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

Hello there Jenu how are you lovey? I don't have much in the way of advice, I'm fairly new too. Only post, post, post. When you feel down, when you feel up, when you feel that raddled awd WW sitting on your shoulder goading you on. We are all here for each other, come what may. Just be honest with yourself, that's all that counts. You may feel life is a bit snakes and ladders at some points, but the support on here never wavers. I'm even playing with makeup, taking an interest in my appearance more than the basic wipe and quick sort. It will happen my lass, you will find strength from the lovely bus and all who ride on her. xx

Hi spanna! Finished and hoooooooooooommmmmmmmme! Feet up, gnocchi and pesto for tea and a fridge full of fine juice. Like I've said before I never drank to excess when I was working the next day, but binged like billy-o when off the next day. It's been so nice these last couple of days off just being me, not bloaty, vomity, hungover her, the Friend of WW. xx

baby you need a superhero outfit. You can change on the bus like Wonderwoman. Wankbadger Assassin. Gotta ring to it, ain't it? our hero! xx

Eccles check you! Day 7 is a fab achievement! Worth an extra toilet roll or two, eh? xx

little enjoy tonight! Streak out comforted by the fact if you roll over there will be a cool spot if you need one. Such luxury! And no snoring! You are going to have a fab sleep and no mistake! xx

Off to watch Betty Blue. Haven't seen it for yeaaaaaaaaaars and it's on the telly. If I remember I cried buckets last time I saw it. Love the music.

Amen to that ma!!!!!

Well we are a cheery wee bunch tonight, so glad everyone is in good form!!!

genu if you have succumbed it doesn't matter a jot, I failed 1000 times quite literally to kick it, the important thing is to keep posting and being honest. If anyone out there is reading,it doesn't matter, what your drinking, when your drinking, why your drinking, we have all been to hell and back so if anyone out there wishes to join us, it's not all about the glowing successes, we all helped each other get to this point and we need newbies to keep the bus working it's lovely magic.

Can't name check on this daft phone but you all you how special you are, no names required, we all rock this bus...

Love to all xxx

MORNING!!!

Just have to announce today is DAY 80.....

And all I want to say is thank you, thank you, thank you and thank you again. A million times. It's hard to really understand properly what this bus does, but I do know that you mad wonderful woman have been very instrumental in me staying sober. And I am soooooo grateful.

have a wonderful day Soc xx
(very jealous of starfish little)

venus Your post about weddings made me laugh and was so very true. However this wedding is a small second wedding. Registrars then reception at the couples house. There will most certainly be ice cold, excellent champagne and very good wine on offer. I will avoid these as I know champagne makes me drunk very quickly and give me horrible hangovers.

They have also said to bring drinks instead of gifts. My plan is to take a lovely bottle of gin or vodka and lots of mixers. In with those mixers will be some soft drinks of my choice. I will be able to mix my own drinks which is handy asi can avoid putting alcohol in my glass.

I am actually looking forward to catching up with old friends and I can pitch in and help with the food and the clearing up to keep busy.

My plan for London is to do a lot of walking and eating excellent food. I don't want to spoil that by being either drunk or hungover. I have developed a taste for alcohol free beer and have found most pubs sell it so I will be happy with that. I actually can't tell the difference so I don't see the point of drinking the real stuff.

DH is very supportive and we have talked about how much we wil enjoy a break where we are not both focused on getting a drink, being drunk then being hungover. I am hopeful all wil be fine. If I slip up then I won't beat myself up about it.

Oh and I slept well last night. Being able to starfish was excellent. Still have to get up and go to work though.

Hope you all have a good day.

