The Brave Babes Battle Bus - On Their Way To Giving Up The Booze For Lent (or just for today)

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse

Welcome to the Brave Babes Bus where you'll find a mix of drinker, non drinkers, those who has been sober for a long time, and those who are getting there One Day At A Time.

Come and say hi....... we won't bite

And if you want to know how this all got started, HERE is a link to the previous threads.

I can totally see why this thread might be perceived as cliquey actually, because those of us who have been here that little bit longer, have shared info about our RL. Simple as that. To an outside eye, it looks as if we are talking to one another and we are.

We know about my son with complex special needs, we know that IsinDe has adorable twin girls, we know that thurso misses her children, we know that MsGee went through poo-gate?, we know that JWN is 'helping' her daughter to organise her wedding, we know that Ma is just putting up with her husband for now, we know that some of us are drinking and some aren't.

The only reason that we know all of these things is because we've been through it together, we've chatted about more than wine, whisky and gin. We've ALL been new posters at one time, well, apart from Jesus who created the wine from water the thread.

It only looks cliquey because we know one another. Who on here can say that they weren't made to feel welcome when they arrived? As I have said before, some posters stay with us and go their own personal journey with the Bus in the background ready to scoop them up again, some are actively here every day, and some Babes just lurk.

It matters not one jot who you are or what you want out of this thread. I don't own it, no-one does, it's an OPEN FORUM.

We are all here because we have a problem or several with alcohol.

If friendships are forged from this thread, then great! I've NEVER seen any cliquey behaviour, there is no our gang your gang, so maybe if people posted and stuck around, they'd soon see that we are all lovely and stand by the fact that EVERYONE is welcome here.

It is great to see the Babes back together, I hope we are not cliquey, but if anyone ever wants to PM me feel free... I am an expert on nothing at all.

Bibbity and Feebz 31 days is a fantastic achievement, a whole bloody month, congratulations!

I am bemused about flea costumes - WHY? - but I love the fact that Venus just knows how to make a perfect one

Hey Bproud - I'm with you, I'm happy to answer any PMs, as long as they're about cheese alcohol related. Seriously, this is the least cliquey thread on here, it's just that we all SUPPORT each other so talk to one another on the thread.

I'm going out for some much needed time off.

Be back tomorrow Babes xx

If the thread is cliquey, it's only because we have all experienced similar feelings and issues.

I have felt included from my first post which wasn't so long ago.

My heart sort of puffed up a bit when complete strangers asked me how I was and what I needed and could they help. And some of these strangers even called me lovely or love or such like. How nice is that?!
Not cliquey - I can see you get as much out of this bus as you put in.

Im drinking.

I asked Mr Blanket to bring me some wine home and HE DID? He doesnt get it at all.... But still. Rather than tell him how insane that is - Im just glad I could rely on his good nature to get what I wanted.

Im so ashamed.

But there you go. Like Mouse - I shall start trying again after my birthday.

The flea costumes (with pant heads) are for my boys. Ive got two boys aged 4 and 5 (11.5 months between them). They are fleas in a circus act performance.... The show is next week so Ive got another 7 days to make the costume. Which is a relief!

Right. Ill stop rambling. Ill be in the sidecar for now....

Joins Blanket in the sidecar..

Hi Blanket its just willpower and keeping myself busy, it was hard at first I was very grumpy but I told some friends what I was doing and they were like "You'll never do it, you won't even last a week" etc so I was more determined.

I don't go out much but we do have friends round and I drank non alchoholic lager which was surprisingly nice. Reading this thread helps a lot, in fact the first thing I do when I get to work is read this thread. I'm not much good at giving advice so only post occassionly.

Bibbity I read your post about you thinking about Easter Sunday, I'm the same. I am determined that I won't go back to my old drinking habits now. I think Faire has the right idea and all that weight she has lost, its got to be worth it.

Hello lovely Babes

I don't think this place is cliquey - I'm a relative newbie and feel very welcome. There are some great people here.

Blanket so glad you haven't stayed away.

