The Brave Babes Battle Bus - In Search Of Sobriety, Sunshine & Survival!

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse :)

Welcome to the thread, or our mythical Bus called Gerald!

There is room for everyone. Always

There is help for everyone who wants it. Always

There is unconditional support and kindness. Always

We have two sentences that we believe in here -

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

No matter what it is that you drink, how much, how often, we've ALL been in your position at one point or another...... so most of us WILL know exactly what it's like to be YOU

If you'd like to read the last thread, it's below -

THIS IS THE PREVIOUS THREAD

And if you want to read a pretty sobering thread and the history behind these many, the reason why we are all here, fighting to stay/get sober is here -

FIRST EVER BRAVE BABES THREAD

Hope to see you soon :)

Mouse x

THESE are for you Soc. Would not send you a typo by way of congratulations on your 100 days sweetie! That's what I get for rushing and not previewing.

Lol....I'm in with the Columbo fan club. Might go and look at a box set. Bloody love that man.

Anyway, Babes, I don't mean to brag. I just want you all to know it's possible. I was 1.5-2 bottles of wine a day. Hiding bottles, passing out every night etc. etc. We all know the drill. I've tried for so long to give up. I'm not out of danger yet, but I'm getting stronger every day. Truly truly, if I can do this, anyone can. xx

God I loved Twin Peaks. I was trying to explain its appeal to DH recently. He just didn't get it...

Soc 100 Days Mega Well Done You are my inspiration. I am on Day 14 Today, 2 weeks. I spent the early hours after reading your post Soc trying to work out how many 2 Week stints I'd have to do to make it 100 Days. It's not that many Your tiara with the running gear looks very becoming Soc Keep going Babe my aim is to get to where you are and I'm on my way

Went to a party with my Cava buddy last night. House party, live band on the roof, plenty of booze and other naughtiness. I planned my drinks before hand, turned up with fizzy elderflower presse and beetroot juice, to give me some variety. I managed AF, ate some yummy BBQ, left at a reasonable time,got the train home, had a lovely conversation with DD1 (15) and went to bed, tucked up by 1am. Smoked at bit of pot but no fags or booze

I could get used to this!

Beaches twinkle toes, you will be waking up to Day 5 today A huge WELL DONE (ooops sorry bit loud again) That is near on 1 week my lovely. It does get easier, as we both know from Dry Jan. Keep going babe. I'm here to give encouragement (I'm glued to a back seat at the moment, I ain't going anywhere) Maybe put diet to one side for the time being and get a few more weeks AF under your belt and then start introducing more healthy options. I am eating my body weight in food every day but I figure if that keeps me AF it can only be worth it Have a good day babe

Welcome back Margaret and Eccles x

Hope really glad DD's room is looking good Wishing DS huge luck in his racing today
(flipping book still hasn't arrived, it seems to be coming by snail)

Wry Happy Sunday to you lovely one. What's your plan for today, duvet day? I hope that you are unwinding and starting to feel 'Holidayish' Big hugs darling xxx

Little sending you a squeeze x

Happy Sunday everyone, posting before I lose this xxx

Bloody well done spanna. Keep going. It's so worth it. Guilt free living is quite something.
x

Morning all

Soc that is fantastic news. How wonderful do you feel? What an amazing achievement.

Take a photo of yourself today and just hold on to it as a little prompt to remind you of your success. You've helped an awful lot of babes too in your sobriety and continue to do so- how fab!

Can I have a list please? 10 best things about sobriety- go on,make a nerd happy

Can I start your list guggenheim? I need this at the moment!

1. Better skin. A week off the wine and my skin was glowing and I looked younger I swear, losing that haggard, grey tone. Currently working on ridding myself of under eye bags and spotty chin - a hangover from five days of drinking...

Ooo a list, I love a list . Can I add to the skin and champion the better sleep one, it is such a luxury sleeping ALL night.

Thanks for the encouragement Spanna, it is indeed day 5 and although no sign of boing am pleased to be clocking up some af days. Also, this new house appears to be blessed with a wonky bathroom floor so weighing scales are telling me all sorts of lies . You sound so determined, day 14 is AWESOME (bit of loud back at you!). Going out to a party too, flippin brilliant babe!

hope good luck to your running man today, you are also sounding and doing so amazingly well. Am so pleased xx

Love to guggs, wry, Eccles, baby, Margaret, little, Ma, rural, Venus, soc and all others reading or posting today. I have family visiting today and am providing just alcohol free beer and tea - they are no 'drinkers' anyway so it should be fine.

