The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Stepping Into Christmas With Sobriety On Their Minds.

[Mouseface]

Hello, tis me, Mouse

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

Even if you think your intake has gone up more today than the last or this week than last, come and join us on Gerald, the amazing, always room for more, fully stocked with glorious treats and donned in his Christmas Decorations, Bus!

We are a supportive thread, 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 smile 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 Addiction Support Teams, or even other support threads, posts like that will be reported if the need arises, so 'Orange Paper supporters' don't waste your time please :)

This Bus is a place for honesty, sanctuary and safety, something that has taken almost 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, it's filled with (non alcoholic or narcotic) delicious, luxury treats and HUGE fluffy quilts, plus anything else you might need to help YOU get through YOUR day a minute, or an hour at a time.

And, if you'd like to see where this all began - This Is The Reason We're All Here, The Original JWN Thread

And This Is Our Previous Thread, With Links To Those Over The Past Few Years

We hope to meet you soon :) x

Hey Babes - sorry not to read back or nc but I'm just popping on here to say a big thank you from Mouse for all your lovely thoughts and wishes. Mouse's Mum is not good just now. She has a NG tube to feed her but things aren't great. Mouse has asked me to (characteristically) says she's "OK but just not great" and is going to see her Mum this weekend and her sister will be there to support her. She said she'll try and post but I told her to concentrate on herself and her own worries - we are big girls (!!) and can look after ourselves for a while! I know you'll all join me in sending the best positive vibes possible to Mouse and her family. xxxxx

Thanks Purps, for the message from our lovely Mouse and I agree that we can manage without her for a while. She knows, I am sure, how we are all thinking of her and sending love.

How are you, did you get the car sorted out in the end?

Thanks lovely Faire - car sorted (as I have no choice!) but the £855 bill wiped out my Christmas 'budget'. I was thinking it would be about £300 so Christmas is drastically minimised in the Purple household. Not the end of the world (and some have it a bloody sight worse than me) but it's hard letting the children down..... x 'Hi' Koti xxx

purps sorry to hear the news about your car, these things always seem to come at the worst time. Thanks for passing on the message from mouse all the positive vibes and virtual hugs coming your way dearest mousey.xx

Hi ladies,

Thanks for the responses and welcome! Beaches no not lectury at all. It's great to have feedback especially as only one other person in the whole world knows the full story, certainly not my family.

Soc you are 100% right when you say nobody forces me to do it, that phrase has popped into my head a couple of times today since I read your post. Although it's interesting that for the years I've been doing it, it was just "normal" behaviour in my circles and the time I decide it isn't and decide to do something about it, a whole heap of shit kicks off!

Can't say entirely AF today, but I did not buy a bottle of wine when I went to Waitrose even after having put the phone down on my Mum in frustration. So I feel pretty pleased and back on track. And thank you again.

I feel terrible posting without referring to especially Mouse' tough stuff and other tales. Forgive me, and I hope all is well as can be everywhere only shy new girl I obvs don't know you all superwell.

It is REALLY helpful to know there are others in the same boat and to share. Hope you're having nice evenings.

FIF x

Fanta don't worry about responding to everyone or trying to keep up with everything, it's difficult because there are so many of us and we all pop in and out at different times.

Just 'chat' with those that you feel a connection with, or have posted something that made you think, like you did with Soc's comments. And feel free to just post your own thoughts, feelings, worries, etc. The important thing is that something here on the bus will help you and you will probably be helping others just by sharing.

I'm off to bed now, hope all babes are safe and snuggly x

Hey fanta
Don't even try to keep up. There are a lot of us all wittering away non stop. Great to have you onboard. Now, about those pacers..... Xx

fanta sounds like you did well today

I have got through day 2 and as usual insomnia awaits but a clear head in the morning
Hope all my fellow non drinkers managed to outwit the WW.
Goodnight babes, xx

Hello babes - still hanging in here, day 4 done! Was too tired to check in last night but thanks all for thinking of me on my train journey. In the past have had a quick wine before getting tram home and told dh my train was late - am ridiculously ashamed to admit that, but it wasn't even too long ago and used to justify it to myself saying I had to unwind after a long day.

Why - congratulations on the job interview lovely, that's fab! Will be coming to you for tips when my job finally goes t*ts up.