Am a bit pissed so will keep this short. Love to all, and speak soon when I'm sober.

Love you babes xxx

There's a part of me (the big fat greedy ego) which would LOVE to be part of a clique. I've never been part of the 'in' crowd - not at school, or at work, and I was certainly never a school-gate mum. But after the heady rush of the ego trip I feel kind of horrible. I know what it is like to be on the outside of an exclusive group - not just being someone new, but being someone who is left out and where in-jokes are never explained, and where friendship groups are impossible to penetrate.

I truly hope that we don't behave like that, or at least not in a way that is deliberate. There are some posters that I feel more of a 'bond' with - for a whole variety of reasons but every siingle person who posts here has something that I can learn from.

hey all, can't stop laughing at the pants on head for flea outfits. I couldn't understand how that would work at all, then realised you have to look out of the leg holes.........
Only on this bloody outrageous incredible bus can people chat about wearing knickers on their heads, poo-gate, scary baby doll, sex - the avoidance of, sex - the want of , rosewater fecking jelly, leopard skin heels and wedding outfits made from binbags.....I Love you guys.
Two glasses and am done, even though there is more in the house.

So now that we're getting over our 'blip' lets gets back to business. I'm a bit more hard line than mouse - I'd say if you're drinking at the moment, then see what can be done that is damage limitation. Stop where you are. Put the cap back on the bottle or pour the rest away; get the kettle on. Big mug of tea, clean teeth, jammies on two glasses of water to re-hydrate. All ready for a brighter start in the morning.

...and all over mumsnet, people are putting pants on their heads, trying to see if they really do look like a bug...... strange place the internet

Hello all,

I haven't posted on here for a very long time but I just wanted to express my support for this thread. I have been sober now for 14 months. Without this thread in the early days, I don't think I would have had the courage to surrender to the booze and go to my first AA meeting. I am very much a 'do your research' sort of person, and before I made the decision that the drinking had to stop for good, I trawled the internet for ages trying to find a place where people were sharing their experiences of alcoholism. I had little joy. There were a couple of forums (fora?!) across the pond, but quite frankly, it's just not the same, for various reasons. This was pretty much the only place I found which was UK based, and I'm so pleased I did. I'm not a mum so felt a bit awkward, but reading posts from such a variety of women in exactly the same boat was such a relief and support for me.

So anyway, I just wanted to say that I am so grateful that I have had this thread to look at occasionally, just to remind myself I'm not on my own in all this.

I am going to go back to lurking again now, but I am still here in spirit :-)

I've seen some fab undies in Matalan of all places. Think Bridget Jones but bigger. They will pull everything in and definately improve/uplift//contain norkage! I'm going back there at the weekend to get some I think. Just for emergencies . I don't think they'll be any good for fleas costumes though!

I had a check up from the GP recently. Blood pressure, liver, kidneys, heart etc. all fine. It's a relief. So now he tells me I need to cut down on coffee. Coffee!! Bloody hell is there nothing left in this world I can drink? . Seems like my body cannot tolerate even the slightest 'high' without getting me completely addicted to it! Oh well, at least I seem to be moderating ok.

It's the Peak of the Week, so have a happy hump day everyone. Today I will not be drinking. No way, no how. No sireee, not me.

I managed to drink less last night. Still a way to go. Fairenuff, I would hate to give up coffee!

Ooh, Chapter I meant to say, thanks for posting and well done on the 14 months you fabulous babe. It's so inspiring to hear from others who have been where a lot of us are now, who is still a part of this, staying sober, one day at a time.

I agree that there is nothing else out there like this bus. There are loads of reports in the newpaper and on television about how we, as a nation, need to change our drinking habits, cut down or stop. There is a big government advertising campaign every so often. There are all the health related statistics, including accidents and drink drive campaigns.

But what none of them seem to realise is that if people could moderate their drinking, they would. No one tells you how to do it. How to resist that first drink minute by minute. No one is there 24/7 to advise, support, help and actually fecking care.