Soc Day 80 (probably Day 81 when you read this) YOU ROCK BABE just had to wipe some dust from my eye. Super, amazing, fantastic, awesome.....I bow down to you darling and I want to be you I love reading your posts. Tell me what you do to fill those witching hours, I find it really hard and get really bored (sorry I don't mean to sound like a 10 year old) but it's a fact, I am not a domestic Goddess, I do housework under duress and the TV gets dull after a while. Please advise

Serves me right after blagging my usual nights of Starfishness my DD2 had a shitting and puking session and ended up in my bed, she is such a wriggle bottom. I feel like I've had no sleep. Bless her

Anyway ladies, have a lovely day y'all and seriously you lot are my rock at the moment and I thank you all for that

Hi All!
thanks so much for the lovely welcomes! I forgot I had posted on this thread - another symptom of too much drinking I reckon. Didn't touch a drop last nite. Nor will I tonight.

Its been a windy bumpy road all right - I have recently met up again with some old friends (coffee & catch-up with different ppl) but cant help thinking why on earth do they want to see me? I feel embarrassed.

I began drinking more heavily to get over marital problems.. Now I have swapped one set for another. I have spend so much money on wine, fags etc - that money could have been used to fix out leaking roof, fix the bath etc.

I suppose somewhere along the line we have to forgive ourselves and draw a line in the sand... is that something you recognise in yourselves?

I worry so so much that I an unable to muster the strength to like/appreciate myself long enough to make the changes I need to.

I will be on this thread every day spurring you on and keeping you in my thoughts.

jenu you have already made a change, one day without and another today so far, that is a start. obviously other see something likeable in you or they would not be seeking you out, you are in a mire of self hatred (all been there) because of the drinking, as you get some AF days under your belt you will have something to be proud of and the self liking will come gradually. honestly. you just need your reason for cutting down / giving up.... money, health, relationships with family / friends, looks, weight whatever it is that will spur you towards the next AF day. think of the money you have saved already in two days. good luck, stick with us.

Oh dear. I fell off the bus big style on Sunday. What started as an ill judged decision to have a glass of red with dinner turned into two large glasses of red and a bottle of champagne . Needless to say, I felt like shit yesterday morning, slept in and made myself late for work...

So today is day two. I felt really disappointed in myself yesterday. Like SO many people have attested here, one drink is just not an option for me at the moment, if ever. I was in two minds whether or not to drink this weekend - wedding anniversary; DD at grandparents. But I'm thinking no. I'm driving on Friday for our night out anyway.

Another decision I've made is to quit SW. I've lost a stone and a half but the next two stones are stubborn. I'm using My Fitness Pal to track my calories and downloaded a pedometer. Got to get my life back on track after the weekend blip.

This remains a brilliant, supportive and hilarious bus. Drag me back on board please???!!

Nice one indie
I have just trapped my finger between the closing off the freezer door and the opening of the fridge one. Hurt so much I actually couldn't speak.
What was I doing ? Trying to find if I had put my wine in the freezer or the fridge. Serves me fucking right!
A shit day at work and straight back to default.

blimey, 8LB LOSS!!! if that is what a week off the booze does bring it on.

Evening all.

Well done eccles you skinny-minnie you. My non-boozing is making me fatter as i am stuffing my face constantly. I need more willpower!

ma I actually burst out laughing when i read that. Your fridge/freezer is now planning ways to stop you getting at that bottle. White goods united in their goal to stop sneaky drinking. Has it put you off the wine now?

jenu Go you. Well done.

Isinde That is a great joke.

I am now on day something or other of AF. Brain is too tired to work it out. More than 14, less than 21. I am so ridiculously tired all the time. I have no idea what is going on. Slept like a log last night but have been exhausted and headachy all day. I feel like i had a late night on the wine rather than an early night on the tea. This is NOT what it is supposed to be like. Right?

