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

[The only downside was later in the evening I felt tired and bored, usually alcohol would have helped mask that feeling, but instead we decided we'd had enough and left fairly early]

The first half of the evening was actually fine, I didn't want or need the drink, and it actually felt good not to have any. The second half, yeah I did get twitchy because I was bored but by that time had already made the decision and stuck to it.

One other thing - people kept trying to persuade me to drink. I said we were driving, and the response was we shoulda booked a hotel. ??!!? Pay ££££ for a grotty motel room just so we can drink? Are you crazy!

Sorry this so long. I just had a real lightbulb moment and wanted to share.

Jingle bells, batman smells
Robin flew away
Uncle Billy lost his willy
On the motorway
Hey!

< nicks ma's triangle and runs off into the tinsel >

Venus I will join you today. Had two cups of tea and a coffee already.

Joey congrats on your sober sheet shuffle, don't think we have a badge for that yet but I can make one if you like?

< helpful >

I know what you mean about getting bored later on in the evening. Especially as the people who are drinking get more 'hilarious' and start shouting, talking over each other, laughing over nothing and repeating themselves. Yep, time to leave.

But I find I can have a great night out, enjoy the company before it begins to slide, and still be home ready for my lovely clean pjs, a good sleep and, best of all, no hangover, sluggishness, regrets...

guggs I've had a look over on the DRY thread and you are giving great support there. I am sure it means so much to them and others lurking x

Thanks faire Did they show how to make those kinds of badges on Blue Peter...?!

With the office party, I think its just I'm basically not a sociable person; my feet hurt in heels and I'm a bit deaf so can't hear what anyone is saying. Alcohol would normally be the answer to all of those things; it doesn't take away the boredom but trying to stay upright gives you something to focus on....

Now, here's one I prepared earlier

Actually, I have my very own badge making machine, big kid that I am.

I'm rubbish in heels too but don't let JWN catch us admitting that!

Btw babes I have just realised that Santa is going to get to Soc before he gets to us and I am well gel. It's less than 23 hours before he sets off to get all around the world in time!!

From my children's repertoire for Guggs:

Little donkey
Little donkey
On the A14
Got run over
By a Rover
And his guts were...greeeen!

(Tell you what, sticks in the bloody bonce!! Eeek!)

Happy Christmas all the lovely Babes on the Bus. Drinking or no. Hoping for a totally fab 2014 for all of us.

Luffs you all.

xxxx

Morning everyone VenusandMars I drank last night and am definitely up for an alcohol free day. Luckily I don't have all that much to do today so I can take it relatively easy.

Last night I bought some wine as a treat after a busy day in my volunteer job and doing last minute shopping - and drank most of it while also pouring a huge slug into the sauce for my macaroni cheese. I used to do that as a matter of course but haven't for several years. The slightly pear-droppy note didn't improve the taste one bit.

AliasJoey great posts. I'm so glad to hear about your wonderful weekend and that the office bash went well but appalled about the refusal to swap the wine, beer etc. or non-alcoholic drinks. It seems daft for any restaurant or caterer to be so inflexible and discouraging regarding a customer's wish not to drink alcohol.

Just wanted to say hi to all you fabulous, courageous babes, I'm struggling to sleep and nightmares are very bad but keep on keeping on. Hugs to mouse why and im and mega thanks to all of you who have been so kind to me this week, very much appreciated xxxx

Buns I know! It was ridiculous! But I may have gone a bit OTT in asking the waiter twice, and complaining to the rest of the table There must have been loads of people not drinking for whatever reason... oh maybe that's why they do it - because those people have to then go and BUY alternatives? (although the company had paid for the tables, so...?)

alias a big thumbs up here for sober sex.

I have had throughout my life a strong link between drinking and sex: from the early teenage years where a bit of dutch courage was required to flirt with best looking boy in the rugby team, through using alcohol to numb the awfulness of non-consensual sex with abusive ex, to the habitual nightly drinking which meant that sex always happened when I was drunk (except for in the mornings ). So I was actually quite worried about relaxing and expressing myself sexually without a drink.

Well what a delightful surprise it's been I no longer struggle to remain focused trying in vain to grasp the elusive orgasm, I no longer fall into a stupor part way through, I no longer turn my face away or avoid kissing knowing that I stink of booze, I no longer feel ashamed trying to remember exactly what happened the night before. Instead I feel that I honour myself and my dp. And it's lovely.

And apologies to any for whom this is a difficult subject, I don't mean to gloat.

I spent 7 paragraphs talking about the office party, and one line about sober sex - and guess which part venus immediately zones in on...?!

You dirty mares, as my Gran would have said xx

But the office party happens EVERY year

venus it sounds like you have come a long way x I'm pleased you have got to the better place with a dp and you have lernt to trust I can imagine how hard this is

Finding it tough got all my 7 dc over xmas as ands its magic I love them all, its hard right now as I seem to be left in limbo with people breaking up for Xmas iv not herd from SW etc.

Luvs to you all Christmassy babes

venus laughed so hard at that last comment I peed a bit!!! TMI I know but the old pelvic floor ain't what it used to be xxxx

I'm you will manage all 7 of them look at the positive, not the negative. Think of fun stuff to do with them. I don't mean costly madness, a good film on tv. all together. and stuff

Lurking in the sidecar

Hello to all you lovely Brave Babes

Hey Purple Happy Christmas right back atcha!

Can't believe it's Christmas eve eve already. Isinde how are those darling girls, excited much?

Mouse please come and join the festivities. Pretty please?

(But not if it's too much for you right now. Thinking of you, as always x)

Ma count me in for Dry January. I need to do this in a much more focused way

purple good to see you my friend!
Could we please stop talking about sex...shudders at the very thought
Although nice electrician seemed to generate a spark or two....nice eyes, nice smile....hunky enough to hug.
sigh

@ Faire. Ma what is this sex thing of which people speak? Good to see you too, Lovely. x

purple good to see you fair lady, only tried this sex thing twice as my 2 dd's are evidence of!!!

Morning Mad Babes
Just off to work and then Christmas lunch 'drinks' again. I am actually really looking forward to the end of all of this and back to total sobriety again. January will be difficult for me because it's the long summer holiday here which means camping, bbq, parties etc. But come February I am totally back on board the bus. Still maintaining some level of decency, but the sluggishness and general low feeling is back. So not worth it this shit. But at the same time I don't seem to have the strength to give up at this time of the year. Maybe I should take my Antabuse during January. That will remove all this talk of can't and just force a dry January.....there's a thought.

why hope you're ok. I can't believe what they are doing to you.

mouse come back if you can. We love you.

I'm sending you love too.

And all the rest of you maniacs, merry Christmas Eve.

I'll be at the swimming pool in my bikini eating ALL the green opal fruits. xxxx

In a bikini???
I'm more shocked at that than the blatant pilfering of opal fruits.
The thought of me in a bikini......

Sorry about all the sex talk. But, as venus pointed out, at least it's only once a year...

Morning babes, wishing you all a merry Christmas x