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

morning isindie I think today you should take us somewhere by a cool river - under the trees to we can sit in the dappled shade and dip our feet in the water. We can drink lovely refreshing ice-cold drinks, and nibble languorously on all our favourite picnic foods.

Just a quick hello before I catch up on the thread so I can post more meaningfully! Firstly Isinde it's lovely to have you back again and I look forward to a languorous day by the river. I'm sure a bottle and a bit is making you feel flat (to say the least) but we can do something about that can't we?

Happy hols Mouse, Joey and Silver, I'm just back from mine and have missed you all like crazy. I did recommence drinking in France after all, but not every day and apart from one evening, I didn't have any more than two average-sized glasses. The time I did have more was at a rather sparkling do at a beautiful country residence, but I stopped well before it got out of hand and haven't had any since. I know it's not what I intended (I didn't manage my alcohol-free holiday after all) but I'm hopeful that being on the bus (or more accurately the roof-rack I suppose) will prevent me from spiralling downwards again. It has to be controlled drinking all the way for me, otherwise it's total abstinence. Lovely to see my dog, who's curled up on the bed next to me, and I don't care that I appear to have returned to the land of grey rain because the heat disagrees with me. x

Good morning everyone,
mouse joey silver hope you all have a lovely holiday
just a quick check in before I chicken out.
Should have been day 11 today but big fat fail last night.
Nothing really bad happened but drank a bottle of wine. .
Hope you are all having a good day.
See you laterxx

Morning, tis me, Mouse

Soma - sounds like you were in control pretty much on your holiday, well done! If you cn do controlled drinking and stick with it, brilliant. I do that too BUT I know that I'm only ever one glass of whatever away from falling arse over tit straight into the side-car.

How is the lovely J doing? I often think of her when Nemo does something new

I'm not worried about drinking too much on holiday, I'm not worried about drinking at all. That's not me being a smug mouse, it's me thinking that the days we're away, are the same days as they were the week before, and the week after, so why put any pressure on myself to not get pissed because I'm on holiday and deserve the break from reality?

In the past a holiday was a chance to get wrecked every night and not get up at stupid o'clock to help a small child! These days I am often summonsed to find his favourite toy comforter, Ernie knowing full well that it's in his hand, and stunt double Ernie is in a drawer nearby, and emergency Ernie is in another.

These days I can handle getting up to find Ernie or to snuggle Nemo down.

Last year, I posted about my holiday, how I'd gotten so drunk that I'd fallen off the toilet and smashed my face on the bath, cutting my chin and giving myself a lovely array of coloured bruises!

That was exactly a year ago and we're going back to the same place. With DD's friend and a few of our friends may come and see us whilst we're there too. I can't wait. The sea air and sandy shores..... bliss.

I'm not directing this at anyone, I think I just wanted to put it here

IsinDe - YAYAYAYAYAYAYAYAY!! Hello lovely, great to see you back, I've missed you. xx

Silver - have you gone yet? I think so but just wanted to say that this is a holiday for YOU just as much as everyone else who's going. Remember that. xx

I have got to go into town to try and get my phone sorted, order the meds my GP forgot to, have new keys cut for our new front door, get cat biscuits and oh yes, pick my new car up!

I appreciate it'll be sat on the drive for a week but hey, I have wheels that I can drive. Sensors to help me park as I can't turn in certain positions..... it's all good. Today is going to be a good day and I WILL get the things I need to done. xx

isindi - as if you need ask!!!! [smle] i am now on a mission to go from tired to glam for this wedding!! right nw my stress levels are through the roof, mainly caused by interfering dm

Hello evereyone, 'tis me, Mia (sorry to nick your signature intro Mouse!). I am in my new guise!

Fantastic to see you back from your hols Soma! Xx I hope Joey and Mouse have lovely holidays. Nice to see you posting again Isinde.

All ok here but feeling a bit drained this week - my two AFDs were more effort than usual.

Yay,I indie is back.
New babes,fasten your seatbelts. Indie is a crap driver!
Today is my 25th wedding anniversary. Dh gave me a really lovely silver necklace with wee diamonds glinting in it.we are going to Edinburgh to see dd2 perform in the fringe and my best friend arrives from France tonight. Should be a good day.

