The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Sipping Super Summer Mocktails Whilst Soaking Up Some Sun.

[Mouseface]

Hello, tis me, Mouse

I'm what some would call a 'controlled' drinker these day, but I wasn't always and I'm not alone on this wonderful bus, Gerald, when I say that.

We have drinkers who drink each day, those who abstain completely and those who are not sure what it is that they actually want just yet....

We won't judge you for drinking, no matter what your reason is, we've all been in your shoes somewhere along the way!! And we have ALL used every excuse under the sun too!

We have some Babes who ride on the Roof-Rack, (clinging on for dear life ) and then we have an expandable Side-Car, which some Babes use, but the bus, well, the bus, our wonderful Gerald, who takes us here and there, to pick up people in need of an unbiased and much needed ear to listen to. :)

There are lots of ears on this bus, and not a single one will turn you away and not listen!

Two things that we do believe here are -

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

If you are lurking and reading this thread, there is a reason for it, isn't there?

Stay lurking or come and say hello! We don't always bite.

And for those who'd like a bit of history, HERE'S THE LAST THREAD

And of course, THIS IS WHY WE ARE ALL HERE IN THE FIRST PLACE, A VERY AWE INSPIRING READ

See you soon x

Lastnight I drank 2 bacardis, tonight I've drunk 2/3 bottle of wine.

I'm not sure how the bus works but when I do this I think 'how can I post when everyone is doing so well?' Or 'shall I just pretend that I had an af night?' Or 'il just drift away, carry on drinking and no-one will remember I was here'...

So I'm being crap right now, drinking as much as ever, fooling myself that today will be better. The difference is, posting on here means I can't lie to myself. I hid my drinking lastnight from dh and this would usually mean lying to myself too but by posting on here (if its ok for me to still do that even if I'm not doing very well at being af) means at least I have to face my own reality.

Goodnight babes, glad I've found you even if I'm breaking all bus rules at present xx

Alison, there are no rules other than you keep trying.
Post when you are sober,when you are drunk, when you are in between. That's how it works.
Back from sipping Pimms in the rose garden at No 10. PM didn't hang around I think because of airline crash so didn't get to meet him personally. It was cool getting into a cab and saying "Downing St please". Needless to say the cabbie didn't bat an eyelash!

Hey alison. Oh lass, don't be so hard on yourself. I've been a whisker away all this week. Tonight I even went so far as buying a bottle of wine on my way home from a hard shift.

I bumped into my neighbour who mentioned she'd taken in my washing for me. I gave her the wine as a thank you. So close, so close. I can taste it. I'm upset because I feel like I need it and upset because I should know that I don't.

Be honest with yourself, be kind to yourself, the rest will fall into place when you're ready. Above all, keep posting. Don't you dare drift away mrs. I know I'm new but I truly believe you will find all the support you need on here.

So you had a blip. You are still you, and you have a season ticket. Stay on the bus, no pretending necessary.

Oh and have a massive bosie, just because it's the Scottish version of chicken soup. A cure for almost everything. Honest.

My name is Wry and I am crap at pep talks but I will do until someone else comes along. Stay on the bus. Or I will start singing. And nobody wants that.

And if my typing wasn't so slow alison my last paragraph would make sense. See, told you someone would be along!

ma!!!!!!!!! Pimms in the Rose Garden at Downing Street? How was your day? Dying to hear all about it! Everything! The nibbles. Tell all about the qualitah nibbles.

Pimms. aaaaah, I remember walking three miles to a farmer's field just to 'borrow' some borage for me Pimms afternoons.

I spotted it one year quite by accident. I love a Pimms. The Rose Garden. Pimms. Jealous.

I am not drinking, but by default I'm afraid. I am drinking M and S's Pomegranate with Rose. It's quite thick so I've cut it with rose lemonade. Over lots of ice in a fancy cocktail glass. And I'm eating a bag of reduced mini donuts. 25p! Because they'll be stale by tomorrow. Honest.

just re-read ma's post and spotted the bit about the airline crash. Oh folks, I'm sorry. And there's me banging on about reduced donuts.

Alison there are no rules here. It is freedom.