Sake. Bold fail. Sorry margaret

littlewhite I suspect being tired is partly to do with the weather and possibly the food? if you are eating lots of sugary carbs it may not be helping. Its so easy to look for something else though isn't it, I was following SW before I went AF so had already started the long haul to losing the 5 stone I need to, (2 more to go) doubt I could have started AF first tbh. It was the ww that was conspiring to slow down my loss, I kept losing and gaining the same 7LB every other week, so delighted that giving it a break has kick started the loss again, I need a big incentive so this helps. Having said that, I am not sleeping well yet, I guess it takes a while for our bodies to adjust, after all I must have a helluva lot of damage to undo and eating well is only going to help so far. I snack a lot on strawberries, apricots, cherries and raspberries at the moment which helps keep the boredom at bay. I wonder if you slept really deeply last night which is a shock to the system, as when drinking you don't get the same quality sleep and kinda get used to coping. sounds a bit daft but if you are getting a good quality sleep now it is maybe your bodies way of saying 'ah thanks, I needed that, give me a bit more please' sort of recharging fully after being used to a half battery so to speak. I am looking forward to good sleep, I do feel less lethargic and I don't have the night sweats I was getting after a heavy session, I think my eyes are less baggy and a bit brighter but nothing major yet. I wonder how long it is before the real benefits start to show? anyone else got a story as to when they really started feeling well?

Thanks Wry!

eccles That's ace!!! Well done you

X

I love garlic. It gives the midgies the boak. THIS is my quote of the week

Good morning my lovelies,

Sorry I've not been around much, been on a secret wankbadger assassin mission so if you have a wankbadger dh and he doesn't come home tonight, your welcome...

went to body attack yesterday which I can confirm does attack every muscle in your body. Dh is constantly confused as to why I continue doing activities which cause me great pain, but you guys will get it, no pain no gain.

ma hope you enjoyed starfishing, I can't help feeling it could be a dangerous situation what with sexy eyes hovering about, hope that chastity belt is fastened tight.

sober you are my heroine, you're showing us all the path
To enlightenment and your posts are a joy to read, so very pleased at how great your feeling.

venus are you available for Inhouse residential courses, your outlook and gentle posts make me feel calm amidst life's chaos, every household should have a venus, do you know the Richmond sausage ad when the squabbling family are joined with a Richmond man with a dove on his head saying calming things, it reminds of you being all serene and profound, your amazing.

spanna your posts exude warmth and generosity to everyone, your such a sweetie, thank you for being our angel.

inside I luffs ya, get a wee thrill when I see you've posted (god that came out wrong) your razor sharp wit and superior IQ makes your funny and warm posts invaluable, lived the joke too babe xx

jenu your doing amazingly well, your posts struck a huge chord with me, you CANNOT move forward until you forgive yourself, I once asked my dh how I could make right all the mistakes and huge worry id caused my loved ones he simply said "just get better" and that was s

Something I could do for them and continue to.

margaret fitness pal is a brilliant tool and sometimes a change of approach freshens up our enthusiasm. Thinking about it calorie counting is the easiest clearest way to keep track with no variation from plan to plan and monitoring excercise against calories is a great incentive, keep us posted and good luck.

eccles if I didn't like you so much I'd hate you, only kidding 8lbs is amaze balls, you've inspired me so much,, I hope it's boosted your spirits (sorry poor choice). Your doing brill.

little I'm sorry your knackered, I'm feeling the same here, love being sober but sleeping terribly. eccles could be right, try and eat plenty of healthy foods, get out for a wee walk if the weather permits and take lots of vitamins, I'm rattling with them. Most importantly keep going and remember the hangovers , nothing worse than them!!!

Sorry if I missed anyone, memory is rubbish, have a great day and I don't know what I'd do without you all

Big hugs xxx

Eccles 8 whole lbs?!?! Wow! You slinskter you

Good morning everyone, it's all go here again, the heat seems to have broken today, thankfully.

I have a song whirring in my head today, a bit of an oldie but goodie. Wilson Phillips - Hold on. There's a line in it, forgive me if I misquote "no one can change your life except for you". I flat out refuse to be the only fattie on the bus

Diet starts today! Okay, I started with 2 croissants so not v ideal but from now. This very second!

Morning - anyone around? I messed up big time last night and am feeling awful. Sat here working and want to weep. Family not speaking to me and I don't blame them. Please help me someone...