The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Kicking The *Wine Witch* Into Touch, Because Enough Is Enough!

[Mouseface]

Hello, tis me, Mouse :)

This is a thread for those who are worried about their drinking habits towards alcohol, or/and drugs.

Even if you think that you are drinking more tonight than last night or this week than last, come and have a chat, find a seat, we don't bite!

We are a supportive Bus, full of very different posters, from various backgrounds. Some of us drink in moderation, allowing ourselves the odd glass or two as a treat, or just because we're in control of our drinking for that day.

One Day At A Time.

We have those who abstain completely, and those who wake every day to Day 1 and hope with all of their hearts that they can, and will, make it to Day 2.

If you've followed our journey to date, you'll know who most of us are by now :) and we kind of have two 'sayings', that sum up who we are -

1. • The Vulnerable Need Our Support, Not Our Judgement
2. • Alcohol Fosters Inertia

That said, we will not have any bashing of support groups, such as AA or Community Support Teams or even your own GP.

This Bus is a place for honesty, sanctuary and safety, something that has taken four years for a number of very special, very lovely, very honest and caring Babes to establish.

So, come find a seat, grab something warm from the supply cupboard at the back of the Bus as it's going to be cold tonight! Brrrr!

And, if you'd like to read back over some of our history, HERE IS THE LAST THREAD

And, HERE IS WHERE IT ALL BEGAN

We hope to meet you soon :) xxx

Further west faire for sure.
Midges will be a problem near still water and in the forest, but you will be fine on the coast. We have had many holidays in this region when dcs were small and all wonderful. When they were wee they liked the beaches, the gem museum at creetown, the farm parks and activity centres and ice cream at Cream O' Galloway, the castles such as Threave ( you need to go over the river on a wee boat to get to the castle) and Caerlaverock where ds was solemnly knighted by a kindly Historic Scotland guide, then we had the museums and gardens and galleries in Kirkudbright, and the marvellous Red Kite trail in the Galloway Forest Park, and older still, the activity centre for kayaking and bushcraft on the shores of Loch Ken,, and the second hand book shops in Wigtown. I can't speak for the mointain bikers, climbers, gorge walkers and sailors who also converge on the area. It really does have something for everyone.

Thanks all for the kind words re my gorgeous boy :)

I'm off to bed. Soc - would you mind me picking your brains via PM? Say no if you'd rather not but it's so tough at times. xxx

Night all. Good to have you back Ma :) xxx

Another AF day here too but it was tough because my pain is really bad today and alcohol, amplifies the effects that my meds have on me.

Two lots of 90+ mins meetings in a short space of time, sat in the same spot.... but I did it! And that's what matters! :)

Another crazy day tomorrow, hydrotherapy and a visit to town, DD NEEDS foundation

Thanks for all your kind words and for being on the mad old Bus Gerald - you're all so Brave. So strong and honest. Every post I read makes me stronger, I hope the same applies to you all.

Night all xxx

mouse any time. If I can be of any help I'd be delighted. xx

Thanks for the welcome, you're all so lovely. it's so great to be in a place where people "get it". One thing i love about not drinking is that I stay up later and get some real quality time with my older 2 DCs. In my younger days, drink would kind of fuel me staying awake but now it just makes me fall asleep so I'd have been in bed by 10pm if I'd been drinking today. In the morning, the kids would be talking about the previous nights TV which I'd watched with them but had forgotten most of what I watched so would have to kind of wing it.
DD (11) and I had such a lovely evening - she "kidnapped" me and held me hostage so that I had to watch "Peter Andre - my life" so I started banging on the wall to get DS1 to "rescue" me. He was so funny - doing all the spiel you hear in hostage situations on Police dramas.
I'm kind of rambling a bit now but thanks for the support - so many of you are doing amazingly well.
This may sound a bit loopy but one thing I did when I had my 7 week period of sobriety was to give myself a sticker for AF days. We've got a big wall planner thing in the kitchen and I would give myself a little gold start for every day i didn't drink. There was just something about seeing a whole load of them in a row that made what I'd achieved seem more kind of tangible.
Night brave babes xx

Morning babes, day 2 here and feeling terrible, skin parched, tired, achy and disappointed. I cannot get to grips with my own behaviour, when I don't drink I feel energized, enthusiastic, engaged and happier SOOOO why the hell do I keep reverting back to drinking. I am sick and tired of the guilt and brain time this whole process is taking up!!! I would like to try antabuse but preferably without my doctor knowing, last time I went to the doctors it ended In everyone getting involved, I am definately drinking way less than before but I would like antabuse to remove the possibility IFSWIM. I have been following the thread as always and welcome all new babes and love to all my buddy babes and I while I continue to be baffled by my destructive behaviour, I'm glad to be back among friends xxx

baby!!!!! So good to see you again. Is it day 1 today? We've all been ganging up on the WW in the evenings so if you're on the bus do you want to join the buuundle!!

I'm doing dry November. Then, I will probably keep going until the schools break up, or at least until the last week of school. Give me a nice long break before Christmas. I like to have these goals. I always have. First it was just to do one day, now I am doing long stretches. The more I practise, the easier it gets. One day, I might just stop altogether because, you are right baby, being sober is a wonderful, life enhancing experience. It doesn't make everything magically better but it sure as hell doesn't make anything worse

Andy I love the fact that you have your very own star chart. How sweet is that. And what a lovely evening with your dcs.

