The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Off To Find The Summer Sun and Sobriety!

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse :)

Welcome to the Bus, take a seat and enjoy the ride. We're a Bus full of drinkers, non-drinkers, those who are trying to give up for life, those who are giving up for a few hours because that's all that they can manage (which is fine!) or quitting just for today......

We don't wear Judgey Pants (they're far too last year darhling ) but we have hugs a plenty and tough love when it's needed. Which isn't often!

So, what have you got to lose? If you're reading this, you're thinking that you are no longer happy with the way you drink, which tells me that this is the Bus for you. :)

If you'd like to see where we've been so far and what we've been up to, take a peek HERE

And if you want to knnow why we're here in the first place, take a look at THIS THREAD RIGHT HERE :)

See you soon x

Thanks mouse, I was pissed when I made up that name, it made sense at the time
Now everyone will imagine me as stroppy Lauren (think that the characters name) with lots of pyjamas x

I've made day 1, despite complications! My sis offered to come over with sushi and a bottle of wine. I agreed the sushi but told sis I'm on the wagon for a bit and she was fine with that.

Dd announced at 9.30 that she was hungry. She's not eating enough at the moment so agreed we would go out and get her something to eat. This would generally be the perfect excuse to buy wine, but I didn't

Well done thorn that's awesome :)

Morning everyone, that's great thorn well done. We are both on day 2

Morning all - been offline for a couple of days so just checking in briefly then will read all posts in detail.

Day 26 here and I've been struggling a bit with the WW this week but finally managed to smack her in the face with a frying pan last night when I went out with an old drinking buddy and managed to stay on cokes. Fuck you WW, I won this round!

Morning all.

Muskrat, that is fab well done. Also big congrats to Whatever and Thorn, well done ladies!!

It's great to hear these success stories as it makes me want to be part of it again. I have failed again, drank wine last night with DH

This is my problem, I drink once and then I am a stone down a well and it take a massive effort to pull myself out of that well and stop properly.

But that is what I need to do.

babyj I'm glad to hear you're feeling better. Being ill is no excuse for drinking, but in your case I think it's understandable. That's why I hope you manage to pre-empt or have an action plan if you get another flare. I know, choosing between severe pain/side-effects from medication or having surgery isn't much of a choice! Being forced to "choose" something you don't actually want would be very upsetting.

Regulars on the Bus know about the HALT technique. (Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired). Maybe there should be another - Pain. Because it's worth recognising your trigger and understanding how alcohol temporarily numbs that. mouse knows better than most people about that. I just don't want you to belittle yourself into thinking that you are weak.

PHalt?

Am on hols so just checking in. Drinking more sensibly this week, despite being on hols. Eating loads though

Good morning babes, rockin day 4 here and the sun is shining in Scotland. mouse your words are poetic and so soothing, I always feel special when you speak to me, there's a book in you somewhere, green I love your posts, I think we would be great friends in real life. whatever and thorn you guys are doing great, it gets easier each day, remember and keep that wine money and but a lippy or a nail polish, it's silly but each day you build your reward, it works. pink don't worry babe it's not a race, you will get where you want to be, we'll be here and we we're supporting you whatever you do. Wishing happiness and contentment to my lovely friends today x x x

having a big lifestyle rethink here - fat, tired, menopausal pisshead has got to go. Starting to feel the desire to change beginning to tingle...will let it build until I can hit that go get em button. Fed up feeling like this.

Now some good news......drum roll.....
Richard got a medal yesterday. A little medal to celebrate 3 months dry and sober. He is so proud of it and rightly so. You would think with him as inspiration I would be doing better, but anyway. He says it is the most important thing he has ever owned. I am so happy for him.

Ma, that is fantastic news about Richard:)

I am so with you on the "fat, tired' menopausal pisshead" bit, I think the difference between you and Richards is that his was "do or die", whereas you (and I) could plod along like this for years, if that makes sense?

Morning, tis me, Mouse

Joey - I agree with that, Pain has a huge part to play in ALL of our lives, whether emotional, mental of physical, it's there and it IS a trigger. Especially when you have a combination of two or the three!

I like PHALT - said like FALT, as in it's a fault in our inner systems and we need to deal with the triggers one by one?

Pink - you WILL get there because you've done it before, maybe you just don't want to stop completely just yet, sorry to be blunt but sometimes, you just don't and do you know what? It's ok to feel that way. You need to do it when you are 100% ready, willing and able to stop completely. Not just try, but to want it so badly that nothing will get in your way, you'll kick that Wine Bitch into touch soon, you'll see. Not even DH and his wine!

