in particular, so one of his best Gf's (purely platonic) came over, and the four us saw in New Year, eating cheese and biscuits, and singing along to Cyndie Lauper on Jools Hootananny (sp?), it was brilliant . The other three all had cava to toast, and I chose to have sparkly water and lime .

It is the second new years eve running that I have been alcohol free, it hasn't happened on each and every night in between, but the happy way I feel this morning should (surely must) keep me wanting to do it. A bit like the crusher hangover Ma was talking about that reminds us of how it is. Maybe we could get an alchemist to bottle them in two halves of a bottle, like a magic potion, to remind us how awful, and how great mornings and days can be!!!

Well done Ma, and how are you Silver star?

Lots of love to all you bootalicious Babes (and Mif!!!)

xxxxxxx

Hi Thurso and Ma sounds like a great start to the year for both of you. Congratulations on the sober NYE, it is lovely to wake up without a hangover and what a great example to your DC and their friends.
The party was OK in the end, I only had to kiss one slimey drunk stranger and was able to drive my tipsy, sore footed friends back home.

Unfortunately there was an accident near my home and a neighbour was apparantly breathalysed and found to be over the limit, a terrible start to their year!
Great to hear Enid's inspirational story, gives us all a boost and some hope I think.
Happy New Year lovely babesxx

Afternoon all. Just want to wish everyone a Peaceful New Year. Going to my sisters for lunch so will probably have a couple of glasses of wine and then again maybe I won't. Will post later.

thank you enid for sharing that as a serial reality escaper it gives me hope.

so glad you got such a good night's sleep ma.

like the alice in wonderland-esque bottle idea thurso

hi to everyone else!

off to my sisters soon for new year's lunch. will probably have a couple of drinks but not overdo it.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! 'blows limp party blower and rubs aching feet!'

well, i had a lovely time, second sober new years evening for me, i can honestly say that it gets easier, i had one very small moment when i really wanted a glass of sparkly, as usual, my wonderful bf realised and went of and came back with a fantastic softfruit cocktail (my bf deserves a bloody medal for what she has done for me over that last 18 months!)

ENID, your post was a wonderful way to start the thread off for the new year, so full of hope for the future, congrats on the baby!

best love to all the brave babes!!

L XXX

hi all
been for a walk and am now waiting to pick up DDs from cinema and serve up lunch - pork roast in cider. Going to have to tip the rest of the cider down the sink as it is calling to me...dearie me and this is only Day 2!
Off to drink some cranberry and lime quickly....
silver hows things?

Happy New Year to all you lovely Brave Babes!!

Hope 2012 brings much happiness and the strength to continue the battle.

I'd like to climb back aboard if that's ok...........I'm sick to the back teeth of this shit!

Day 1 here and today I will definitely not be drinking x

Hey ma.

Not bad - done visit to mum . Craving but fighting it. Realised the back pain was probably stress. Going to make tea and aim for early night . At the moment just want today to be over! A aargh x

saved by my lovely ex-boss. Was just eyeing the cider when my phone peeped saying I had a new recommendation on LinkedIn and my boss has written some lovely things about me wipes tear. Got to live up to that so - cider down sink and glugging back the juice.
Like you silver I'll be glad when the day is safely over and banked though.
munky welcome back.

Thanks ma and well done for ditching the cider!

I'd have normally had a hair of the dog by now, but determined not too, no alcohol in the house and it's peeing down outside s no chance I'm nipping the shop. Pomegranate & elderflower here, brisket on slow cook & cak movies on the TV

Where is that Alchemist when you need one!

I am very wibbly tonight (great words Ma), just phoned my Mum, and Mum and Dad haven't been too good since Christmas day, emergency appointments at the hospital, and dentist (why didn't they ring me, why?) I spoke to Mum the day before yesterday, and she said they were fine. Now feel like the worst daughter, won't even go into into the worst wife sitcom!!

Dinner now ( don't think I can face it, but, have cooked up a storm), does it matter if Dh and Dc2 sit on their own?
back later.
xxxxxxx

I've saved that seat just for you Isindie good to see you again.

We CAN do this, together if needs be. Chucking that wine was a great start.

Think I'm goon treat myself to some Ben & Jerrys...........just got to persuade DH to go to the shop

hi everyone well done - i'm impressed by all the sterling work.

weird event drinking wise. i had the distinct but could be paranoia sense that alcohol had been cut down and slowed down because of me at my sister's leading. no aperitif (very unusual), wine very rationed at lunch/dinner - i had 2 half glasses, and one glass of champagne with dessert. now i know in normal world this is plenty of alcohol but it is less than there would normally be and my sister made a point of offering me a glass of water after my first glass of wine

strangely i don't feel ashamed but sort of relieved. my family's drinking does make it hard for me (i know it shouldn't and i let it but when it's constant and everywhere at occassions i find it really hard to self control). i've come home and poured myself a little wine with a lot of tonic. so realistically i've still had at least 4 units in all likelihood so it's hardly great but it was all controlled and quite a relief.

there were moments at the table where i struggled with that fear of shortage and was aware how very long my glass was empty for and that my sister's friend who was pouring poured me literally an inch on refill but whilst i was aware of that thinking i wasn't consumed by it and felt relief as much as irked.

daft that i've poured myself a drink now at home but i will have just this one.

touching wood frantically because it's very up and down but meds seem to be beginning to settle down and school starts again on wednesday so hopefully i will be feeling better and less swamped and will be in a position to get some alcohol free days in rather than just aiming not to drink too much.

long post sorry.

Saf you do sound more cheery, and it sounds like your sister was being thoughtful, by cutting down the supply, but without drawing anyone's attention to it IYSWIM?

Shaking pom poms and sending positive thoughts to all the wibblers, go girls!

Noteven we haven't heard from you lately - are you lurking?

just realised we are getting close to filling this thread, new one is here but fill this one up first or mouse will get

i think it was less from alcoholism concern than awareness that i'm very emotional at the minute and perhaps not the best idea to drink too much (and we have previously agreed that wine does not have a particularly good effect on me ). i think she clearly has a drinking problem too but despite drinking heavily around others on occasions she 'holds' it well. i think it's her solo drinking where she falls apart. i on the other hand have been known to be emotional as a result of alcohol - which i think in some weird way is socially far worse than being an alcoholic

it's almost as if society can forgive entirely someone being an alcoholic and will happily ignore and enable it but god forbid you should ever be melancholic in public

anyway i'm sure it was well intentioned but i know damn well she'll be relieved to know there is alcohol left in the house for her to guzzle once everyone has gone

we're all struggling along x

Ah I see, and I know what you mean, 'in vino veritas' is the saying I think, our emotions have to be let out somewhere or other. I had a very tightly controlled/repressed childhood and could only really be confident to let myself go once drunk. I haven't quite got to grips with that one yet, but find that I have to do a lot of solitary exercise/pavement pounding to maintain my equilibrium. I don't really know why it works unless it is a kind of self hypnosis (I count my steps or lengths). It sounds really odd or OCD when I see it written down but it does really help me.

walking meditation good stuff.

Just checking in. Went to my sisters for lunch and didnt have a drink. So thats Day 1 done and dusted:)

Well done Obrigada

a reminder that the new thread is here
see you on the other side!