Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Are Going To Need A Bigger Bus!

999 replies

Mouseface · 11/05/2012 11:54

Which is FANTASTIC! Smile

Welcome to the Brave Babes Battle Bus, I'm Mouse and I'm addicted to cheese, but have a pretty nasty relationship with alcohol too, mainly vodka.

This Bus is for anyone and everyone. Drinking or sober, or somewhere in between or just not sure if you're drinking too much........... this is the place to ask and maybe have a chat too.

No pressure, no judging, no cliquey savoury flans (although I'm rather partial to a cheese slice Wink), we're all on The Bus for the same reason; alcohol.

Even if it's not you, and you'd like to talk about someone you know, come and say hi. We won't bite, well, not unless you ask very nicely! Grin

And, if you'd like to see our journey so far, follow THIS LINK and read back through the previous links there.

See you soon Smile xx

OP posts:
Isindebetterplace · 22/05/2012 00:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Isindebetterplace · 22/05/2012 00:14

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Isindebetterplace · 22/05/2012 00:23

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Fairenuff · 22/05/2012 08:24

Morning all Smile

Isinde (((()))) your dp sounds like a wise and wondeful woman. In your posts, she comes across to me as a healer, a calm negotiator, a nurturer. I can totally see why you want that day to be so special for both of you and not ruined by drink. But with family there are always lots of tiggers. Hmmm will put my thinking cap on and see if I can help come up with any strategies.

Lovely to have you back with us, are you snuggled in the sidecar for now?

x

(You could invite all the babes to the wedding to keep you on track Smile No? Oh well, just a thought Grin)

HonestTruth · 22/05/2012 08:54

Morning Babers Smile

Isinde I think weddings can throw up all sorts of feelings and not just good ones, especially if there are previous issues. Your DP sounds lovely and supportive, I am sorry your parents aren't similar. When is the big day?

Soma How did you get on with the assessment? Hope you had a good night sleep. You sound as though you are doing well on the Antabuse. Keep going Smile

Just a passing visit for me right now, I'm off into town for my relate appointment, (first one I have been to since I stopped drinking) normally I would treat myself to a bottle or three later but not this time Grin

Have a good day everyone

xx

HonestTruth · 22/05/2012 08:55

Babers? Confused That sounds wrong, obviously Imeant Babes Grin

NonAstemia · 22/05/2012 09:08

Isinde Shock Angry Shock at the letter your parents sent. What foul, toxic thoughts. Angry

For what it's worth, I don't think you have anything whatsoever to feel foolish about, and I've missed seeing your posts on here. I haven't got any wise words about not drinking on the day, as I'm not doing all that well on the not drinking front myself, but I'm sure you'll get loads of great advice from the wise babes.

SillyStrokeSensibleMum · 22/05/2012 09:10

Morning!

Honest, hope Relate goes well. You're doing so well! Smile

Isinde...well I don't really know what to say about your parents. That letter...SadAngry. I hope they have apologised, sincerely. It does sound as though they have changed their opinions over the last couple of years (thank Jeff as Mouse would say). And your DP does sound wonderfully calm and supportive. I completely understand why you're concerned about the family triggers at the wedding. I too was very apprehensive about all my lot getting together. And I too was worried about getting drunk. I was so worried about it that I just didn't drink at all until late afternoon, and then only had a couple of glasses. I couldn't have managed it at anyone else's wedding back then but the thought of embarrassing myself or not being able to remember it was just the incentive I needed to stay sober. I made up for it on the honeymoon obviously! Grin Blush If I can do it, I'm sure you can too Smile And I have to second Faire's suggestion that the Brave Babes are present, for your own sake you understand...Wink

Two house guests down now here, just one to go. And the nicest one is left so the next few days should get easier. Then they'll just be the DH, 3 DC and the dog to look after. It will be a doddle!

Have good days everyone

NonAstemia · 22/05/2012 09:31

Hi Silly I've just realised I didn't tell you any more about herbs. Some classic calming ones are chamomile, passiflora, lemon balm (which you can grow easily in the garden) and valerian. They're all a bit of an aquired taste, so it it's possible, experiment to find out which you like the taste of. Valerian root has been compared to cat pee in its scent. Grin I have a mix from Neal's Yard Remedies at the mo that contains lemon balm (Melissa officinalis), rose (one of my absolute favourites), Passiflora and... Can't remember without going down to look. That's a lovely mix and I drink it in the evenings on AFDs. If you find a mix you like you can make up a jug full in the morning and pour a glass whenever you want it/carry some in a water bottle. To get ongoing therapeutic benefit you need to drink three cups a day for a while, but you should get a calming effect from having a cup.