We do. We care, and as along as there are enough of us posting to keep the thread going, we can all help each other and all the new people and lurkers who are lucky enough to stumble across this thread. That's what I think, anyway .

Hey Greyhound, stick with it, you'll get there x

Hey all.

I did have more than I should have last night, but nowhere near the levels I was at.

Another night in moderation tonight and will try again for a day off tomorrow.

I'll keep plugging away but it is so easy to find excuses (having a stressful time with housing issues, DD aged 5 is channeling Kevin the teenager, the day has a y in it....)

Hope you all have a good day x

I agree F - it's all very well making us aware of the risks but some of the suggestions about cutting down are not very realistic in terms of information about how to break the habit. There is far more support, it seems to me, for people who want to stop smoking.

"happy hump day?"

quick hi to you all
indie wrath and ginger - get that feckin sidecar cleaned out!!

Morning! Fantastic post from you NextChapter. I wonder, officially, how many people these threads have helped?

Am loving the company of Faire and SS/SM, Venus, Jwn, et al on the bus but could we do with a few more hopping over from the sidecar for tonight?

Hello chaps.

I did drink but didnt drink too much. Only because DH took the bottle away and told me I could watch Big Fat Gypsy Weddings in bed. Which I did.

I still feel cruddy tho as have some kind of bug/cold which I will have to ignore as too much to do to die quietly!

Im going to ring the Doctor now and demand some kind of well woman type health assessment....

I might even tell them that I drink too much...

Its a glorious day today (Im in Kent). I might even have a go at the garden.

x

Hi, I have been lurking this week but still about!

I have been drinking and I guess that's why I have felt a bit embarassed to post. I managed 7 days before that. This seems to be my sticking point.

I am currently on day 3 and I am working night shifts tonight and tomorrow so I know I will definately get to day 6! I am also on an early Saturday morning so should get to day 7.

I am going to spend the day in the garden with the kids and ignore all housework!

Afternoon, tis me, Mouse

Blanket - I think that being honest with your GP is MOOOOOSIVE step in the right direction. He/she won't judge you, there is a lot more support out there these days but you have to ask for it, it won't knock on your door

Someone up thread referred to the lack of help for drinkers and that the government are more keen for people to give up smoking.

I wonder how many people actually do die from alcohol related illness/injury and how many due to smoking? I have noticed an increase in sources of support for drinking, maybe because of recent studies and programmes such as the Panorama one I and others saw the other week......

I know that the admissions to hospitals have increased hugely for patients with liver problems, disease and illness related to that. I've been keen to read any press coverage on 'Binge Drinking Britain' and the promises that the government are supposed to be keeping that they will increase the price of alcohol, to make it less accessible, less appealing, less affordable......

They did that with cigarettes but no-one I know has stopped due to the price increase.

Both of my parents smoke heavily. I hate it. It scares me to think that they could die from smoking, or even due to a house fire....... I remember being little and pleading with my mother to stop. I told her I was so scared that she might die because people had said that smoking kills.

I was only 8 or 9 years old.

I sometimes imagine Nemo asking me to stop drinking. Begging and pleading with me, and of course that night is a constant reminder of just how alcohol can take control of me. It is abuse, it makes you do things you wouldn't normally. Good or bad, IME, getting wasted = guilt, remorse and that sinking feeling of what you did whilst in that state.

We've all been there, the 'what the feck did I do last night' or woken in a strange place.

I have been in all kinds of scrapes over the years due to drinking and yes, even drugs on occasion.

[stupid Mouse emoticon]

Drinking wasn't enough for me sometimes so I'd add a little danger into the mix and take drugs.

This is all pre DC and DH, this is when it was just me to please myself. I can honestly say, with my hand on my heart that if I hadn't gotten pregnant with DD, I may not be here telling you this today.

I'm not sure where this is going but I guess it took my wake up call to be loud and clear before I realised that I was drinking too much.

I think it was MIFLAW who said if you have to ask 'how much is too much' then you're already drinking too much. Or words similar to that.

I asked that question when I first got on the Bus.

It's up to me if I drink, but it's also up to me if I don't.