The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Starting the Summer Filled With Luscious Mocktails.

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse and I used to drink far too much. Too much vodka to be exact, then too much wine, then too much cider....... you can imagine how it went.

This Bus is full of people like me, and people like you actually. Sober people, drinkers, a few not surers, and those who are simply 'somewhere'.

The one thing that we have in common is that we can/do/did/will abuse alcohol.

Some for a number of years, some months, some for their entire adult (and before) lives.

The support here is for everyone. Those in AA, those who are taking medication to help, those going it alone, those with the support of others. We're all here for the same reason.

Why not come and say hello? We are all so very different in our every day lives but we all have a common theme.....

And, for those who want to see where all of this began 2 years ago, HERE IS a link to all of the past Bus rides.

Thanks Joey, it's funny in the past I would have pre-loaded at home (even if I was meeting someone at lunch-time) and had at least a couple of glasses whilst out. The idea of a sober date would have horrified me! Now I know I can just be myself and not hide behind alcohol. If he likes me he likes me and if he doesn't he doesn't. And the same goes for me too! Sleep well xx

soma I think I worked out (on about page 20) that you live in my home town. Are there Roman walls in your park?

OMG Bproud indeed there are! How spooky it would be if in fact we knew eachother....Do you think that's possible? Shall I PM you? I'm so pleased to know that you're local.

Awake at an insane hour because mind is racing - dental appointment, date, animals, how to fit in Sainsburys, housework, DD's friends for tea and knowing because I haven't had enough sleep, will look like ancient old crone on date! And I can hear the rain pounding down already, are we to have no summer? BTW does anyone have a wysteria in their garden? Mine hasn't flowered at all this year and usually I have masses of beautiful blooms in June. I've noticed the same in other peoples' gardens. Is it because of the weather maybe?

But one thing I know for sure is, TODAY I WILL NOT BE DRINKING! x

Actually, I don't live there now, but I often pass through on my way to visit family, I will PM you when I plan my next trip (maybe this weekend) and maybe we could meet?

Soma, enjoy your coffee date:)
Ma, Day 2 for me here as well.

soma have a good day and enjoy your coffee, and won't it be good to be chatting to someone new? Even better, no beer-goggles so you're not running the risk of finding him 'attractive' and then waking up in the morning looking at someone who is wrinkled / grumpy / pock-marked / gangster-like / etc.

So, last night was Day 1. I didn't sleep much, couldn't switch brain off. woke at 4 as usual. This morning am tired, grumpy, feel like shit and have the usual headache PLUS the squits.
somone remind me why not drinking is the way to go

Come on ma, you're feeling tired and unwell so there's not much that's going to look great this morning. Best things to do is rest, take care of yourself (because you DO deserve it), have a gentle walk (no running), drink some fresh, light juices or soothing herbal teas, and eat something nourishing and comforting.

And here's some reminders:

• Even if you've not been drinking really heavily, you've been giving your body an additional job to do for a while, have to process the alcohol and prevent your body from poisoning itself, so it's going to take more than one day to feel sorted.
• If you can keep going without a drink for 3 or 4 days, you will start to feel more refreshed.
• Every drink you have is depleting vitamin B in your body so you are less able to repair skin damage, less able to have your nervous system functioning properly - hmm, no wonder your mood is a bit low.
• Alcohol is not good for your gut, so when you stop it is not surprising that there might be some rapid changes.

But all of that WILL get better. For me you the best thing on here is reading despairing posts from people who are feeling beaten and low and ground down and a failure, only to followed a few weeks later by posts which are bright and determined and energetic.

You know it's worth it ma. You just have to decide when is the right time to go for it.

And it will save you money.

morning all! just a quick HI!!

am finally disapearing up me own! wedding, aged parentals, business, wedding, a bit more wedding at last count it was 48 days away (giving birth to her was far easier than planning her wedding! ) off to deal with a 'total disaster' and 'complete nightmare' over wrong sized napkins!! over reaction? much? gotta love her!

Know those reminders were meant for Ma Venus but if you don't mind I will take them on board as well

thanks also from me venus for those reminders. I especially like the one about saving money because I'm Scottish! also none of the others seem to apply - STILL no clear skin/sparkling eyes - although that could be due to the amount of ice-cream I've had instead.

Well crazy as it sounds, I've managed to develop a new habit in just four days. Bought Waitrose hot chocolate last week (really powerful stuff, it has twice the amount of cocoa in it that Nesquick has!) tried a couple of times last week, then became a habit the last few nights... tucked up in bed last thing reading my book.

This morning was quite stressful (a phonecall from DDs choirteacher saying where are you? Coach leaves in 10 minutes... ) and on the way to work I was mulling over what I could do to relax later and immediately hot-chocolate-in-bed popped into my head. It was quite freaky - I obviously have an addictive personality. Have tried herbal teas but never got cravings for those... why?? They would be so much healthier.

I often have it at Costas - this was different - it was something to do with the time and place.... 'me time' ? Don't know. Still working on the sleep issues. The dog chewed my foam earplugs.

Soma Let us know how you get on with MrSexToy!

I work in a hospital (although I don't have any contact with patients) and this morning had to go onto the childrens ward. In the room I was put in someone had left patient details lying about and being nosey I had a quick shufty. Yeah I know, patient confidentiality blah blah.

Out of 8 patients, two of them were newborns with 'NAS' which I figured out was withdrawal from drugs/alcohol, and also SS involvement. It made me so sad.

Thank god I never drank while I was pregnant, but reading this thread I can so well understand how some women can get stuck in that place. oh, its evil! I never really thought that before, how dreadfully harmful it can be and so many people unaware of how addictive alcohol is.

Its been over 3 weeks for me now and right now I'm almost wondering if I should never have another. I feel almost 'scared' of alcohol (I know that sounds stupid) like it has some sort of power.