If you like the immediacy and 'taking medicine' aspect of Rescue Remedy I just looked at their website and they do alcohol-free options; pastilles for instance.

I think with many of these things a big part is the placebo effect ritual of doing something to calm yourself - acknowledging that you're stressed or upset and taking a moment to address it. Finding that moment to pause that saf was talking about upthread.

aliasjoey · 22/05/2012 10:04

Good morning everyone.

Lemon balm is supposed to be lovely for an anxious and upset stomach. I think Kalms did some lozenges a few months ago, but I can't find them now.

swallowedAfly · 22/05/2012 10:04

morning.

isinde - you have nothing to say sorry for. i'm sorry i hit a nerve and then reacted over sensitively myself. don't worry about it - just glad to see you posting again.

think i've said before that i think you need to have an honest talk with your partner, who sounds absolutely lovely but i don't think understands just how shit your family make you feel and how much stress there is for you in being around them. it's great that she wants to make everyone get along and is able to forgive them etc but ultimately they are your parents, it's you they have hurt the most and it needs to be your decision how much they are or aren't in your, and your children's, lives. i really believe this. she's 'right' in the big magnanimous sense of the word but it's actually not her call and i think you have to dare to assert yourself and value your feelings and needs in all this too. does that make sense? i feel like you are just going along with something rather than being in the driving seat and when it comes to them it is you who should be driving imo - you have every right to decide you don't want them there or to decide the boundaries necessary for them to come.

have walked the dog through the shockingly sunny fields (almost like may out there!). no real plans today. might go and do a bit of shopping and sorting. guess i should think about what i'm wearing to my interview next week actually.

hope everyone is ok x

oh and 6 weeks for me today.

venusandmars · 22/05/2012 10:08

isindie lovely woman, here are my suggestions - feel free to ignore Smile

Firstly don't make your not-drinking into the main issue of the day, you're not signing the pledge, it is only ONE day sober - and you and I know that you can manage that. And don't make your parents into the main issue of the day either.

What your day is about, is the public commitment that you and dp are making about your love and your relationship and your intentions for you and your little family. It takes some of your private, unspoken matters of the heart, and dares to say them out loud and celebrate them Smile. And I would dare to suggest that being sober is a pretty damn good way to show your commitment on that day - it is about you and dp making sincere pledges and celebrating your love - everything else that is going on around you is a mere distraction (whether it is good or bad).

So prepare for your non-drinking in the same way as you would prepare for any other important aspect of your wedding - the most risky thing to do is just vaguely 'hope' that things will turn out OK. You won't be vaguely hoping that your vows turn out OK, or that the catering arrangements will be fine on the day, or assume that the weather will be sunny and dry - I imagine you have discussed them, made lists, planned, delegated, agreed, maybe even made some contingency plans. Could you do the same for being sober?

Start the day before - plan some relaxed time with dp (if that's possible), plan to detox, pamper yourself, keep your hands busy, iron your clothes, arrange some flowers, write a last-minute love letter to dp. Actively have a detox plan with fruit juices, camomile tea. Lock all alcohol in the cellar. Enroll a couple of friends / dp into join you and support you - plan a contingency so that you know how you will respond if your dsis turns up with a couple of bottles (you are not refusing to drink with her for ever, you've just decided that you don't want to have a crap night and wake up hungover on your wedding day).

Then on your wedding day, refuse to get into the champagne drinking while getting dressed - however kind other people might think they are in offering it to you, you know that it will make you burp and red-faced and sweaty, and leave that horrid taste in your mouth a couple of hours later - not the look/feel you want on your wedding day. Maybe your dsis will be disappointed that you are saying no, but it is not her day, it is yours and dps, so just this once you get to prioritise what you need.

For the rest of the day, make sure you always have an alternative, better choice whenever anyone offers you a drink. Could you delegate a friend to have the constant responsibility of always making sure you have a supply of iced sparkling water with a twist of lime and fresh ice cubes - that should be his/her sole responsibility, and as important as keeping the rings or making a speech.

Know that you are not missing out by not having a drink - there is every other day of your life for that, if that is what you want. The champagne you don't drink on your wedding day will not magically vanish - you could drink it the next morning if you wanted. Or drink it late that night when you and dp are truly celebrating your glorious day in private intimacy, looking back over the day, reflecting on delightful moments, being clear-headed enough to remember every look of love, and reassuring touch that had passed between you during the day, and knowing that even any stupid or thoughtless comments could not penetrate the circle of love surrounding you. [soppy cow emoticon]

And finally, my recollections of weddings are that they are really crap drinking occasions anyway - you get half-drunk during the preparations (not enough to really let your hair down, but too much really - leaving you sticky and yucky and wanting more / wanting to sleep); then the rest of the day is a frustration of half-drunk glasses before you're called away for the photos; or empty glasses because the wine waiter is at the other end of the table; or feeling that you can't drink too much because all eyes are on you; or irritation at having to dance and circulate with all the guests rather than sitting in a corner with a close friend getting pissed.