But with great freedom comes great responsibility - so yes, any of your suggestions will do: be honest and tell us how you're doing; tell us a load of porkies - that life is all-a-glow and that the sun is shining wherever you step; or slink away quietly into a comfortable haze and try to forget all about us. But the great responsibility is YOURS. Because in your heart of hearts you know which one of those is going to be best.

You can come on her and tell us you're doing great, but it's not fooling your liver - hell you can come on here and tell us you're sipping Pimms in the rose garden at 10 Downing Street, and STILL we'll believe you ( and to ma )

You can slink away, or you can try to slink away. But you know that you have asked a great big question in your life and your brain will not rest until you have an answer. So you can slink from us, but never, ever from your own head (and we are all in there now [evil grin] )

Or you can post here, share your triumphs and disasters, the momentary highs, the lengthy lows, or the constant cheerfulness and the temporary troughs. And through it all you can accept our support, compassion and love for exactly what it is - honest and real.

Go you!!

wry well how amazing to give your wine away - well done you. Just think how many calories you saved yourself.

Now... about all those 'bosies' that are flying around... you need to understand that I'm a cool southern scottisher, not one of those galus weegie types, so I have quite a large personal space, and you canny just come and gie me a hug >

wry - the airline crash is terrible . But ALL life is precious, including our own. And ultimately what many of us are doing here is day by day, one step at a time (and a few backwards and forwards shimmys) we are saving our lives. We are fighting an external substance or an internal demon, or an invisible unknown enemy, and we are each fighting our own battle.

Go Babes - we pick up all casualties as we go, no-one is left to die on the field.

Oops must have got carried away with all the WW1 staff that's on TV at the moment. Sorry.

Kind of a bwah, if you will.

Air bosies for the crème de la crème.

I love that film.

alison one of the best things about this bus is that you can post when you're drinking. It certainly helped me. I think wanting to give up and finding it so hard, having slip ups, but always, always welcome on the bus is a key reason to my mini success at the moment. Please don't let a minor hiccup keep you away. Focus on how well you've done x

wry you make me laugh hen.
Canapes were parma ham and melon on sticks, wee tiny vol au vents, wee tiny quiche type things,lots of other wee tiny things.
I saw the Downing Street cat.
I met someone so dripping in braid and medals he could hardly stay upright who said it was jolly nice to meet me.
My dress stuck to me and my shoes hurt.
Life at the top isn't all glamour you know!

oh ma we missed you! I hope you'll still remember us lowlifes when you're canape-ing your way to the top.

Morning babes, allison this bus takes all twists and turns, it has struck me that lately the bus is all about success but please believe me there were a thousand failures along the way and some atrocious, selfish behaviour on my own journey. I'm still working on it ODAAT and it took a year of falling off and jumping on again to even get here so please please please continue being honest. Most importantly many people read this thread too afraid or embarrassed to post and your honesty and all the bad stuff we've all done may strike a chord with some frightened lonely babe to be and your courage will inspire theirs to post, big ole hug babe..

My horrenduous day ended with my horse getting spooked and rearing whils cantering and I was flung and landed on my lower back, have a very bruised coxis bone and a generally staved body, this was an hour after a steroid and iron injection in the same butt cheek I landed on!!!very sore but no sympathy in the baby household with dh declaring "it's your own fault for galloping around on a huge animal" everyone at the stables was telling me I should treat myself to a bottle of wine for pain relief, if only they knew!!!

Anyway at least I can't do the ironing, every cloud and all that.

Baroness ma I would curtsy if I could.

Love and hugs to all my lovely brave babes on a windy Scottish day.... Xxx

Oh no! are we supposed to curtsy to ma now?

how are you doing babyj well done you for not taking the well-meaning advice of the stables staff! Funny how everyone seems to think of it as a good cure-all (but I bet half of them were secretly thinking "I'd rather have a bar of chocolate")

I'm a bit wavering on the decision to abstain. I keep thinking "just once a week, surely...?" but I know where that ends. TBH it's not so much the quanity (I only have maybe 2 bottles of wine a week) it's what it does psychologically to my head. Always obsessing and planning the next one.

