The Brave Babes Battle Bus - All Going On A Sober Holiday! <crosses fingers that it stays sunny>

[Mouseface]

Hello, tis me, mouse

Welcome to The Brave Babes Battle Bus, grab yourself a seat, they're really comfy and a , oh and a home-made chocolate chip before they all get eaten!

We're a Bus full of alcohol abusers/addicts, some of us say it out loud, some whisper it and some aren't ready to say it at all just yet.

That said, there are a few of us who just have the occasional drink and that's something that they can handle. There are a few of us who must NEVER have another drink because that first one will lead to many, many more which will only ever end badly.

We're open to all....there are no requirements to join us on our journey to sobriety, there's support, great laughs, tears and tantrums here and that's just me!!!

If you'd like to see how we got here, follow THIS LINK

saf DS was obsessed with Ben10 this time last year and before. Aliens and Omnitrixes everywhere.
Now it's Nerf Guns and Top Gear and Myth Busters...still likes his cookery programmes though and is looking forward to Strictly coming back on in the autumn. he's a strange boy
Just dropped DD2 in Edinburgh for the last rehearsal before her show starts at the Fringe tomorrow. Two shows a night - she'll be knackered .

Hi everyone,
Just checking in.
Day 8 today.
Have to dash
will catch up with what everyones been up to later.
BYE FOR NOWXX

Hello babes, hopping back on board for a bit of inspiration. Always lurk, sometimes post, just think of me as the quiet one in the corner .

well done on day 8 and a sober weekend rural

ma thank god the obsessions move on. at one stage i was like an encyclopedia of thomas the tank engine information.

took ds to the park and luckily bumped into the only other mum from school who i actually genuinely enjoy talking to - ie. she wants to talk about other things than mummy stuff. was a much needed bit of actual conversation till rain stopped play.

is it nearly bedtime yet?

oohh gorgeous shoes saf

mouse we will be coming back from Wales on Friday, so will wave to you as we pass!

I thought my kids would be literary geniuses, dreamily writing novels and composing their own newsletters. Instead my daughter - who barely has the patience to write a postcard - has turned into a singer. But not just a quiet, humming to herself singer, oh no, she requires an audience, feedback, rehearsals and ideally a backup choir. And she Never Shuts Up.

Succumbed to Bucks Fizz at the in-laws - followed by wine Its so hard when you hear that cork go 'pop!' and think 'Celebration!'

Got home about 4.30, way too early to move on to gin so I had tea instead. Its now nearly 9pm and I really don't want gin anyway It's true what they say about the cravings will pass.

Daytime alcohol makes me tired and irritable. I am learning to 'pause' if I want a drink - and find out that actually no I don't.

joey have you tried M&S sparkling soda (they did raspberry, and also elderflower) - and they come in an old fashioned bottle with a pressurised bottle cork that really 'pops'. It feels celebratory without the irritability that follows a lunch-time drink.

oh thats a great idea venus!

Actually I didn't know the in-laws would be serving Bucks Fizz, but its worth bearing in mind. We even had some at home (the raspberry and lemon one, it really is delicious)

Ma thanks for the recommendation, will definately check it out. As for 5yo boys all day long I get filled in onthe merits of each ninja from ninjago.' Who's your favourite ninja mum', is common here. Your daughter's performances sound very exciting Mouse here's looking forward to the day that ngt is no longer. I take it that you don't get on with your sister? Reynard, 8 days - amazing!. Joey, well done on staying away from the gin!

morning babes,

rural guess it's the start of day nine for you ? fab.

saf 'i think we cling to what is familiar often even if it is hellish.'

Yes, that is right and that's what i'm trying to break down/ work through.Suppose that that is the cultural part of drinking really isn't it? The it's 'normal' to open a bottle in the evening, kind of feeling.

babes think you might be helping me be a nicer mum, I sat down and played trains for 10 mins this morning. It sucked, but the expression of delight on small boy's face was worth it. I just hope he doesn't think I now love trains or I will have to play with them all sodding day!

Morning everyone!

The sun is out here, and after much umming and ahhing over the weekend, Dh and I have booked a holiday!!! 10 Days . We did go away for a couple of days last year, but this is the first time we will going on a long holiday, just the two of us, for more than 20 years!!!! I am a bit nervous!

Ma Is your silver wedding anniversary coming up very soon. Are you having a whopping great party? Ours is next year, if we get there!!

Mouse Your post about Nemo really choked me up. I do know what you mean about wanting to be the one to do it, though. I would be the same.
Sending you big sis love and cuddles xx

Good morning babes,
Day 9 here still can,t quite believe it Thanks for the congrats. saf and theresafire Could not have done it without everyone herel. So glad I jumped on this bus.
gugg you sound positive this morning and I know what you mean about being a nicer mum.
Big wave to mintyy

I notice everyone talking about DC
I know I haven't really said much about myself beyond the drink problem.
(There are reasons, mainly revolving around family members reading my posts. I am computer illiterate but have computer whizz kids in the family).