Dear isindie there must be something in that epistle that you can use Smile

obrigada · 22/05/2012 12:04

Quiet on here today, Isindie.
Thanks for your response SAF and Venus re being reactive, your words make perfect sense, and hopefully I can incorporate this into my daily life, bloody tiring being so reactive.
How is everyone else today?

NonAstemia · 22/05/2012 12:16

Obrigada "How is everyone else today?"

Reactive, as usual! Grin

obrigada · 22/05/2012 12:27

Hey Mia, obviously have a lot to learn about being reactive, not really sure how asking how everyone else is can be considered reactive? Confused.com:)

aliasjoey · 22/05/2012 12:38

hello obrigada

It is quiet today isn't it? Maybe everyone else is out enjoying the sunshine Smile

I'm bored and fed up and want a glass of Pinot Grigio to look forward to tonight. My euphoria at being 'free of the demon drink' lasted all of 2 days, and now I just feel resentful.

How are you?

aliasjoey · 22/05/2012 12:39

mia hello my love! how's it going?

obrigada · 22/05/2012 12:50

Hey Joey, if you have a glass of Pinot Grigio, will you stop at the one glass do you think? or will it lead to you finishing the bottle and feeling like shit tomorrow?

aliasjoey · 22/05/2012 12:57

No, I'm not having any. Promised myself a would do a 2 week break and then see.

I would stop at the one (or two) because thats all I would buy - but then I'd feel anxious/cross that there wasn't any more.

Just not seeing any benefits... yet.

swallowedAfly · 22/05/2012 13:12

see the wanting the pinot as the temporary bit alias - it will pass. it doesn't 'undo' your good feelings about being free of booze.

hey obrigada Smile i remembered something: when i was having trouble with a contentious ex showing up on my doorstep unannounced and dragging me into arguments/defending myself a friend of mine introduced me to the '3 minute rule'. he said i had to excuse myself with whatever excuse - that i needed to go to the loo, that i had to go and turn something off upstairs, whatever - and take three minutes to myself to just breath and collect myself and frame my mind/prepare/whatever. it worked so well! it just provided that bit of time so i wasn't wrong footed and reacting but collected and conscious of what i was doing/wanted etc.

maybe introduce the 3 minute rule to whenever you have a strong urge to react?

swallowedAfly · 22/05/2012 13:13

i used to go and brush my teeth by the way - for some reason that too made me feel more prepared and it was a nice mindless task to think whilst doing and to provide the right time frame. random sorry.

aliasjoey · 22/05/2012 13:33

Thank you saf I'm sure it will pass, I'm just in a bad mood today. I keep thinking alcohol would help the mood, but actually if I'm honest it would probably make it worse.

How are you today?

swallowedAfly · 22/05/2012 14:01

i'm good. kind of freaked out by my new found need to be productive Confused Grin

i'd had a bath and washed my hair and was dressed before 7am this morning which is unheard of and then i walked the dog and did errands and even ate something before 11am. since then i've done some washing and got on with the decorating and have just stopped to make myself drink a glass of juice and eat an apple. kind of determined to finally get this 'taking care of yourself' business down pat at 36 - better late than never if i can pull it off Wink

WhatKatieDoesTonight · 22/05/2012 14:19

joey keep going, whilst I'm feeling positive about being off the booze for almost a week I've also been a bit disappointed that I've not had any real 'boing' moments and for some stupid reason I was thinking that the wine weight would disappear over night and it's not. However on a real plus side I noticed last night my cellulite has improved dramatically, not gone but is looking so much better which must mean I'm getting healthier? for me it's just a little thing but the changes will be there it just might take a bit of looking for them x

aliasjoey · 22/05/2012 14:31

yeah I had a boing last week, but nothing since then! But if you've noticed an improvement in cellulite it must be worth it! Smile

My husband has just suggested a BBQ tonight - Hmm oh gin & ginger ale with a slice of lime, sitting with my feet up in the garden [sigh] Never normally drink before the kids are in bed, but we get a 'heatwave' so rarely I want to make the most of it...

saf you sound very organised and busy, well done!

Swipe left for the next trending thread