I'm keeping going (at the moment) entirely due to my facial peel - which actually worked! 20 from Boots and I have to do it twice a week (the kit will last a month) so I can look forward to my Friday/Sunday doing that instead. I don't mind spending money on alcoholic alternatives, but wine gives an instant kick and I want the same result. Saving up for stuff doesn't work I don't think. This actually was almost instant, seriously! I look at least 6 months younger already

joey please give details of the facial peel? It sounds amazing! Six months younger for £20 - I'm there!

I drank on Wednesday and last night. One glass Wednesday but more last night. I wanted to rather than needed to but still feel a bit disappointed in some ways.

I understand I don't want to be abstinent but I struggle to stop once I've started. I know I'll drink tonight - start of holidays. But I think I know I can be AF Saturday and Sunday.

That might need to be good enough for now.

margaret it's funny but having a drink on one day automatically seems to lessen any willpower for the following day. I already know that if I have any alcohol 2 days in a row, my chances of being AF on the 3rd day are very low. I've learnt a lot on this Bus

the facial peel was marvellous! It's Boots No. 7 and you get 8 shots (plus a bottle of aftercare lotion etc) You're supposed to do it twice a week for a month, then have a month off.

Maybe it was my imagination/wishful thinking but I honestly thought I could see & feel a difference after just one shot. Already looking forward to the 2nd one tonight! It did take a bit of my fake tan off though

Afternoon babes. Day 6 today, have been suppressing the wine witch with vast quantities of af ginger beer. Going out to dinner tonight so know I'll be tempted by a glass of my favourite red wine there. White's my poison by that's not really the point. Trying to think of a plan to avoid the wine whilst secretly wanting to succumb. Argh!

joeymy lovely friend so glad to see you spoiling yourself, I'm going to share my top beauty products which won't break the bank:

Bathe a few times a week in Epsom salts aka magnesium, it draws toxins from your body, soothes aches and pains (I had one after horsegate) and it acts a a mild sedative. It's a magic product, can even exfoliate your face mixed with face cream.

Boots no 7 peel used afterwards is fab as you've stated already.

I bought a tooth moulding kit which you make an impression if your teeth, send to the dental lab and they return customised mouth tray made for you and the same ones are £190 in the dentist, the kit is around £20 and if you muck it up first time, you get another one free on request. Then buy a few bleaching syringes on amazon at the strength you require 15% - 22% is safe without too much sensitivity and use sensodyne toothpaste for a few days after. Really brightens up your smile.

Best fake tan I've ever used is cocoa brown sold on amazon for less than £10 and also now in primark.

Hothair website sell lots of funky but natural looking hair pieces which can give you a sophisticated updo oe sleek ponytail or a lovely messy side bun which means you can scrape your hair back and still look like you've had it put up at the hairdressers.

A few weeks without wine would buy all of the above and with my newly whitened teeth I can indulge in my bright red lipstick and that gives you an instant lift.

B12 spray under the tongue gives you a

Just a few ideas

B12 spray give you an instant boost and brightens your mood first thing and chlorella tablets boosts everything, dubbed the new creme de la mer and my skin looks better than ever.

Just a few ideas to treat yourselves and takes up that early evening twitch and let's face it we're soooo worth it!!!

Love to all xx

The wine witch is sitting on my shoulder. I have done 6 days quite easily but now it is Friday and that is Wineday. I have made a lovely bean cassoulet and a glass of red would go beautifully with it. Help me!

little can you buy a mini bottle of red that would allow a glass to complement your meal? And more importantly could you stop there??? Xxx

I could share a bottle with DH. There is only one bottle of red in the house anyway.

Alisonanderson Dont you dare give up! This bus has no rules, and all babes are remembered. I think of you all each and every morning when I wake up beside my DS.
I know for myself, and certainly to some extent all drinkers are guilty of this: might as well be hung for a sheep as for a lamb. Dont let a slip up dictate the pace or timing of you achieving your goals.

Im going to spout a little bit of AA stuff, because I think in this case it might be appropriate. Im not saying it because Ive decided you are an alcoholic, but rather because the description of alcohol is so spot on. The AA preamble describes alcohol as " cunning, baffling powerful". It is so true. This powerful, elusive force that dominates our thoughts and actions remains, for a lot of us, a mystery. But you, dear babe, have the greatest weapons against it, and that is your honesty with yourself. Keep that honest dialogue with yourself and this bus going. You are doing great.
punches WW in ovaries