Would like to say though that although I am a real oldie on this bus I do have a 10 year old (my youngest ds) and can totally relate to everything being said.
If I hear anymore about the merits of the nerf guns he hasn't got or get sprayed with the bullets or water from the ones he has I'll wrap them round his neck . There's also the incessant mum mum muuuum and of course I'm bored, I'm bored".
< Are you darling, how sad, why don't you try taking a long walk, PREFERABLY OFF A VERY SHORT PIER>
As you can see patience is my middle name.

Hey Babes it's off to bed for me. Had four standard drinks tonight (is that units over there?). Not too bad, one more day then it's antabuse all the way for me. Got some supplies in today, a heap of coke and chocolate, some vitamin B. I feel like Renton out of Trainspotting with his big stash of porn and valium and tinned food ready for the big detox! I have study and housework and new recipes and hollyhock seedlings to grow so I shouldn't get too bored. Do you ever hear from Hopefully? I'd love to hear how the first few days of aa treatment went for someone else.

theresafire sounds like you have got it planned well! Do you have any films/books etc to take your mind off things? And make sure you have your groceries in so you don't need any reason to go to the supermarket and be tempted... and of course come on here

May I join you?

Hello notdrinking, I've just popped on before I do the ironing!!
Welcome

welcome notdrinking

ooh a holiday thurso! just take a good book and encourage dh to do the same i'm sure it will be lovely.

have never had antabuse theresafire - everyone who has says that it makes you very, very tired initially though so i guess a good tip would be to clear the decks a bit responsibility wise so you can take it easy in the early days.

rural! you're supposed to tell me it's all easy and undemanding by the time they're ten!!! i NEED to believe this!

hope everyone is ok - seems quiet on here. i was up all night - just couldn't sleep and eventually gave up and embraced it. had a nap this afternoon. hope i'll sleep well tonight.

i almost daredn't say it but i think, it seems, maybe that i'm losing weight. here's hoping it will settle down and i'll lose what i gained quitting drinking.

Hello and welcome notdrinking Can you tell us what brought you here?

Just been back to the doctors - I could not get an appointment with the GP I saw last time, so I ended up seeing a locum (have been phoning every day since Thursday!)

He said my final blood test results had come back and.... low levels of Vitamin D! He thinkgs its not CFS?!?

I got a repeat for mirtazapine anyway since it didn't seem worth fiddling about with prescriptions - that means my seroxat will run out this week - so not convinced - does Vitamin D deficiency cause fatigue? Insomnia? Have got OTC vitamins and will try and see my GP when I get back from holiday.

Just keep telling myself - at least I'm not drinking as much - that would confused the blood test results...

Hey notdrinking

Welcome aboard

Here is your non refundable, non transferable ticket.

Look after it and we will look after you xx

Hi, welcome to notdrinking

rural You are doing really well, are you feeling better? Have the cravings died down? Are you still having a little run round the fields of an evening?

I am feeling positive but I had one glass of wine last night, I'm not managing to abstain entirely but i guess I'm not necking the bottle either. I still have lot to work out. I'm just going to sit on the bus and see where it takes me.

saf I hoped they calmed down by 10 too.I don't know what a nerf gun is so I'm telling myself it's a lovely quiet activity kids can can on with all by themselves. That's right, isn't it ?

joey what is the treatment for low vit D? Can it be tackled easily- hope so You must be very pleased that you're not drinking much- good for you.

guggs yeah, spot on a nerf gun is a really calm activity which also stimulates their mind and enhances many brain skills

Vitamin D - the GP told me to pick up some OTC vitamins, so we'll see.

Thanks for the welcome messages.

Not sure where to start other than by saying today is Day 1 of not drinking.

thurso 25 years on Wednesday. Don't quite know what to feel. Kids have organized a ceilidh for Saturday with over 60 people coming. People are bringin cards and gifts..I wish they weren't. I feel such a fraud.

Evening babes and welcome notdrinking
saf IME as a mum of 4 and stepmum of 2 the easiest and most undemanding time is from birth until dc become mobile (eg crawling) its then all downhill until they reach 25-30years when if your lucky they become a bit easier and less demanding. .
gugg I am feeling better sort of more energy and more alert since about Saturday. Getting to sleep has been really hard but last night was a little easier for the first time. The cravings haven't gone, they are there every night.
However they are starting much later these last few days.
TBH I do want to control my drinking not stop entirely if I can. In fact I had decided yesterday morning that I would have a glass of wine with dinner.
However when it came to it just didn't fancy one. Later though the craving started but I resisted because it was no longer a planned drink, I WOULD HAVE DOWNED THE BOTTLE and some.

Nerf guns if you look at any of the online toy stores or you tube videos of Nerf wars etc (sorry can't do links, must learn ) you will see that aliasjoey has summed this gentile pastime up perfectly

not drinking Im pretty new here but I've had great support kindness and encouragement from the babes on this bus. Just post more when you feel ready.