Ma thanks for all the tourism info, I will certainly look into it. Dh has been wanting to go for ages, so I'm thinking of his birthday next year. Will keep looking.

Ladame are we going to have to bring the bus to you? How is the new job, how are you? Mouse is providing lovely snacks again, come back for a catch up will you?

Gtg as they say. Laters x

Ooops, just saw you are on day 2 baby, even better x

Thanks for the welcome faire, dh has been working away, dark cold nights and crohn's pain have all been triggers, must learn from it and try again, "it's not where you start it's where you finish" so they say x

Day 14 today, had wobble last night. Got home at nine, tired, found dd2 asleep in vomit :( so another hour cleaning her up and bedding. Felt like I somehow deserved wine after that....managed to convince myself that my reasons for drinking were actually reasons not to.

Will read back now, wishing everyone a good day x

Day 14 Anne; that is fantastic. Love your phrase "my reasons for drinking were actually reasons not to".

Quick check in.
RL taken over.
Will catch up later.
Love and strength to all.
Day 3. XX

Checking in

Nice to see you babyj

Anyone seen purple

I think I want a lobotomy to stop this endless dialogue in my head. It's so tiresome. Battling tonight. There's no wine and I'm in my pjs but I feel like drinking.....
Wish it would get easier
Anyway. Tomorrow I'll be full of shit again not having drunk and feeling good. But man, this is hard.
Woe is fucking me. Meanwhile a dear friend battles with cancer. What right do I have to be so utterly pathetic.
Good luck for today babes! On my phone so not nc.
Xx

Hi Soc, sending you strength for this evening.

Hi babes
I drank last night iv lost my way
Seems my ex is a drug as much as the alcohol is ( feeling defeated )
Have a good day some great strength here well done x

soc I totally empathise. I wish I could put my brain in a jar, of all the things to worry about, Giving up booze seems so shallow but it's still bloody hard!! joey thanks babe, purple show yourself xx

Hi busmates. Just to say I am still here. Reading the posts at least twice daily and keeping up with you all.

5 days a/f last week. On day 2 this week. Much reduced consumption over the weekend. Mind you have a stinking cold which helps reduce cravings.

I hope you don't mind me not doubt personals per se. As I feel you all know each other a bit more, I don't know the backstories and I don't want to seem glib. Suffice it to say I am thinking of all who are struggling and celebrating those who are doing well.

UnMN hugs!

Also reading Caroline Knapp's Drinking:A love Story (I think Socfish recommended it?) and so sad to discover she died aged 42 from lung cancer. Was hoping for a wiki that showed a life now. Am glad she got some years of happy sobriety.

Afternoon everyone.

Thanks to all for the warm welcome you gave me last week (I think) when I joined, especially mouse (so happy that things are coming together for you and your gorgeous DS), isinde (loving your wicked wit), rural and beaches too.

DP (moderate enjoyer of a, yes a glass of 'good' wine now and then and an occasional g&t) works away during the week and is home Friday night-Sunday afternoon. He would be absolutely appalled if he knew exactly what I got up to when he's not here.

I'm sure you've heard it all before, my latest escapade was to buy a half bottle of gin with the intention of returning the original bottle to it's level of the weekend before. Yes, you guessed, it all went on Thursday night - leaving 2 empty bottles. Could have bought ANOTHER half bottle, but would have had to hide the rest of it somewhere - so decided to draw the line there. I'd just tell him i've drunk it if he asked.

BUT, my point, finally - If I could channel all the concentrated effort, logical calculation, manipulative thinking and creative deception into some sort of self-employed business - I reckon I'd be quite successful.

So I'm on day 5 sober now. Had a lovely AF weekend with DP, so gonna try again to rein it in and reach 11 days?. He's not home this weekend coming, so I can well see myself needing your encouragement and support.

Hope all you lovely Babes are keeping happy and safe today.

Hey all.
Your stories are all so familiar...we all have such a lot in common.
Ou est Ladame? Are we going to have a cross channel shopping mercy trip?
Day 1 of low carbing and AF. Off for a bath and then a cup of tea....
Hope the ww isn't bothering anyone tonight.
rural are u ok?

Good to hear from you again Haggis and meetme. Don't forget to post if you fancy a chat or feel a wobble coming on.

Anne (sorry, btw, I've been calling you Annie, just realised), hope your dd is starting to recover now? Well done for not drinking

Ds made bread today, so we have had lovely, healthy, spicy vegetable soup with it this evening. Then I blew it and had a sherbert fountain mmmmm

Hi babes, meet I to have done the bottle thing, I'm a wine drinker but drunken greed has had me get stuck in to my dh's beloved sambucca then have to hid what's left and go back and drink THAT, I'm burning with the shame of it, buying 2 bottles of wine and putting one in the veg drawer of the fridge and alternating!!!! Here's me thinking I was soooo smart, dh told me after I confessed all that he knew all along. I've recently started being sneaky again, as you say we are smart cookies wasting much brainpower outwitting our husbands, we are only kidding ourselves!!!! Very brave of you to admit. faire your not alone, I made a lovely healthy chicken dinner and just ate 5 hobnobs, wish I could use my addictive personality for the gym or bloody yoga or something vaguely healthy, aaaarrrtgggghhh xxxx

Hi ma and haggis xx

Shit I'm scared

Wassup I'm
Are you safe? Is the ex there?