The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Wading Through Winter Blues Without The Booze!

[Mouseface]

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. And of course all addictions, so if you are taking drugs of any kind, prescription or otherwise, you're very welcome here too!

You know your limits, you know what is required, it's all 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 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 EVER THREAD

And the most recent so you can work your way back through time IS JUST HERE

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

Mouse xxx

Hello I'm and Soc. I am in the sidecar too, squidge up ladies... Not drinking to excess but having a few glasses over the weekend, work is too stressful not to. And no, I've not done the self assessment work I started on Saturday. I have a mental block with it, it is terrifying me, and feel mulish about doing it on Mother's Day.

Welcome Sleepy, nice to see you. Stick around and keep posting when you feel temptation coming on.

Off to chat to dd now cos she's back from her weekend away with school. Had lovely day with ds, who is doing really well in sports events at the moment, and it made me think how much I would enjoy being a single mum now they are older and the childcare issue is more flexible. Wankbadger husband is a still a pain in the arse, but has to be nice to me today cos it's Mother's Day and the kids will tell him off if he isn't.

Really busy week ahead, so got to go and get uniforms prepped etc.

Take care all xxx

X

Hi babes doing so so here. Last week I was off work and managed 5 af days, this week I was back so expecting it to be easy not to drink but I've ended up drinking more over the week! I think if I don't actively try to not drink I automatically have a glass of wine (or two). I'm in a much better place than I was a year ago - then I considered it an af day if I just had the dregs left in the bottle - but I really can't let my guard up.

Last night I had over half a bottle of red. Dd1 was sick during the night, and I'm very aware that I did not deal with it as easily as I would if I had been sober. She was ok but I'm not happy with myself. I know it's sods law that you could be sober all week and the one night you drink something happens but still....

Welcome sleepy :)

Glad you had a good day Hope, I often wonder about being a single mother too. With childcare i can't at the moment but H is away right now and the peace is lovely :)

Morning babes, very quiet on this thread over the weekend, hope all babes are doing ok?

Aw you must have all gone on a bus journey and forgot to send me the memo

Hi obrigada I'm here

Checking in. Trying to fend off the wine witch with a glass of Baileys. [Hmm]

I am still trying to do my performance appraisal. It's only due in first thing tomorrow - not that I'm dreading it so much I leave it till the last minute or anything . Rushed home from work, ds to athletics, back to do this with some Ryvita and cheese for dinner. Want to talk to dd but doing this instead. Need to start buying lottery tickets. (winning ones!)

Hi checking in. I'm having a glass of wine but it will just be the one as I'm in sole charge of the dcs. H is away for a few days and I'm loving the peace :)

Hello Babes. How are you all doing?

I'm freaking out in case my insomnia has returned. Tossing and turning to try and find a cool place on the pillow. Listening to DH snoring and the dog farting.

Lol demented that made me laugh and it is rather demented behaviour.

Hi alias good luck. hope you're asleep soon.

hello all other babes. It's comfy here in the sidecar. I'll be here for a month and then back on board. I'm trying really hard to keep it under control. actually think I prefer abstinence, but this month is going to be too exciting for words (family reunion etc etc). I know it's a lost cause.

I'll be checking in as much as I can because I do love you all.....

soc it sounds like you're aware of the pitfalls, so at least you can plan strategies around them!

Ooh, excited for you Soc . Hope you have a good month, pop in and update us when you can.

Anne - don't suppose you can change the locks while he's away

Morning Babes

(that was me joey last night, posting under an alias) The bad news is I seriously think I'm perimenopausal as the insomnia is accompanied by hot flushes (I think that's what they are) Had hoped we'd cracked it with mirtazapine, but I guess you can't hold back nature...

The good news is, despite having wine in the house for my Sunday evening 'treat' I didn't drink it then or last night. Just felt so exhausted and knew it would make me feel worse. A few years ago I couldn't have even thought of that - if it was there, and I'd planned to have it nothing would have thwarted me from my path!

Me. Still in work, so much to do - plan to go home in an hour, eat scrambled eggs, say hi to kids, go to sleep and get up at 6.30 to start again. Exhausted!

I'm here. Doubled up with period pains but here. I'm 50 ffs. Time this crap stopped.
Managed a short walk after dinner but that's the extent of the exercise.
Am worried that lovely boss has applied for another job. Saw it advertised this week and is for his particular area of specialism, on his doorstep and with a salary of ....£101k!!!! He's going to go for it isn't he? Fuck! Should I'm ask him outright? I will be out visiting clients with him all day tomoz including a one hour car drive. Should I ask him if he's applied?

