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

[Mouseface]

Hello, tis me, Mouse

Welcome to the Brave Babes Battle Bus, it's a place of solace, support and sanctuary, but also it's also a Bus full of chatterboxes, waffling on about all sorts!

Our aim this year is to kick the WineWitch or WW into touch and get sober!

Some of the Babes on board are doing Dry January, some drink in moderation, some just drink. Some of us are sober, some of us are trying so very, very hard to be.

Some of us have been dry for days, weeks, months and some of us years...... some of us are just starting out and are scared of what stopping drinking means. It's not forever, it's just for today if that's what you want.

We have a saying on the Bus One Day At A Time. Or ODAAT

Take each moment, each day and each blip as it comes.

Although some Babes have been here a while and kind of 'know' each other, we all have different lives, different roles to play, different places to sit on the Bus, but we ALL have or have had abusive relationships with alcohol and we're here because we want that to change; for the better.

EVERYONE IS WELCOME HERE so don't be afraid to just jump right in and say hello. Post as much or as little as you like! It's all up to you.

For those who want to catch up - here is the PREVIOUS THREAD

And the first ever thread, with links to the others over the last almost 3 years! FIRST THREAD

Oh my goodness... How cute is this...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-suffolk-21061823

morning Babes!

I worked hard last night on being stern with my silly thoughts. Sometimes I try CBT which you are supposed to use to 'challenge' your thoughts but I was having trouble because some of my thoughts were (as far as I could see) perfectly sound Anyway I did what kotinka suggested and robustly disagreed with them, told myself even if I couldn't see why they were wrong, they still were. And it seems to be working...

mia thanks for exempting me from bird-feeding, I do feel towards birds as Tippi Hedren did in the horror film..

Lovely recipes by the way, I may get back to you on those.

Kotinka came on to the Bus
She said 'I won't make a fuss'
'But it does smell of fish'
'Did it fall off the dish?'
and she cleaned and swept up with a brush

hello all - sorry I haven't been around much and so sorry to see some of us are struggling :( it's so hard. I'm thinking ooh maybe I'll just do 'dry january' or 'well we really should open that champagne (been in the fridge since dh got a special cricketing honour in October!!) to celebrate' etc. The trouble is that it won't be a 'few' or a 'glass', it will be back to insanity and being ill and feeling rubbish :( stil not sure how I'm going to manage tbh. Feeling really tired today - day off and I'm back in bed after doing some cursory housework> I had some really 'attitudes' at school today about dd passing the school exam - not entirely unexpected, but I haven't been boasting or even mentioned it, she, as an excited 7 year old just told her friends. Should I stop her?? grr. Anyway, am going to have a nap now and then drag my bum to the gym (if it doesn't snow!!) Have a great day all.

Hello everyone

Great stuff here about challenging negative thoughts! really really good.

There is a work sheet called "Daily Mood Log" which you can use to identfy distorted thoughts. Among other things it is quite soothing because if you do it properly it takes a while and I find it very soothing to sit with a pencil and paper for that long. there is stuff online about it and it originates from a book by David Burns about beating anxiety. I highly recommend it, with the caveat that you should try and keep some perspective too - a few months ago I had to stop myself from doing endless mood sheets about one situation I was feeling bad about, someone at work, and realise that it was a bad situation (a difficult person who was making things difficult for lots of other people too) - so sometimes even using the cbt techniques that are supposed to be unlocking the blame, you can reinforce it because you are still thinking that the problem is you (how you feel) and not something else (she was being a rude stroppy threatening cow)

Well done to everyone kickig ww's arse

Enjoy your weekend Mouse.

Here's to a healthy happy fresh weekend to everyone

Morning, tis me, Mouse

We've had snow for 36 hours and the whole world (or village and nearest towns) have shut down!

DD is on her way back from school, Nemo is due in at 12 so far, Seth the husky breed dog is looking at me with sad eyes and wanting to come in......

Other than that, Nemo wants to get out in the snow and play. I have said after school if he wraps up warm in his snow suit. Will post pics if he does go out.

Thanks for the slaps, really helped. Although I now smell of fish entrails... yum!

To all of those Babes who got through another night sober, WELL DONE!!!

Best dash, so much to do and no time to do it in! EEEEEEeeeeek! I have a feeling that Nemo is not going to let me come home today.

curry I LOVE the David Burns book! I know its a bit old now, possibly out-of-date, but it was the first time I'd read about CBT and it really resonated.

I get what you're saying about it not always working though...

Morning gorgeous babes, another sober evening and I'm feeling good, having been drinking lots of water and have prepared my steamed fish parcel for lunch. I have a facial and massage booked for this afternoon and I'm hoping my refreshed body and mind will remain so over the weekend. Have never got through a weekend without booze so will remember last weeks hangover at every tempting moment x x

hiya all.. I have fallen spectacularly from the bus! think i am just about hanging on to the wheels of the side car!! I failed last night and sank a bottle of white. Have picked up another bottle for tonight and am struggling now to resist the wine witch!! . Lots going on tho - dodgy relationship am at the end of thether with hubby (long story) having probs with ds1 at school he is five! anyway am just rambling on now but it just feels like a safe place to (talk) xx

jango can you put that bottle away somewhere now? If you go and put it right at the back of the shed (or car/loft/freezer) underneath all the spiders and junk, well when temptation comes calling later you are able to resist knowing that you'd have to ferret about in the freezing cold, dark, spidery shed with all the neighbours watching

mia cooked the squiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiid! How COULD you?

kot I am a closet Elf thank you, with a bit of Orc thrown in when I'm pre-menstrual.