I'm - hope you got your car and school run issues sorted. Hate it when I don't have my car, pray it was a small and cheap issue to fix

Soc totally get the cooking with wine thing, haha, even less excusible when it's just fish fingers and oven chips though (joke, even I've never done that!)

Ma - hope your ds gets to school OK tomorrow and that Tom and his friends have been suitably told off that they stop this nonsense. The worse thing about staying off school is that the problem just becomes bigger the longer you stay away so I really hope he can rally round tomorrow. He has you as a mum so must have tons of courage and resilience tucked away somewhere, right? Though take a leaf out of your own book and stop nicking Pacers off the new girl! (waves at Fanta in a welcoming but totally neutral and non-sweetie scavenging manner)

Beaches am cracking up at the idea of your cross dressing ocean. I wish an illustrator could capture the image in my head at that one

Goodnight and good vibes to you all and to Faire, Fated, Rural, Sweetie, Purple, Venus, Kotinka and everyone else on the bus tonight (sorry if I have missed any names, so many around this evening) And most of all thoughts going out to brave Mouse tonight - I hope you have a peaceful evening and that things are looking up tomorrow xxx

ma have you got pace envy??

fanta just keep posting and reading. What faire said is so true. Doesn't matter what someone says, no matter how irrelevant it may seem, sometimes it strikes a cord and really really helps (well it does for me).

Bloody WW is here knocking on my brain. Today is Day 9 and for some reason I think it's a good idea to have a bottle of wine (it won't end there). Which is going to really fuck me off. Because tomorrow will be double digits if I don't. I'll have to start again. I don't want to be a drunk. I want to be sober.
And why would I want to drink tonight....it's going to taste shit. It's just going to make me feel light headed and stupid. And cross with myself. And irritated in the morning. I don't really want to drink. I want to get into bed tonight and read. Not get into bed barely remembering anything and passing out early having had a pathetic drunk evening. So fuck off WW. It's not happening.

Soc day 9 is brilliant, you are able to shout down WW to make it to day 10. Have a fab Friday all .... Day 5 here. I was going for just till the weekend but am not going to drink tonight ...

How are you doing soc ?

hope day four! Well done lovely x
I'm on day four today not letting dd win this bet!

Managed to get car sorted without seeing my ex had to have a new battery but just happy I didn't see him, got to take dc up there tonight stomac is already in knots panic attacks oh the joys

Waving at all babes x

Babes
I'm killing this witch tonight. I have a really strong desire to get drunk (mindlessly hammered. I may as well mainline wine). But I'm going to sit tight and breathe through the fucker. I can't not get into double figures tomorrow.....

Soc think of a nice treat for yourself for getting to Day 10 and focus on that... I like to buy those stupidly expensive bath bombs from Lush and a nice magazine. Am rooting for you ....

I'm - glad your car is sorted, try not to worry about tonight - can you keep contact to a minimum?

Off for another awful day at work, wish me luck

(waves at all the other babes put there)

Out there even. Sick of this phone. Sigh.

Day 3 again, big plans to cut my hair tonight, definitely can't do that with a drink so hoping I get through it!

Soc I love the thought process written out there, so true and I'm glad you could 'see the film to the end'. You are going to feel so fantastic when you wake up tomorrow and, what's more, you will wonder what all the fuss was about.

Do you need to set another goal because once you hit those double digits she might sneak back and get you. How about making it two weeks, or three, or the end of the month?

Good luck at work hope, it's Friday at least x

fanta you are cutting your own hair?

good god, I'm battling tonight. Sigh. yes looking that's a nice idea about a bath bomb. I love having a bath. Might get through dinner tonight and have a very long bath with Jason Vale. Hope no one minds my mindless rambling here, but if I put it down for all the babes and god knows what other lurkers to read, I feel a bit more committed to not drinking tonight. so I hit "post message" before it's too late.....

Sorry, I meant fated

< polishes glasses >

excellent x post there soc, just as I say how great your 'ramblings' are, you're back. Stick with it. Eat. Yes, eating is very good and then do the drill, get into bed and stay there!

faire my current goal is abstinence forever. But if I get through November without drinking again it will mean I've only drunk twice this month and that will be like a world record and I will be like a total rock star.

I've got to leave for work now but there will be others around to chat with Soc if you need some distraction.

Just give a shout out for them. Who you gonna call?

BBSWAT Team!

Cue music...

Rock on Soc