Oh I'm feel so special.

Top Ten:

Being a better parent (absolutely awesome).
Being a nicer wife (sometimes).
No hangover.
No waking up at 3am feeling awful.
No anxiety (well minimal - probably normal levels).
No guilt.
No fog.
I work better.
I feel better.
I'm in touch with life.
Sleep. OMG the quality of sleep.
I'm appreciating little things because I'm more present.
I'm loving having conversations with strangers because I'm feeling good rather than just getting through the day till the next drink.
I'm getting more and more bloody minded by the day.
I'm still funny - maybe funnier.
I can still be naughty when I'm sober (I love getting up to daft shit during the day).
I love, love reading in bed at night.
Have I ever mentioned going to bed sober?
Never worrying about driving over the limit.
Going out for dinner with my girlfriends and driving home.
Giving all my girlfriends lifts home.
Not having to think about alcohol all day.
Much less bad tempered.
Much more sure of my thoughts (boss ain't so happy).
I'm playing the piano again.
I remember shit.
I remember conversations.
Getting fit.
Losing weight.
Clear eyes.
Skin looks fab.
No bloated tummy.

Because I'm not feeling so awful about myself in general, I'm feeling stronger and more confident about myself. When you're clouded in guilt and anxiety and always either hungover or drunk, you can't be sure about your thoughts or actions or what you think. Now, every fucking day I'm getting stronger. In every way and it's bloody awesome.

Everything is better. Can't recommend sobriety highly enough

And I'll get off my high horse now

Night night my lovely babes
PS. If you think I'm really bolshie it's entirely your fault.

venusandmars I am going to copy margaret and print of that inspiring poetic post. thanks all who have welcomed me back, Yay! its sunday and I feel good! no liver ache, no headache, hot sweats, shakes and feeling sick! only today and tomorrow on my ridiculous diet sheet to go then back to SW routine. DH keeps saying 'hi skinny' and giving me hugs (think its cos he can get his arms round me now) saw a pic of myself approx a year ago and was horrified by how fat and bloated i looked and how ... well... 'baggy'. I have lost almost 3 and a half stone so far since Jan and just in 7 days of AF my skin looks brighter. so add to the list 'less saggy especially the eyes' can't wait to sleep all night but I always seem to wake up needing a wee, must be all the fizzy water I am drinking wondering now if I can do next weekend AF too, weekdays are easier its the fri eves that WW comes a knocking that I find hard. soc you are an inspiration, well done you and I am in awe of the running!

soc an awesome list, think I will add that to my fridge too. night night? you off to bed for the afternoon... or are you somewhere 'forrin' where it is bedtime?

step The first few Fridays I took myself to bed at about 7pm with a DVD. It was really tough, but I had to remove myself from everything and Fridays were my worst days for drinking. Can you get away from your normal Friday night routine?

Yes, in Australia :-)

goodnight then .... yes good idea, friday will become the new monday.

Money as well! Wine is bloody expensive when you're on a bottle a day. If rather spend the cash on a manicure.

If I'd

oh yeah, money, gosh I could have a whole new wardrobe if I could have back all the cash I have spent on wine... scary thought.

Hi babes. Am worn out and house is a bomb site. Ds ran brilliant heat to qualify for finals but tanked in the actual final and I sat in the cold all day. Then home to utter chaos and 5 hours sorting, tidying, cooking and cleaning. Work tomorrow, and ds training in evening. I couldnt find time to drink if I wanted to! But sadly no time to exercise or relax either. Weigh in for SW tomorrow too - followed it all week but don't feel thinner. I am waiting to feel the AF boing, but it's tough at the moment. Still, lack of paranoia is a bonus. Sorry to be a moany Mary, just exhausted! Night night all. Sorry about the snoring Zzzzzz

Day 2 AF. Eaten quite a bit this afternoon at family party. Really quite hungry but glad I didn't succumb to wine. Had alcohol free mojito!

Love to all. Dreaming of lush, green meadows of sobriety tonight! Xx

Hi babes, just sticking my head through the window!

spanna your Saturday night sounded fab! Live band on a roof, sounds v rock and roll, wouldn't get that up in our neck of the woods! And a BBQ?!? Proper jealous!