Oh, thanks all for the lovely comments about DD. She does have a lovely voice but she doesn't get it from me. I have an mp3 track of her singing but dont know how to link to it but could send it to anyone as an attachment if you pm me your email address.
Ok, Bootcamp weigh in - only 1lb lost this week which was caused by blips and birthdays i think but still, a pound is a pound is a pound. That makes a total of 6lbs for January and 16 AF days out of 18.
Am now fastening my bra on the last hook and not the first so the loss is all in the norkage dept so far!

Afternoon. I was reading on twitter that Marian Keyes is 19 years sober today, I never knew she'd had a problem. I'm still waiting for the snow we have been promised. Bloody cold though. Totally jealous of your weight loss. Think I've put on about 5lbs. I'm sure I'm not eating that much more and I'm walking everyday which is new for me. Well done anyways

joey bottle put away for now! i wont be able to resist later! i know it! but tomorrow a new start I hope xxx

tiger - have you read her books? Rachel's Holiday is sort of based on her experiences (though the central character isn't primarily an alcoholic). She's also written a lot of non-fiction about it.

I think she's very good.

Sorry, just popping in to say that because I saw the name.

Calm yourself Ma, I used different squid for the puttanesca - I couldn't bring myself to cook the bus squid and anyway, he was all oily and grubby.

I propose we name him, and suggest the name Barry, just because it's a fine comedy name.

Joey this "I was having trouble because some of my thoughts were (as far as I could see) perfectly sound " made me because that's exactly what I was like. The therapist helped me see that I was being negative rather than 'realistic' (which is how I saw it). What worked for me was weighing up whether, if I were that critical about one of my friends, would I be being 'realistic', or judgemental and cruel? I realised that I was harder on myself than I would ever be on anyone else, hence my mantra of 'Be Kind!'.

Koti raisins are fine for birds and a good source of energy. Butter and oats are fantastic too.

LRD I've red a few ,watermelon, last chance saloon and Lucy Sullivan. In fact it was Marian that set me off with Irish writers. I will have to look out for it in my local -charity- bookshop. I have re discovered books this -snowy- dry January lol

jango well done! We will all be here later when she strikes again.
kot well done on the weight loss. Use an online bmi converter to see what a difference it will have made (that's body mass, not aeroplanes)

Rachel's Holiday is definitely worth a read. I found it quite difficult to read even though it's a light book, because it's pretty obvious what is going on, but she's very honest about the sort of mental games you play over wanting another drink. Well, I recognised it, anyway.

BMI down from 27.2 to 26.3

I've tried to read MArion Keyes but can't sort of 'get it'.
jango excellent I would say pour it down the sink but I've never done that so wouldn't expect anyone else to
I think I'm losing track of everyone here - I'm sorry - it's all going too quick - baffled by the squid references
purple - also hope the course is going well
Just realised am on day 18. little tick tocking annoying voice is saying '13 days till feb - you know you'll crack'. i am politely responding 'fuck off'

Have a lovely evening all!

Afternoon, tis me, Mouse

Well done to those who have lost some weight or have cut down the sauce and Ma, I'm with you. I have shrunkened breasticles since losing weight. Much to DH's displeasure but to my absolute joy. I get such a bad back...

I was a size 32H. I guess I'm about a 32G now...... I'm not a fan of my boobs but I am a fan of them being healthy.

I like THESE GUYS as I've lost too many friends to BC but also have friends and family who have kicked BCs ass!

Anyway, the snow here is about a foot deep, all schools are closed and we're all safe and warm. I had to bring Nemo's wheel chair home after dropping him off at school because I just couldn't push it through the snow.

I had to get him to walk home and it took ages so my back is bad because of the pushing and struggling.

How are we all feeling as the wine witch approaches her nightly rounds?

the snow here is beginning to thicken slightly - stil a bit pathetic though . I had a moment earlier - dh said he would go to the gym tonight and I immediately thought 'great I can get pissed' which is a bit odd, but was such a Friday thing - he would go out and I would prepare my 'stash' - the respectable amount in the drinks fridge and the 'rest' in my cupboard. Insanity really.

They are mighty heavy, aren't they! Couldn't anyone help you home with Nemo? That takes the fun out of the snow if your back is being pulled every which way.

Holly I think the squid thing followed on from the wet fish as something to slap bus riders with when they are wavering or wobbling or about to give in to the wine witch. There was rather a lot of slapping with an oiled squid. Gugg then picked up on the fact that I'm currently cooking a slow-cooked squid dish (squid puttanesca, which means whores' squid in Italian) and I threatened to cook the bus squid, who is now named Barry. Barry has been returned to his rightful place on the bus, ready for slapping anyone who needs a short sharp shock.