The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Turning Over Autumn Leaves In Search For Our Own Personal Sobriety

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm mouse and my best friend used to be vodka. We were inseparable at the time, such fun! Wild nights out, wild nights in..... danger, excitement, strangers, not knowing where I was when I woke up, oh it was all so fantastic.....

Not the case for the last couple of years or so, since I found this Bus.

Now, we are practically strangers. Don't get me wrong, I still abuse alcohol and use it to self-medicate which completely defeats all of the work I've put in, trying to see my life through sober eyes but that's just how I do things......

Anyway, that's enough about me so why not come say hello to the others on the Bus, we're all at different stages of drinking, not drinking or complete abstinence (of the drinking kind!)

No-one on the Bus wears judgy pants, nylon bloomers, leopard skin thongs? Maybe...... I wouldn't like to ask to be honest! But we are all here for the very same reason, we can't (or don't want to) control our drinking like 'normal' people do.

If you'd like to see how this all started, why not have a look HERE and read about one of the most inspirational ladies you'll ever 'know'.

You can also follow the threads, one by one, by clicking on the links on each thread towards the end, leading to the next etc......

See you soon x

koti I agree with scary and purple two days is great, more will come in time if you can do two. Tbh I [henvy] you. I am back to drinking every day, made it easier to cope with life for a few days, well avoid coping with life really[hblush]. Now I want to stop again finding I can't get through one day.
Day one again today, taking it a minute at a time [hhmm]

Rural Sending you 'virtual' strength through my laptop. You've done it before, you can do it again. Good luck for your Day One today. Thinking of you.

Evening, tis me, mouse

Had a fab day out walking (hobbling) around a deer park, super huge dinner and now off out to the pub with friends. DH has taken Nemo out with him and my friend's DH and his son for a quick beer before the ladies go out so I thought I'd pop in and say hello, see how you all are?

Rural - Day by day. Just do what you need to until you can stop, until you can slow back down again and take back the control that you've had before. YOU can do it, YOU can say when.

We're all here with you. I will be drinking tonight but not much as I'm in bed with Nemo at our friend's house....... DH is on a blow up mattress!!

Be nice to just have a drink in a controlled way, knowing that I get to come home and snuggle with my very big boy who has had a great weekend here, be a shame to go home, we must make plans to see them more, life is too short xx

Glad u are having a nice weekend Mouse. You deserve it. I was having a nice weekend until Dh came home. Don't know what's eating him and can't be arsed asking.

glad to hear you had a good weekend, mouse!

i got some phenergan from boots as suggested. have to take one now and one in the morning. also got some alternative things with some kind of natural hormone extract (like breastmilk i think?!) but they tasted vile.

it will be pretty amazing if i get thru a holiday with my sister and 2 flights and see my mother twice and still not drink anything.

rural, is there anything we can help with?

Thank you to you all for your kind thoughts and support. I'm doing OK. Not putting much detail on here, as it's not my issue to talk about (and I'm worried that others might know I post on here and see it). It's enough to say that it's very sad, and about a baby. But for me, the other sad thing was that in the face of it, I only wanted to resort to an old familiar track. I suppose the saving grace was that it was so obvious that wine was not the answer, and that no kind of oblivion would undo what had happened. And so I stopped. But it could have been so easy...

So I'm back in full ODAT mode and looking out for potential triggers - Hunger, Anger, Loneliness, Tiredness. Actually at the moment I'm using them as a balm for everyone in the family - I'm making sure people eat; I'm making sure that they find appropriate outlets for their emotions (Anger, Sadness, Fear, Guilt) or at least talk about them with other people who understand; I'm making sure that people have time on their own when they need it, but also not allowing anyone to isolate themselves or to feel alone in their dark thoughts; and I'm sending people off to bed when they're tired. I think it's helping to keep us on an even keel, and it's keeping me busy and well away from any booze.

joey I hope this is not too late for you (I see you're flying in the morning) but can you get something like a puzzle book that doesn't rely on batteries for the take off? Something hard but achievable - sudoko? killer sudoko? difficult crossword? rubics cube? colouring-in book? something to keep your head absorbed and involved, and your hands busy. Or create your own distraction - write the letters of the alphabet, and then try and think of the name of a brave babe for each one. I'll give you a clue for 'V' : rhymes with penis You'll be cruising gently on the clouds before you know it, with no need for pills, or gin.

venus hello, so glad to see you are not giving in to the alcohol right now. big hugs to you.

the worst moment is takeoff and you can't do anything but i have taken a pill. i have one distraction technique but feel guilty about using it, as its about Someone i Shouldnt. on the way up i was thinking, if the plane crashes and we all die, my last thoughts will not be of my husband (hmm)

Morning all, sniff - full of cold. Sorry purple I am fine, been lurking from the side car. Weekend has been relentless cooking, cleaning, gardening, childcare, I've been exhausted and fed up, we are really struggling financially - sometimes it feels like such a grind. Venus sounds like you are dealing with the stuff of nightmares and coping admirably and being there for your family. Amazing that you are staying so strong, no wine will not dent the pain only render you less brave than you are being at the moment. Welcome Gorja. Hope all brave babes have a good monday, I'm back on board, I will not drink today!

if the plane crashes and we all die, my last thoughts will not be of my husband

Sorry, joey but I had to smile at that. Hey, whatever gets you through it!