Seriously though, you have our support no matter what because that's what this Bus is all about. I'm no angel, there are times when I drink too much but those days are now months apart rather than weeks.....IYSWIM? I still have one drink too many and think I'll be fine. I know my limit is 2 glasses of white and more than that gives me a horrific hangover. It's not often that I drink regularly but lately, we've had a run of things to celebrate and I suppose I've let me guard down because I thought I could have that extra one. NOPE!

Thorn - Bloody well done one kicking ass last night!!! YOU ABSOLUTELY ROCK BABE!! :) xxx

Baby - I love your post to Pink about it not being a race :) how very true. How are you doing? xxx

Paw - hope you are having a lovely time away :)

How are the day 1/2/3 Babes feeling today? Better I hope for the absence of alcohol and with a bit of luck, as the days roll by, the desire to stay AF will grow stronger because of how much better you'll feel and start to really not like drinking to excess at all. But that comes with time and it's getting past those first few days of not drinking, with the wine witch laughing at your attempts which are the hardest - or were for me.

Right, last few jobs then off to pack :) xxx

Afternoon, rather!! I started that post this morning!!

Ma - great news about Richard, I'm so pleased for him and about YOU too! Bring on that tingle lady!! I can't wait for you to smack that WW round the face with a mahoosive bat or something! xx

Obrigada - I can so relate to the 'plodding along, drinking not, drinking and then not drinking, thing. I makes perfect sense :) How are you and things on your life? xx

Hi Mouse, things are as you say "plodding along", have had no contact with my sister since the "moneybox" situation. She returned the majority of the money in an envelope early one morning and I have had no contact with her since.
Hope you have a fantastic break away - well deserved:)

majority of the money??? She is an absolute cowbag of the highest order. I'm so sorry she's done that.

xxx

I'm off now, be online of course, for my sanity and to keep me on the straight and narrow as it were, sometime over the weekend no doubt.

I'll also be checking into Bootcamp so that I don't stray.

Bye for now :) xxx

Bonjour mes petit campers

Sending happy vibes from across the Chanel

Stay strong BBs and keep pulling the rug from under that sneaky WW. She's not as clever as she thinks!

Doing ok on the booze front here - drinking but keeping it sensible.

And the teenagers seem to be morphing into quite nice young adults . Who'd have thought!!

A bien tot x x x

ma that's amazing news about Richard, it's hard to believe he's the same man, I cried outside the school gates when I read it, looked like a lunatic but who cares. whatever the post about pyjamas made me spit my coffee out with laughter, I've hardly got a top and bottom that match!!! Today I bought a new blouse, some costume jewelry and some sandals, only primark but progress indeed. Friday night a challenge for all of us I'm sure but we stand united against the 2 faced wine bitch, I'm getting a spray tan done so I can't go out in public afterwards, an indulgent tactic not to buy wine but hey ho I'm worth it, love to all x x x

Evening all, well Friday night is going to be a challenge as always. But I'm going to be sitting on the bus most of tonight so I'm not tempted to have a glass, which turns into a bottle or more of wine.
Have a great time away mouse

baby good for you treating yourself. And I would suggest not going to the shops after a spray tan. I've had one once and I looked like someone painted me with varnish (mahogany) it did look nice the next day tho

Away for now but will check to see if any babes are on board later. Hope to speak to more of you's later x

Aww babyjane your totally worth it and deserve to treat yourself

Hope you enjoy your time away mouse

Well done on day 1 thorn and whatever - I think friday and saturday nights are the worst when trying not to drink. It's sort of ingrained that you should drink on those nights

pink hopefully you'll get to where you need to be in your own time. I'm with you in that once I start to drink It's really hard to pull myself back and stop. I can just about control the quantity (although it always ends up being a glass more than i planned) but I end up drinking for days/weeks on end :(

I'm on day 6 today, never got this far ever!, and I'm going out tonight but I'm driving so not drinking. However, big but, I did my mother a favour today and as thanks she gave me a bottle of wine!!! It's now sat waiting for me to open when I get in....I had planned to have 2 glasses tomorrow and i really want to stick to my plan. I'd even been feeling like it might just be easier not to have a drink at all - in case it turns into days of drinking. I sort of wonder if it would be easier to just not drink at all - if only to shut the 'voice' in my head up....

