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

^the seats are always free, they expand as required......*

Hey, lovely Mouse, could I book an expanding seat for the festive season please - healthy diet not going too well at the moment

Sprinkling some of Isinde's sleepy dust over the bus, for a restful night and pleasant dreams for all babes tonight.

mouse my lovely
You know me it feels like, sounds like a good plan to me x

I'm I am here all night.... I can pop in continually. You can talk to me and I can sneak over during the party to get some bus bravery to not drink while everyone around me is drinking. And it's going to be a hot day, we have a swimming pool and the wine will be chilled.... SOB....

But you know, they will all have 2 glasses of wine and then go home and drink tea. I'll have at least 2 bottles of wine if I start. So I won't have that first drink and then I know I will be ok. Fucking ww.

Soc have you got lots of lovely alternative drinks?

One bald dog.
One sober dog-owner.

Ps. ma am I going to have to change my name back to Official Sweetie Monitor again? Don't think I've forgotten! I've got my eye on you...

joey well done for not drinking it just because it's there.

That's weird, that's the second time my smilies haven't shown up...

Has something changed?

Thanks faire !

Where have my smilies gone...

OMG that is so weird they just reappeared!!

What is going on?!

Hi faire yes, loads of non alcoholic drinks. I think I'm going to cling to one. I reckon I'm going to be ok. I'll just keep playing the movie to the end. It's not pretty.

I'll be the only really drunk person around. I'll say the same thing over and over again. I'll not remember putting my birthday boy to bed. I won't remember what we had for supper. I'll probably pass out early - before my kids go to sleep. I'll wake up tomorrow morning with regret, guilt and feeling awful. Not worth it. And no matter how much the WW tells me just have one or two, i KNOW I won't. I've tried that too many times. It doesn't work for me. As soon as I have that first sip of wine it's all over.

sweetie you're hallucinating. You've had too many green opals. Back slowly away from the bag.....

joey are you sure you haven't been drinking?

Or maybe they got sucked up by the daleks and spat out again?

Soc, you are so right, my lovely, that one glass is never that one glass is it? And other drinks are much more refreshing. Get loads of ice and plenty of fizz if that's what you like.

I tell you what, I'd much rather be with you, at a bbq in the sun drinking plain old tonic water and ice, than here in the cold and dark drinking alcohol. I'd take the chance to have a good old chat, indulge the children, tolerate the odd 'characters' and just enjoy myself and have a laugh. That's what living is all about, not looking for the next drink...

awesome faire. I'm going to check in on that last paragraph throughout the afternoon. I know I'm funny and good value even when I'm sober. I just have to relearn that. xxx

Hope that didn't sound like I was bragging, but it is something I dwell on. the fact that I don't have to have wine in me to have fun or be fun. x

No, Soc, you don't need wine in you to be fun. None of us do.

Venus used to say that she would look for someone at a party, perhaps just sitting quietly on their own and she would wander over to say hello. Because that quiet, unassuming person could be really interesting to talk to, or be a bit shy and need a friendly chat. I've always remembered that and I've tried it a few times. It works, people are wonderful, especially those that don't try to force themselves into the limelight.

Oh fuck, this is hard....

Hello soc how are you doing x

Soc How's it going babe? Did you drown WW in that pool?
How was the party?
Please check in?

Morning Ma please don't be so mean with those green opal fruits just one pleeeeeease?
Just flung myself onto the bus floor to rescue those scattered onto the floor.

Day 1 again, it was already too late when I reserved my bus ticket last night. Thank you Soc, Ma, and all you other Babes who I can't name as if I skip back to previous page (memory like a sieve) my message will get deleted and I'll have to start my ramble again.

My brother came to stay last night, he bought a bottle of wine with him. My first thoughts were - what only one bottle , next was 'god he's drinking so slowly please catch up so that I can top my glass up, which has now had every last drop drained. In the end I kept topping mine up, with him politely saying - it's fine, I'm ok, don't worry etc... finally he left the room to help my DD2 do something - I poured him a little (and I mean 'little') and I had the rest. Once it was finished my anxiety (yes anxiety) subsided and I was happy to drink tea, as I knew the wine was finished

Urgh! climbing back onto the bus and skulking to the back

Hello all. Wide awake but can't get out of bed - having massive anxiety issues over work tomorrow and trying to wean myself off drink. Only 1 glass of wine last night but still feel awful. Probably withdrawing from massive amounts in week. Reading this helps, so many brave babes there. Mouse sending love to you, hope your mum is ok today, and brave Nemo. Spanna your description of drinking with your brother strikes home with me ... I cannot believe DH spending all night nursing one glass, especially as he suggests we open the bottle, then I blame him for me finishing the rest and he doesn't get why I can't just put the lid on! Have ne energy at the moment and have to take kids shoe shopping, but I just have this panic gnawing at me all the time about tomorrow. Hoping for strength for all of us this week x

Soc how did yesterday go ?

Hi looking well done for just the one glass - pat yourself on the back.
Are you anxious about work because it's a new job? why are you so worried babe?
Shops don't close until 4pm today so you still have plenty of time to gather your strength to do the shoe shopping
Best cure for me is sweet tea (several cups) tops up sugar levels that my body is expecting from wine. Then when I can eat, bacon sandwich and a full fat coke. Shower or bath, fresh as a daisy.
You need to be clear headed for work tomorrow. Stick on the bus babe you'll get through today for tomorrow

Hello. I did it. I'm sober. I opened wine and poured it and stood around everyone else while they were drinking. I had a couple of very close moments but managed. Feeling completely exhausted though. But happy and I'll be super happy when I wake up tomorrow. I just feel drained. Think it's a bit stressful having to battle this under such temptation. But it must surely get easier.
Anyway. On my phone so can't nc but thank you so much for thinking of me. It really helps so much. Feeling all soppy and sentimental. Love this bus.
Xxxx

Thanks Spanna. No not a new job. A demanding job which I have done successfully for ten years now but last year they downsized us from 12 to 2 people in our region, with similar cuts elsewhere, moved us to another department and cranked up the workload x 3, making it impossible, so however hard you work, however good you are, you are bound to fail. Management very negative so we are going through the unions, but we are public sector so I think it is part of a drive to force us out and hand the service to private sector. Which is very stressful as I am the family breadwinner. Taken your advice on sweet tea anyway - having sugary brew in bed - plans for today include bath, nice lunch in town with kids, shopping, home and watchm. Day 1 tomorrow for me, wish me luck x

Ooh, phone typos. Will watch film tonite not whatever that says. And hey Soc massive well done to you! Not sure I could do that at the moment, you should be very proud x

Morning i'm, soc, alias, faire, spanna, ma and mouse! And all you other amazing brave babes! Thanks for your support last night, every possibility I will be sniffing around for more tonight. In the meantime I am draping purple, green & red tinsel around Gerald's windows and will be busting out some baubles too. Day 3, here I come. Happy Sunday peeps!