Anyone still with me..?

venus I know. I'm just grouchy

That is so sad, Joey. Those mums of the NAS babies were babies once themselves and now they are in a mess of addiction and SS involvement.

No one plans to end up like that, do they? That is how powerful addiction is.

Oh, that hot chocolate sounds wonderful! I think I am addicted to fizzy mineral water. I definitely crave it and adore the fizzy bubbles in my mouth.

Hello,
Just signing in, day 4 for me today I am feeling better. I am wondering about the realistic possibilities of drinking moderately as I have never managed it yet! alchol does have a powerful hold on my head space and effects my mood so much. I just wish it was as easy as "i'm not doing that anymore". Maybe I should stick with "I will not drink alone at home anymore...."

Well done all you lovely ladies, reading this thread is a great help x
Tuff x

Bproud - I'd like that so much! It's great meeting people from this thread, there's that sort of instant connection....

Joey great news about the chocolate - my addiction now is very strong coffee. So sad to read your post about the poor little babies but it makes me feel that you really are getting it about alcohol, as I hope am I.

Tuff well done on day 4! You may need to try a number of different approaches to your drinking "problem" to see what works, don't expect to fix it immediately. I don't want this to be a downer, but I've tried the "no drinking at home alone but can do socially" approach and not managed it so far. But of course everyone's different so why not give it a go?

Venus, Obrigada, coffee and walk with Mr Sex Toy Man couldn't have gone better. He was great company and I'm very attracted to him to boot. We both had our dogs with us and covered so many topics of conversation and have so much in common that it was almost spooky. Even down to the same old battered Nokia phones. The date finished with him saying how much he'd enjoyed it and he'd contact me before going on holiday this weekend and I just said to myself, if he likes you he'll do what he said he'd do and if he doesn't then c'est la vie, I'll live. Walking back home I told myself I'd just have to play it differently this time and see what unfolds. Venus, what you say about having a sober date is SO true and I've never felt so relaxed and happy on a first date before. Judgement firmly in place which I've never quite got the hang of before.

And guess what, whilst writing this he's just texted me to say how much fun he had and that dogs make great contraceptives!! We didn't even get around to talking about his invention, he said we should leave it till next time....I really liked him and would like more than anything to see him again and without the booze maybe I'll be more relaxed about letting things take their own course. I may well need a bit of hand-holding over the next few days girls, old habits die hard and maybe it's a good thing he's going away so that it's all nice and slow. Catch up later xx

yeah ma well you know what? being grumpy and grouchy is actually OK. It's allowed. There is nothing that says we have to be happy and chipper if we don't feel like it, Part of this 'being sober' lark is about letting the feelings that I feel just be OK - without quashing them, or altering them.

And on a sort of similar theme to soba it's kind of how people used to get to know people in the 'olden days' - have a coffee, have a chat, walk with their dogs, gradually introduce friends and maybe family. Develop a shared interest in growing vegetables (or in esoteric sex toys). Then get married. Then have sex. Then start drinking too much

OK maybe I got the last few items wrong, but it certainly beats: getting pissed off your face, snogging some random 'gorgeous' bloke, inviting him back to your place, sort of having a shag (although you maybe can't remember it and if it was any good it was only 'cos you had your eyes screwed up desperate for an orgasm), waking up to find that he actually looked and smelt like a camel ( and an OLD camel at that), wondering how the hell you're going to get him to leave an go back home, trying to tell your friends that it was an 'amusing' incident.

Please don't tell me it's only me that's been there

Maybe I should change my name to venusandtheOLDcamel

Sounds like you enjoyed yourself Soma:) You sound so upbeat these days! Just before I read your post my friend (i.e. drinking companion) enquired what I was up to this evening, usually I would say "not much" and she/I would suggest getting couple of bottles of wine, but after reading your post I thought to myself "nope, you are going nowhere this evening, no alcohol for you, double episode of Revenge on the telly and then early to bed". So Soma Thank You

<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?num=10&hl=en&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla:en-GB:official&authuser=0&biw=1024&bih=456&tbm=isch&tbnid=mhxQtiH5vlFUAM:&imgrefurl=www.wolfiewolfgang.com/2011/02/dont-point-that-camel-at-me-president.html&docid=CbszESF6Xt1EDM&imgurl=3.bp.blogspot.com/_mZ4x5p0sAZc/TUst0PvnZuI/AAAAAAAAHEI/lITeHTlmowc/s1600/muhammad-camel.jpg&w=500&h=375&ei=qg_zT5uvMeax0AXzr9nyDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=78&vpy=149&dur=3487&hovh=194&hovw=259&tx=195&ty=131&sig=111518619064369409158&page=1&tbnh=101&tbnw=135&start=0&ndsp=12&ved=1t:429,r:6,s:0,i:158" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">bloke I have kissed other bloke I have kissed and another bloke I have kissed and a camel I have kissed

Oh dearest Venus I have been there - what seems like zillions of times! I shudder at the memories! You write so wonderfully well.

That's what this thread is all about Obrigada, helping eachother! Have a lovely evening!

soma did you recognise any of them from the photos (there are 4 separate pictures in that post)?

You little minx Venus definitely recognise the arse at the end :)

He's sent me a text just now when I was in Sainsburys asking for another date
before he goes away. Yay! And I feel so excited because I know it's going to be
a SOBER date and my radar will be working properly. I'm so glad I'm not drinking,
and so much of it is all down to the babes x

venus I swear you have a warped mind (but I like it)

Soma sounds like it went well but good idea to take it easy and get to know him, who knows where it might lead?

Obrigada well done on talking yourself out of a bottle of wine. Not easy once you start contemplating it I know.

Hot chocolate and an early night sounds good to me