Two whole weeks? Well done my lovely, so chuffed for you! xx

beaches congratulations on day 5! How did your family visit go, sweetpea? All fine I hope? xx

How are you guggs and ma? Have you had a good weekend? xx

Loving the list Soc, proper real life bonuses to staying AF. The one I want the most is to be surer of my thoughts. I also think my boss won't like that. But I bloody will. xx

Margaret and baby gotta love a bit of Columbo! I have missed 5 (count 'em) 5 Columbos this weekend. Waaah. I am a bugger normally, it's a case of I'll just watch this and then I'll Crack On With Stuff. xx

For once, I have followed through with my Grand Sort Out. I didn't stop at the wardrobes. I am now on the cupboards and the loft. I am surrounded by boxes and bin bags and mucho mess.

Once I actually move the boxes and bags life will be better, but ooh it's a mess. Tomorrow is another day...

looking you need to put your feet up for a wee minute lovely, you are not a moany Mary at all, you are a Weary Wilhelmina. Totally different, and completely justified. xx

eccles 3 and a half stone? That's amazing! I took a good, hard look at myself in the mirror today. I reckon I need to lose roughly the same amount. Any tips for getting me started? I would be really grateful. Due to last minute shift changes, I wouldn't be able to make a weekly meeting, so would have to just bite the bullet and do it myself. I bet you look gorgeous, and it made me smile that your DH is loving giving you an extra wee squeeze! xx

venus your post made me weep. In a good way, my lovely. The scree. I am on the scree. Beautiful, beautiful post there, venus. You got it spot on. xx

I have been very good, stuck my mobile on silent. Missed a call from WB, I am starting to feel very disconnected there, getting stronger and stronger by the day where he is concerned. He actually sounded a little panicky in his message. Is everything okay, you haven't called today, I'm looking forward to spending time with you. His grip is slipping. The last time I phoned he dismissed me within a minute. I didn't phone him back.

I recognise that his chipping away at me has impacted on other areas of my life, affecting my self respect/self esteem. It's made me wary of standing up for myself in case they argue that I've been oversensitive, don't have a sense of humour, or make me question my version of events.

No more. Friday was my turning point. I felt so bad about myself I figured I might as well drink as I couldn't feel any worse. Except I did, and I was just making excuses for myself.

Day 2 almost done. Phew. Will treat myself and Little to a lie in tomorrow, she will be ecstatic! She is a real lazybones in the mornings, and snore! I can hear her from upstairs! I never mind her snores, but a bloke snoring is a whole nother matter...

Bosies to all,

Wotcha just! How are you lovely? xx

Hiya, day 2 done very well done and so productive!
I need to have a good read so I can sort in my head who has what going on with this thread!
It's a bit like when you start watching corrie mid way through a storyline!
I'm ok, distraction is good for me too, I'd like to post more but I haven't worked out if I need to add another account or if I can change from just and back again.

I've given out too much I'd be outed... The dress thing mainly.

Which! By the way! Sold Friday for £6345!!
I'm sending the lot minus the auction fees which makes about £5800 to Macmillan tomorrow.

Feels good, it's gone to another bride and she loves it.

Still a bit down despite this, can't get a handle
On why, so I'm pottering along waiting for inspiration

Wow Just!, great news on the dress, seems like it is spreading a lot of happiness all around. I hope you are enjoying the feelings of creating that.

hope. You are like wonder woman, you manage so much. Fingers crossed your weigh in rewards you for being good all week.

Wry. I am glad you are feeling disconnected from WB, he sounds like a joy sapping parasite who does not deserve you. (Sorry if that was a little harsh). I hope you and little relish a long and luxurious Monday morning lie in. My golden retriever met a skunk 3 weeks ago and despite shampooing still has a really whiffy aroma. As much as I love her, she is better from a distance right now! Family visit was fine, thanks for asking lovely. After they all left I was itching to go to the store and 'treat' myself to a bottle. Fought the urge, (was a bit churlish and hard done by for a while ) however it did pass.

Going to bed sober and relieved. It is tough in the first few days but having made day 5, I really didn't want to go back to day 1. Also I knew if I drank today I would be so demotivated tomorrow I would drink again. Too much mental space taken up with looking for the loophole though!

Spanna 15 days today! As the tiara has already gone perhaps you could wear the tutu of tremendous for the day . With a bit of luck that amazon order will be on your doormat today too. X

Lots of love to all other brave babes

Babes! BABES!!! (sorry for shouting and waking everyone up) Lost 3.5lb this week. Just the boost I needed! Yay! Right, off to work now, sorry for unseemly boast, just a bit excited

Hope that is Awesome Babe Well done darling, well worth sticking to it this week, wasn't it? I am made up for you lovely, onward and upward. Have a good day and don't let those bastards get you down. these are for you honey