The Brave Babes Battle Bus - A New Year, A New YOU!

[Mouseface]

New Year Resolutions Anyone?

Welcome one and all, I'm Mouse, nice to meet YOU. :)

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, it's all up to you.

You know your limits, you know what is required, it's in YOUR hands.

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

There will be talk of drinking quite often and those who fall off the Bus will post about it, so if that is going to jeopardise your chances of complete sobriety, then maybe the DRY threads would suit you better, as they are complete abstainers, but EVERYONE IS WELCOME HERE :)

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 rather like here -

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

For those of you who'd like some history, here is the very first thread and the reason that we're all here now. FIRST THREAD

And here is the lastest thread, which you can scroll back through to see the other JOURNEYS SO FAR

The Bus may be 'mythical', but the support is real, it is honest and it 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

Exactly sweet, and my 36B's are staying juuuuuuuust the way they are, thank you

Sorry also to all not watching it

Morning All

well bloody done isinde. That's amazing.

hey lovely babes a vey quick check in from me. Big wave instead of a nc. I'm still having a horrible time at work but boss has given me a leaving date- phew! I'm ok ish but have been drinking a little bit. I think all the fight has gone out of me while I deal with the work crisis thing.

On the positive side,I know that I'm not being U and I'm getting out as quick as poss. Then I might have the strength to get back to aa. I am ok- there would have been a time when I would have thought 'oh I deserve this' but now I think 'fuck that,I'm off'

Well done isinde :)

Since I'm being so needy I will leave chocolate and valentines or anti valentines cards all around the bus. I shall source a waterproof valentines for barrie or lob him a prawn maybe.

Morning lovelies, day 3 and feeling physically shite but mentally I'm so relieved when I wake up and remember I didn't drink last night, keep dreaming that I was drinking the night before so it's clearly at the forefront of my mind. All that said life Is simpler sober, when I'm drinking at any level I feel like I'm on a runaway train, all vulnerable and exposed and yet drink more to fight those feelings. I have a lot to be thankful for and the look of apprehension/ disappointment on my older dd's face when I pour the first glass should be all I need to remained focused. Lots of love to all of you and thank you to every one of you as I never feel alone as long as I have this bus xx

Hello all,

baby well done on day 3, I know what you mean about waking up with relief. Those few seconds when y first come around and realise that you haven't got a guilty hangover to drag out of bed, phew!

Guggs make sure you post each day lovely. You are standing up for yourself and taking control of a situation that had become unmanageable, which is brilliant but maybe a bit overwhelming. You are doing great just watch out for that spaniel titted witch trying to sneak in. Yum, chocolate, thanks!

Isinde day 5 great swerve last night! well done. No doubt the boing is just a few days away.

Spanna hi!

Im how's things with you sweetheart?

Ma are you hiding in the dressing up box? Is rural in there with you? And mouse?

Sweet and its I am not sorry I don't have C5! Sounded hideous

joey I am feeling deflated - not literally unfortunately - I am not seeing much green on the graphs and am finding it hard to stay motivated. How are things going for you?

Waves to hope, anne, soc, angry, faire why, slap, MrF, dancer. Hope you all having a good day babes xx

Just saying hello. So busy, but sober not touched my 2 bottles for this week yet.
Love to all and really will try to read back and catch up tonight xx

Shite week. Crashed car and now off work with cold/ flu type thing d'argh!

Hello all, Big hugs for all on the bus, you fab lot :) xxx

Soc - 21 days for you today, well done xx
Beaches- yes, you were lucky you didn't see it. (C5, that is.)
Isinde - 5 days for you today, I daren't go anywhere NEAR an offy, let alone drive past one. And you did it twice ! Wow xx
Guggs - Glad you've got a leaving date now. Remember, as one door shuts, another opens. Still can't believe your boss followed you into the loo though. crikey xx
Babyjane - Well done on day 3. I totally agree alcohol makes you vulnerable and exposed. On Sunday morning, I felt crap, and it wasn't just the alcohol either. It was remembering dancing like an idiot, all over the place in a nightclub the night before, (well, that's how it felt I was doing), yet I probably wasn't as bad as I thought.. does that make sense? This bus is keeping me going, too xx

Day 4 for me today. Quite pleased with myself, despite the ginormous bar of chocolate I'm eating at the moment. Been at home most of the day, save a short shopping trip, due to the impending weather. And its been hard. Drank copious mugs of tea, though.

Storms blowing now through the NW, and getting stronger. Hope dh gets home ok, he's on the other side of the Pennines :/

Hope none of you have been affected by the floods, and if so, hope you quickly get the aid you need xx

Waves to sweet and the rest of you gorgeous, wonderful people, will catch up again soon. Sorry, ran out of time to NC all, got a lovely leg of lamb in the slow cooker and need to prepare the veg n roasties.

Speak soon and looking forward to day 5 tomorrow xx

Dementedma - sorry you've crashed your car, are you ok?

Rural - well done on not touching those 2 bottles of wine, that took a lot of willpower. I have a half bottle in the fridge since Saturday night and not touched that yet, and I feel proud, so you deserve double the pride plus a cake xx

Oops back to the spuds....

baby I can totally relate to the feeling of being a runaway train while drinking. The fear that comes the next day. Every morning I wake up and remember everything I did and said during the previous day, assures me that total abstinence is the way for me. Its not for everyone, but when life and circumstances make me panic, not drinking makes me feel in control. And I like that, it comforts me.

Guggs An end date is great. Thinking of you.

