The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Walking In A Winter Sober Land!

[Mouseface]

Hello Brave Babes, I'm Mouse :)

Welcome to the 'Bus Of Fun' (now you've come of age!)

This is a thread for those who want to give up drink completely, or are maybe thinking about doing controlled drinking, or cutting down slowly, with a view to quitting or not... it's up to you.

You know your limits, you know what is required, it's in your hands. And only you can make it happen.

Whatever your goal, you'll find support here. Always.

There will be talk of drinking and those who fall off the Bus (arse over tit) will post about it, so if that is going to jeopardise your chances of complete sobriety, then maybe the DRY thread would suit you better, as they are complete abstainers. :)

That said, this Bus is happy to have you no matter what, as long as you can cope with chat of drinking, nights out/in, failures, cyclical drinkers, etc......

Everyone has always been welcome here and shall remain to be.

No-one is ever turned away. EVER.

There are no hard and fast rules, other than the support here is unconditional, it may be in the form of tough love at times, but it's always meant with the very best of intentions.

There are two sayings that we like here -

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

The rest kind of happens as the posts appear.

I hope that's okay with you all.

You'll find the last thread HERE, THAT WILL LEAD TO THREADS BEFORE IT, SOME HISTORY

And the original and real, truly heartfelt reason that we are here in the first place is HERE. A VERY SOBERING READ

The Bus may be 'mythical', but the support is real, honest and will help you to achieve what it is that you seek, as long as you are honest with us, but mostly, YOURSELF

See you soon. x

Hey Spanna - nice to see you, I feel a bit out of touch as I've not been following the thread

Welcome to anyone new that I've missed :)

Hi lovely Spanna , appreciate the encouragement and the driftwood -I will be waving it about later in a menacing fashion! Well done on day 3, it is often a tough one so keep large quantities of green opal fruits at hand x

isinde glad to have the company babe, hope you have a decent bit of time off over Christmas, things sound stupidly busy for you.

Welcome to the bus sober, keep posting, it does help. Also looking out for you buggerme, hope you keep posting too.

Waves to all other brave babes

Chippin - I have reported your post.

This is a support thread. No a scaremonger thread.

*Not

beaches - If it helps, I have a large can of WineWitch Killer Spray™ in the kitchen, I can send it your way? It's actually the smell that always knocked me sick after a binge, it's some hideous air freshener that is lovely unless you're hungover! Works a treat for the WineWitch here!

Sorry to read that you've been struggling and feeling down about the festive season and everyone joining in, going out, getting drunk etc... it's harder than normal at this time of year, because alcohol is advertised more heavily all around you!

Every other ad is for booze! Although I have to say, I do like the Aldi advert with the rather good looking chap, saying about liking both champagnes, but not the tight pants he's wearing that give him the high pitched voice!

What are you planning for Christmas? :) x

Day 3 for me too spanna .

Just come back home feeling shocking -exhausted and grumpy as fuck. Have been at a super duper softplay with my DD and now am just so tired. The bus back was half an hour late and I was getting increasingly irritated! Came home and had a fag - even though I really want to quit. Would love a glass of wine right now! But am hoping that I will stay strong. Really hope DD will go to bed nicely tonight. Really at the end of my tether.

Oh Dancer :(

Sorry to read that you're fed up, sounds like a tough day. Day 3 is always shitty because you're on the verge of getting used to no alcohol in your system and as with smoking, the chemical are depleting from your system so your body naturally tells you to top them up, the craving get so strong that you can't think of anything else.

I hope that DD is soon tucked up and fast asleep for you. :) x

Hi Dancer well done on Day 3 I completely understand the 'grumpy as Fuck' feeling
Have you got anything sweet to eat I always find that helps.

Beaches stay with us Babe. Day 4 for me is always tough (sounds pathetic doesn't it, when you think other Babes have come so much further) I've only ever managed 8 Days caved on the 9th

spanna - 8 days is better than 0 days, remember that :)

Where are you getting all of this driftwood from? I love driftwood...... I'd have it all over the house, make mirrors out of it, shelving and allsorts if I could.....