Hope everyone has a good evening, sorry not to name check all, I find this thread moves so fast it's hard to keep up with. Plus I'd hate to say something that upset someone or overstepped the mark x

Ok so made it to day 5 today just had one glass of wine but stopping there feeling in control so not down about it good luck with the WW tonight babes x

Thank you baby. If his story even inspires one person then some good will have come of his descent into hell.
I am looking into this paeleo diet. I think I am going to try it, and go dry as part of it. My colleagues in work are worried. One said today " so you'll be dieting,not drinking ÀND your menopausal? Oh great!"
I am going to start on august 26th with a detox massage from Derek - drool and see how I get on. Cant start until I get paid so I can buy the right stuff. I really want to do this and change what I'm becoming...
waves to all babes

That's great ma :). It is expensive because it's lots of protein, meat and fish, berries etc. but the saving in wine will cover it.

You can actually drink red wine with it but really I think any type of diet is easier without booze wrecking your resolve and making you tired and crave shit food. Word of warning I felt truly awful the first couple of weeks adjusting to the no sugar and low carb, but not everyone does and for most people it's just a few days. The pay off now is that I don't crave food, I'm barely hungry and I'm not craving wine. I'm not just going from one sugar high to the next.

Keeping it varied is hard but this week I have googled Paleo recipes and found some good sites. I've just had Paleo lasagne for tea which was lovely and a gorgeous lamb curry yesterday.

If you go on the exercise topic in health there is a personal trainer posting under something like 'your health and fitness questions answered' worth a read of that thread.

baby what a nice thing to say, thank you. Maybe we'll all go on a real life bus tour one day and meet up. :)

So glad to hear you sounding happier and stronger and very pleased to see you treating yourself.

Waves to all and well done babes. Keep on keeping on x

Thanks for all the messages everyone.

Mouse have a great time away. Very sensible question, asking if I am actually ready to stop drinking. There have certainly been times in my life when I have known I need to but won't be able to. But right now I am ready and I need to, I am so afraid about my health and just dropping dead or something awful. I think all this recent blip has confirmed is that I need to stop altogether as moderation is so difficult for me to achieve. I think I would rather not drink at all than be agonising about when, how much and whether I will be able to limit myself but it has taken years to get to this point.

Baby thank you, your words are so true. Well done to you too, I hope you are being a bit more appreciated by DH and family right now

Ma fantastic about your brother, I remember the story from lurking days. Three months is amazing! You must be so relieved to have him back. You sound ready to kick the WW's butt, go for it! I need to tackle my weight as well, I was starting to but then started drinking again instead! You know, just to sabotage myself a bit more!

Thisis, five days is fantastic. Well done for staying in control wish I could stop at one glass.

Annie yes I just end up having far, far too much. I am better off having none. I think I have always been like that I think.

Hello Silver and Green hope you are both ok.

Whatever hope your evening panned out ok and you stayed aboard.

I am off to bed with a book soon. I am sober thank goodness, day one done again. The days seemed to fly by last time I boarded, I hope they do again.

Thanks babes, I feel so lucky to have this bus. You are the only people I 'talk' to about this

Pink X

Morning all - Ma fab news about Richard x
Hope everyone OK ?
Will read later
I have not drank on hols 😃 On my way to 16 weeks :)
Laters Lxx

Morning all :)

Ended last night with a glass of wine (150mls). I'm not sure why I had it, it was 11pm when i did so i could just as easily have gone to bed.

This will sound really daft but it's sort of like I got scared by how many af days were building up, and scared that tonight (when I planned to drink) there would be a whole bottle of wine waiting for me. It's white so dh will only have a glass and I don't want to drink it all in one go, or likewise spend the next three days drinking it. So stupid as really I could have just binned what I didn't want - yeah like I'd do that!!

So I expect I will be drinking tonight :( even though I don't feel like I want to The past week I've had a friend visiting and I can find her hard work at times but I really enjoyed her company. We took the dcs out for about 7/8 hours every day and I enjoyed that far more than usual, I had two meals out without wine and did not feel resentful, I did a favour for my mother that I'd normally not want to do and it was fine. Long story short this week I've been a much better mother, friend, daughter and I'm sure being alcohol free played a big part in it, I've just felt generally better. So I am writing this down to try and hold onto this feeling when normal life gets back in the way....

Well done on day 1 pink