Happy Anniversary Ma, It sounds like you have a lovely day and evening planned, enjoy yourselves. As I think Saf said it,s a celebration of all your time together, all your ups as well the downs that you've had recently, that's how I'm going to try and look at it, if we get there, anyway .

Inde How lovely to see you back, I've missed you so much, please post drinking or no (if you want to, obviously).

Mouse have a great holiday, crickey, I can't believe it was a year ago that you had that accident! You sound so different these days , despite all the pain you have to put up with.

It's DC1's Birthday today (22 ), when did that little boy turn into such a lovely man!!
Out for dinner tonight, but if you're stopping over, I'll see you in Yorkshire tomorrow .

JWN DEEP BREATHS IN AND OUT OF A BROWN PAPER BAG!!!!

Isinde are we there yet, can we stay awhile? Mouse thanks for such a great post and have a restful holiday. I'm not sure if I can do the controlled drinking thing, but all I know is that I simply can't go back to being SadSoma again. I haven't seen June since coming back but I hear she's fine and I can hardly believe that she'll be starting mainstream nursery next month. Hugs to Nemo.

I'm desperate for some me-time, I've been surrounded by lots of people for the last week and since I have a hermit streak I'm looking forward to it just being me and DD for a while. Then she goes up north for a summer camp for a week so it'll just be me and the dog. And absolutely no wine to keep me company, I hearby swear.

And great to see that the new babes are very much still here and doing so well - I love reading your posts Kot, Gugg and Rural (sorry if I've missed anyone). Big wave to Mystery and Bproud too.

Hi to Not and Way a good start for you both. I came across this thread/lovely bunch almost two years ago and lurked off and on since. Today I am proud to say that I am on the bus, no more sideca of shame for me babes , no sirree! Today I turned 38 and had my first AFD in many years. I feel really good. Withdrawal and all that fun stuff at least a day away I suppose. Antabuse says no drink for 24hrs prior to commencing which will be in the early hours, so will start meds tomorrow evening. So Day 1 done and dusted for me, is 9pm and I'm in bed so bring on Day 2!

Hi Soma great to see you're back, I bet Alfie was happy to see you! Congratulations Ma on 25 years, well done. Hi Indie I heard that you are the resident poet, did you crank out some olympic haiku's? Mouse , a new car, how exciting! Your strong sense of determination and survival would make you a welcome patient so do keep on with your pain mgt team. Occupational therapists sort out the home attachments if you can get a referral. Best of luck on your holidays ladies, you could do with a break away. Joey , I hope you get some sunshine while you're away.

Thanks Indie , baking quiches, yum. Do you have a favourite recipe, for anything vegan for that matter. I am exploring this area as DD 9yo get quite picky re;meat but does love her veg.

Evening babes

Seems like today is a good one for celebrations: birthdays, new cars and an anniversary.

soma that was a lovely welcome to us new babes, thank you.

Rural 10 days is brilliant! Go for it again, perhaps when the hangover wears off!
theresa well done you for getting yourself ready to start the anatabuse (sp)

Well, I was going to post a long rambling waffle about why I'm still drinking a little and haven't really pulled my finger out enough/ shoved rocket up the proverbial etc but I found a poster in a shop with a quote on it that 'spoke ' to me:

       Even if you are limping, you are not going backwards.

See that's what I'm doing? Might be rubbish at staying off the sherbert but at least I'm not actually going backwards anymore!

hey all,
know i'm only a newbie and you all seem pretty close but can i ask for advice.... what would you do after your partner has a really go at you, its awful and so you've pretty much thrown a glass of wine down your neck in order to feel better but while knowing full well that it isnt going to help.

now i'm sat here feel shit and even more miserable.
ARRGhh

hey Isinde, thanks for replying
Yep i'm not sure i can totally blame my relationship, I've always had the tendency to drink.

Anyway only had the one - so far - so thats something.

And i totally get what you said about the partner getting the moral high ground. My partner is almost tee-total and certainly used to be a bit judgy.

How are you coping with the wine demon?

waypast pretty new here myself but am often in the situation you describe.
I agree with isinde nothing in life is made better by alcohol. My opinion FWIW is that you should talk honestly to DP with a view to sorting out differences of opinion and problems but wait until you are both sober.
Having said that it is just my opinion and I am just a struggling newbie.
I am sure other babes will come along who are better equpped to give advice.