Yes ask him, or just mention the job and how it would be perfect for him. You could always lightly joke how much you would miss him. As much as you cherish him. I think you want the best for him too. Xx

MORNING ! BOING! BOING! BOING !

VILE JOB has gone whoooo hoooo! Life has been shit for the past term now I will be broke but sane. I'm ashamed to say that I've struggled to remain sober during this time and have stopped going to meetings. I haven't had a bad lapse but a few glasses are beginning to creep back in.

So a new start for me. I've found out that I need life to be fairly stable in order to remain sober or mostly sober or whatever it is I decide to do. Perhaps it seem 'weak' to some people but for me,staying happy and safe is the key to being sober and sane. I'll never be rich!

Today I will not be drinking. I will be taking ds to the park and I might buy some flowers or fill my already fat face with some more chocolate.
or i might send some poo in the post to bollox head T sorry!

Congratulations guggs on freeing yourself. Enjoy the park, enjoy the feeling of that weight lifting off your shoulders. Poor and happy is the way to go!

(ps top tip for a poor person's meal - jacket potato with baked beans)

Ma is there a position for you too?

morning. have just read back for days on here and wanted to come and have a little wave!
wine is evil, so lovely, but it's the reason my size 12s are tight, why I never have enough money, why I can ache all over for the whole next day, why I forget things, why I have more wrinkles than some older friends bleugh enough!
I'm not quite at the giving alcohol up stage but I have have have to cut down at the weekend especially, and not drunk random bottles of wine on Wednesdays when my partner isn't around. I'm on af day 3, it's not a problem until I'll make any excuse to open a bottle so I'm checking in here to hold myself responsible, I do not want to drink tonight.

on another note, me and dp go on holiday next week, it will involve drinking and I just don't want to fuck it up by overdoing it. I did last weekend and it's just embarrassing.

need to give up completely I think, don't really understand moderation.

I'll check in tonight if I manage to stick to my promise.....

Hi babes, had an almighty lapse at the weekend after a wonderful calm week AF. Looking back, I was tired, stressed and hungry on Friday and that just started me off, I will never understand why I can't stop after a glass, or even a bottle, It just awakens a demon in me and I change from being a caring, thoughtful mother/daughter to being a horrid angry and rather pathetic and what's worse knowing all this I still convince myself I can do it. Anyway day 2 and feeling stupid and sorry for hurting my loved ones and even ashamed telling you guys as consider you all friends. When will I ever learn xxxx

Good for you! I often force a meet up with a friend so I can have a drink on a wednesday, but I dont want to do anything tonight, got stuff to do at home and I really need to prove to myself that I can go without on this mid week eve. I know I can, I have done it before.
Last weds, a friend came round, we were going to another friends so I bought 2 bottles as I knew we would have a glass before going and my bf would pop in to say hello for a few mins and would have a glass - and I wanted a whole bottle at other friends house... so after having that and my whole bottle I obviously came home and had another glass before bed.
BLEUGH. I felt awful at work the next day.
Ive been off work with an ill child for a couple of days and Ive spent most of the time thinking about what I want.
The money at the moment is what bothers me most. With weekends I probably buy 5 bottles a week (just for me). Thats £25-30.... :( I dont want to do that any more.
As I said I have a holiday next week, a mega once in a lifetime holiday just me and the bf, no children.
I dont want even one night of that to be ruined because Ive had too many, but I think Ive woken up to the fact I need to cut down too close to the event (bf who doesnt really drink much looking forward to airport beer etc). Im even not sleeping that well because Im so worried we are due to go for "drinks" the night before the plane and we have to be up at 5am. Dont get me wrong I can exercise control, no way will we miss that plane but I wish I didnt have to think about these kind of things, it doesnt seem normal any more!!!
I come from a family of drinkers and my entire social circle drink - what shall we do on a saturday afternoon? Lets go for a drink! Someone's birthday? Drink! All getting together for a roast dinner? Drink! Helping someone decorate the kitchen? Drink! Any excuse. Its a joke amongst our friends, we all do it, but enough is enough please!!!
Second thing that bothers me (poss first if I think vainly enough) is my body. Without a shadow of a doubt my belly is a beer belly. Im only a size 12, but Im naturally a small 10 and so so so want to be back there.

Determined here. I WILL NOT DRINK TONIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!