Got letters of suppprt from Social Workers, alcohol counsellers and therapists supporting my reunion with my son. Judge will decide next week or order a hearing next week.

Stay strong Babes. Bracing ourselves for another snow storm here tonight.

Good luck for next week Why - sounds hopeful, fingers crossed

Guggs, congratulations on getting a leaving date, and stay strong through the last few weeks. You are my hero, I just moan about work and have anxiety dreams about it, but stay stuck there. Storm has done me a favour today as got to leave at 4.30 so sitting in PJs watching Tracy Beaker repeats with dd instead of working right through till 7.00pm as I usually do on Wednesdays. Hope the rest of you are all staying safe.

Rural, Baby, Isinde - all doing well kicking the WW into touch this week, keep at it babes. And Soc, yay, super-sober queen. Congratulations on your amazing run.

Am almost regretting not watching that C5 programme now, but I did see an article on it in the paper and the guy with the horns and the face tattoos made me sick. How the hell do you tattoo your eyeballs red? And why? He could just drink like I used to before this bus and get red eyes for free every morning

Off to get my tea now. Wankbadger has cooked for us all (and phoned me at work to tell me to come home out of the storm). Sweet, I think the school of wankbadgery you mentioned must do a class on dual personality disorder

Wrap up warm girls, and whoever is driving tonight, keep Gerald off any windy bridges this evening x

Hey babes thank you for the support

isinde fab news- how many units have you 'saved' so far? Glad you're feeling better.

why sounds as though things are finally moving...
it's well done on 4 days. How about tonight? Think it was why how had the nightmare of her boss in the lavs. Mine has a special loo
specially big seat too
Oh ma,are you ok? Right off for a hot bath,crap TV and and early night for you.
rural good for you x
beaches you are very kind.
baby just a massive squeeze for you x

Right,today I am not drinking. Any one else?

"How the hell do you tattoo your eyeballs red? And why? He could just drink like I used to before this bus and get red eyes for free every morning"

My thoughts exactly, lookingfor :)

Hope you are well xx

looking I'm glad you are warm and safe. I think everyone should be allowed to have a 'bugger off early day' once a week.Tattooed eyeballs?

Hope wankbadger washes up too.

Hmm..hope that a steady driver is in charge tonight.

Am ok re crash but car won't even be assessed let alone repaired or written off u til next week!
Got two key events in work with senior delegates etc and no way of getting there unless lovely boss picks me up,which he normally would,but his wife is recovering from op so he may not be in!
Otherwise, I feel dreadful. Sore throat,ears, head...dh stepped up and is nursemaiding very well. Wish I felt well enough to enjoy it.
Drive us safely tonight someone.

Oops, sorry, guggs, and why, of course.

About tonight? Well, dh said to me after tea that we should have a nice midweek drink tonight, seeing as we've done well this week.

I mentioned the undoing of the good work we've done up to now, and I said I won't be partaking. Get me!!! He did look a bit non-plussed, but said he might just have the one then. I have a bottle of AF Kopparberg handy, so not too bad.

At least I'll have a clear head for tomorrow, and be able to concentrate on my driving in this weather. Another bonus:)

Good for you It's AF Koppaberg is definitely good stuff, perhaps we should get them to sponsor the bus. I accidentally ordered a bottle before Christmas at a meal with my cousins and actually assumed I was drinking the alcoholic one, it really is as nice as real cider but without the hangovers

Ma Sorry about your car, though glad you are unscathed. Can you get a hire car from work? My work pay for one for me quite often - it works out cheaper for them than me charging petrol on expenses sometimes. Though you don't sound well enough to go anyway, I think you should have some duvet days and get well...

Checking in.

Good to see you babyj

ma glad to hear you weren't injured. Now just let your DH look after you for once! My DH has flu, and keeps threatening to go to work - even though he's barely capable of driving. DD has a cold, but is being a drama queen - sees that daddy is off work & decides she has 'a flu' as well. (God help her if she was ever in serious pain, the world would end )

beaches the diet is not brilliant, because I'm so lazy. I've made a few changes (low-fat spreads etc) and managed to cut down on snacks, but no big changes to meals.

Morning babes

I’m driving and steady is my middle name (bahahahahahaha evil laugh). Good thing Gerald is amphibious.

Today is Day 22 and I have no desire to drink. Actually I have initiated a night out with some friends tonight as I don’t want them to think I’m a lost cause without drink. So I’ll do some ‘pep’ talk to myself before I go out and make sure I’m feeling bright and bubbly and see if I can get past the conditioned drunk behaviour and still be fun on a night out. It won’t be a big one, we’re just going to have something to eat. But otherwise all is going well with me. I still have major moments and wonder how I can get through this, but ultimately life is sooooo much better sober. I need to keep reminding myself how grim I am when I drink and how it affects the whole family. So I’m aiming to just keep on keeping on. Sober forever is basically what I want.

looking love the idea of a sponsored bus. I must see if I can get that AF Koppaberg here. I have a feeling I have seen it somewhere.

Sorry about the crash demented. Car repair shops in the UK must be making a fortune at the moment.

Big hugs and smooches to everyone…… everyone seems to be doing very well.

Aarrghh ALL BABES Please please come and visit Ladame - back from yet another business trip and exhausted and fed up. Great job but dear GOD it's tiring. I've been lurking and not being good, in fact I've been with Indie and Ma and Baby and Guggs in the side-car, you just haven't been able to see me because I'm a virtual babe due to not being anywhere for longer than a sdd*g day at the moment. I'm following you all, though. Please steer Gerald France-wise xxxx