Thanks Mouse

I do have it all over my house and garden I love it too I live near the sea and am a collectomaniac can't help myself

Hi all x

Hi donna

dancer hope you are hanging on babe x

mouse I will take some of the spray please! all repellents welcome, however unpleasant .

The adverts here are not as bad actually, perhaps it is because we watch netflix and YouTube more than the commercial channels. Although now feel a bit robbed of Aldi man! My issue is the past mental programming that Christmas (and the run up) equals drinking. I just need to prevent myself getting carried away and make sure I keep up the af nights too. Then January will be another dry month.

spanna 8 days is really good, and looks like a monumental task from day 1. I grew up by the sea and love walking on beaches and collecting stuff. I have a prized collection of 5 cowries from the scilly isles which even my children need permission to touch

Cowries are meant to be very lucky

I clearly remember how well I felt after 8 days AF and how determined I was. I haven't managed a Day 4 since then. But I have been looking much more closely at my drinking and cringing when I look back over years of drinking But I will get there (day 9) and beyond

Can relate to that cringing feeling. When I think of the gallons of alcohol that I have consumed over the years and the sticky situations I have been lucky to escape . Of course you will get to 9 days and beyond.... Always thought you had a touch of the buzz light year about you

Hey mouse say hi to purps for me.
Electrical socket still "popping" Electrician baffled. Not convinced the house is safe. Pissed off

Day one, not been doing too badly in terms of amount I'm drinking but the frequency is creeping up. Along with the rubbishy food that goes with it. Got weighed today and I've put on nearly five pounds since I did 17 af days I'm now trying to cut right down on eating and drinking before Xmas eve - talk about making life hard for myself!

mouse we are in an upstairs flat.
I know something isn't right but we have had the socket out, no sign of scorching, water or rodents. But something is causing it and I am terrified there will be a fire. Its a very loud pop, happens infrequently and sporadically. Electrician has checked all sockets and fusebox. CaNt find the problem.
Don't know what to do. Can't afford to keep,getting different electricians out just to tell me they don't know what's causing it.

Hi mouse yes I'm trying to do controlled drinking or moderate drinking. I pretty much know my limits, hate being drunk/hungover, but I easily slide into daily drinking. I've noticed that once I do start drinking I will usually have more than I originally intended :( eg one 120ml glass turns into two so I question how controlledI rreally am....

Ma - get the Fire Brigade out, call your local station and ask them to come and do a risk assessment maybe?

Is your place rented because it's down to the LANDLORD/OWNER not YOU! FFS! You have DCs. I'm not surprised you are scared, I hate fire and have a massive phobia. I unplug everything but the fridge before bed.

I'm worried about you and hope that someone can help you sweetheart..... please keep trying to find something to help. I'm going to pray for your safety Ma, you have had enough shit in your life, why this and why now?

Take good care my friend, seek a solution, it could be other tennants that are causing the problem? Overloading the system? xxx

Annie - it would seem that your own conclusion is correct, is it not? If you can't stop when you had planned then you must stop before you start lovely. I'm sorry but if you don't want to be the way that you were, it's the only way. xxx

Am I allowed to rejoin when I know I am going to drink most days until Boxing Day +1? I need to stop this, I lost you just after finding you but know I will not not drink over Christmas.. I will avoid until I reach day 3 if not welcome until then, just creating hard times at the moment

Hi fated, good to see you back on the bus. There are no hard and fast rules about being here, if you are worried about your drinking then you are in the right place. How and when you deal with that is upto you but you are very welcome so just get comfy and post away.

Thanks mouse
You can help by being there that's what I need
I feel lonely and I'm so on my own with this x

That don't sound right sorry
Your support of being there is helping me a lot just knowing the bus is here is amazing,