(And if that's the only sin you have to confess at the Pearly Gates, I think they'll let you through )

Morning, tis me Mouse

I'm sorry to post the new link so early but we're travelling back now and I didn't want to leave the babes with no thread

Please stay here until we've filled this one up so we don't leave anyone behind, especially the new Babes

Hope everyone is as okay as they can be, will catch up properly later.

venus - massive hugs to you. xxx

NEW THREAD FOR WHEN THIS IS FULL

Mouse xx

Venus - thinking of you. Well done for stopping after just a couple of glasses.

gorja welcome! How would you rate the Priory? I've often wondered what it is like and how effective the treatment programmes are.

I've had a slightly rubbish couple of weeks - my elderly dog died :( It was very sad, although she had a good life. Yesterday, I adopted a little mongrel from a rescue centre. She's with us on a trial basis, but I know she will stay as she has already fitted in. She did chase the cat and got a box around the ears for her trouble.

Still drinking several glasses of wine a night but have managed to cut down a bit.

The situation with the drug taking layabout has improved slightly. For those who haven't read about my little saga, here's a summary - I work as a dog walker. One of my clients (a good friend of mine) has a son (in his thirties, although he acts like a 14 year old) sleeps all day and I have to get the dog out of his room. The guy smokes a lot of weed and is a complete waster. Worse, he pees into a potty (!!!!) that he keeps under his bed. It is very embarrassing trying to get the dog from his room (especially when it is under the bed) under these circumstances.

Well, now I refuse to get the dog out and he has to do it. Not ideal, but slightly less gross than before.

If any of you are my FB friends, you will recognise me... I slightly worry that people will guess who I am but, on the other hand, I don't think I need to be ashamed that I have a problem with alcohol - damn my dead Grandfather (I never met him, he died of an alcohol related illness at 52) and the quarter of his alcoholic genes I have inherited! Well, I can't really blame him for my drinking...

Greyhound - I'm really sorry to hear that - so sad - I often think about how I will cope when my boy goes - my husband tells me to stop being so maudlin as he is only 5, but I think my heart will be ripped out, I know what a huge hole dogs leave behind and hope you are coping. Glad to hear you have a new ball of fun as a distraction - I hope that works out xx Joey - tell us more....

Thanks Joey :) Right now, the new dog is playing happily with my other dogs so, with luck, the situation will work out fine.

On the other hand, my husband is behaving oddly. I think he is really sad about the dog that died and annoyed that I've got a new one. However, he did agree to get the dog, so I don't really know why he's being so (a) distant and (b) monosyllabic. I keep asking him what's wrong and he looks at me as though I am barmy for even asking...

Sorry to hear that Greyhound - if he's anything like my husband he does not deal with sadness/illness/stress well and retreats into a metaphorical cave, hope he is okay.

I think you're right, Greeneyed... He seems a bit better now, but I do hate it when he won't talk to me :(

It's awful feeling shut out and redundant, I think some men just need cave time, to be able to go in the corner and lick their wounds, go near and they might growl at you!

Hello Babes[hgrin]
DD and I are in Manhattan! As yet it's just blowy and we've been out for a long walk alongside Central Park-shut, Natural History Museum-shut and ended up in dunkin donuts for breakfast and McD for lunch. [hhmm]
I've backed away from a holed-up-in-the-storm-thread which involved a bottle of Jack!

Hello Babes[hgrin]
DD and I are in Manhattan! As yet it's just blowy and we've been out for a long walk alongside Central Park-shut, Natural History Museum-shut and ended up in dunkin donuts for breakfast and McD for lunch. [hhmm]
I've backed away from a holed-up-in-the-storm-thread which involved a bottle of Jack!

Needy much [hblush]

Helpyourself, stay safe! Rubbish for your trip!

Thank goodness we hit the ground running when we arrived on Friday and we've done a lot of sightseeing, shopping and seen a show, as New York is shut!

Hi everyone

just back from a long week in the South West

to a wetter one here in the South!