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Relationships

Mumsnet has not checked the qualifications of anyone posting here. If you need help urgently or expert advice, please see our domestic violence webguide and/or relationships webguide. Many Mumsnetters experiencing domestic abuse have found this thread helpful: Listen up, everybody

The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Kicking The Wicked Wine Witch Where It Hurts! Mwahahahahahahaha!

999 replies

Mouseface · 14/10/2014 11:20

Hey, I'm Mouse, welcome to the Bus (aka Gerald!) Grin

We're a mixed bunch of folk, some have been here for a while, and of course we have some new additions too. It matters not one jot how long you travel with us, as long as you get something from it.

No matter your story, your needs, your fears and hopes, you CAN come on here and talk. You can cry, scream, rant, let it all out and not be judged for anything. Ever.

We've all been so very low, some have hit the very bottom of the rock, rubbed the bruising better and picked ourselves back up again but sometimes, you need a helping hand or someone to listen too.....which is why we're here, sharing our experiences, or just reading each other's and nodding as we click along.....

The support here is unconditional. :)

There are two banners down each side of Gerald, our super duper Bus saying -

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

We have lots of food on board, but mainly Opal fruits!!! They tend to be anything other than green, as they get snapped up vair fast indeed!

If you would like to know a bit more about how we got to where we are today, you can read these threads.

THE PREVIOUS THREAD

THE START OF THE JOURNEY

Hope to see you soon :) x

OP posts:
Thread gallery
21
beachestoexplore · 01/11/2014 17:17

Day 1 and going for a dry November. I seem to do better when I have a fixed challenge. Anyone who fancies joining me would be very welcome Smile. So it's white knuckles tonight, a bath and a non alcoholic beer.

Love to you all xx

lookingforhope · 01/11/2014 18:09

Phrase, hello lovely. Keeping everything crossed for you on Monday - I know you and Barryina will be fine Smile

Wry, sorry you have lost a valued colleague Sad. You still have us to support you though Flowers

Joey, glad it isn't just me in competition for world's most embarrassing mum Grin. Home from my afternoon drinks, almost sober (3 pints and 3 course meal over 5 hours), and so relieved not to incur her wrath Shock

Beaches - yes to sober November! Have been so crap lately I need a challenge. If I can start tomorrow, as today already buggered, then count me in!

Love to all of you. What are we all up to this Saturday night?

PS, Wry, keep picturing Little in her igloo - please post a pic of her, she sounds so lovely Smile

beachestoexplore · 01/11/2014 22:03

hope I am so glad you are up for it and I know we can do it. Especially now you have a space machine car and funky babe hair Grin.

dementedma · 01/11/2014 22:19

I will try beaches and at least aim to drink less than usual..
Dh is doing my head in. Wallowing in misery about his health to the extent that nothing else matters. Needs to fuckin g man up! He isn't dead or dying, but is acting as if he is.

lookingforhope · 01/11/2014 23:26

Beaches will definitely do my best. Must confess, after coming home quite sober today from day out have finished a glass of wine left in a bottle in the kitchen and had a shot or two of vodka. Why? Because wankbadger husband is really getting me down. Went to put his car away and came in and shouted at me because my new car is parked a little left of centre in the garage (it is so much bigger than my old car and am still getting used to parking it, but I will get there). He actually said, "if you want to have that fucking car then learn to fucking park it". Or rather shouted this, in front of ds. Then he shouted at both of us for watching 8 out of 10 cats and called us 'morons',then slammed the door and stormed off. DS is 14 and very intelligent. He ignores wb when he's like this, but I still feel bad that he has to have this as an example of a normal family relationship when it clearly isn't.

Am in bed now on the laptop. he has gone to sleep downstairs as usual. Said 'goodnight' to both the kids separately. Ds said 'aren't you going to say goodnight to mum?' He didn't. Makes me sad that ds cares though, as I don't, just feel bad for the kids. I have not said or done anything wrong tonight. But that isn't the point. Just me existing winds wb up. Though if I didn't the twunt would be homeless and penniless (and knowing that makes him resent me even more).

Ma glad you are joining us too. Will have nothing open in the house booze-wise tomorrow so will be easier to stop. Feel I need a clear head. I have been married for 19 years, and tbh hardly any of them happy. I am too cowardly to break away, especially as I feel the unwaged bastard will take me for all he can get. And it is my house and I don't think he will move out. And dd is at the age where she blames me for everything. She would rather I put up with the misery of an unhappy marriage than cause her upheaval with divorce, but what is this teaching her about marriages, and how partners should treat each other?? And I might lose my job soon (though financially if he pissed off that would be better - at least I would get money off the council tax!)

We kind of stagger along as a job-share looking after the kids when I'm in work. But when I am off work, I feel so trapped and fed up. It was easier when the kids were younger as I was always out with them and friends, but now they are older and don't want mum tagging along, if I go out it is to do something 'adult' with my own friends like go for lunch or a drink and that breeds resentment.

Went to a Halloween party last night with some friends I have known for 11 years, since ds was 3 (he is best mates with their middle son). Everyone else was there with husband and kids. I was just there with kids. Said wb was working (at his unpaid vocational 'job') but he just didn't want to go. He picked me up and on the way home was slagging them all off. They are perfectly lovely people. He doesn't get that if he hates all my friends, that is more likely to indicate a problem with him than with the dozens and dozens of people he calls 'arseholes'.

His sister offered to pay for us to go out for a meal on our wedding anniversary 2 months ago. Still not been. I have asked him 5 times, he just doesn't want to go.

Have suggested family days out all week. No. Asked if he wanted to come to local comedy festival. His response? 'I hate comedy'. Seriously, it would be funny if it were someone I wasn't stuck with. Who hates laughing, ffs?????

He also makes a point of hating every comedy or drama series me and the kids like, so if we watch tv as a family we have to watch the two or three things he likes. Otherwise we get the 'moron' comments like tonight.

I think one of the reasons I am scared to stop drinking is that if I took an honest look at my life, unblurred by booze, I would have to make the decision to change it. And the upheaval would be awful. And I hate confrontation. I am one of those sorts that wants everyone to like me. I nod along to things I don't agree with to avoid unpleasantness, and I also lie about my marriage as don't want people to think I am a failure because my husband doesn't like me. I am pathetic. You are the only people I am honest with.

But I am 47. He is 9 years older. And the kids are 7 years away from both leaving home. And I cannot think of anything worse than growing old with that miserable bastard, especially as given his diet, smoking and temper, he is a prime stroke / heart attack candidate, and I do not like him enough to be a carer. I would end up smothering the bastard

Am not kidding myself I will meet anyone else at my age. And my family are mostly dead or distant. So it will be a decision to be on my own (with lots of enemies from his family). But I can't go on like this much longer.

Sorry for long self indulgent post. But have been out all afternoon, dreading going home. And two of the women I was with were divorced today (the other two happily married). And I just thought that I bet their partners weren't even as shit as mine, yet they still split up.

Help!

Sad Sad Sad

SoberSocFish · 01/11/2014 23:48

Oh looking. Just kill the bastard.

I'd rather be single with 30 cats than live with someone who made me so miserable. But it's easy to say these things. Anything is easy to say. You're the one who is living it and needing to make changes. Change is so hard, and gets harder and harder with age. I really disliked my stepfather and I wished so much that my mother would leave him. Especially when I was a teenager. Turns out that she was staying "for the sake of the children". Oh the cruel irony. God what a stupid waste of years we could have been happy. She did leave him once the last child left home and she blossomed (she was about late 40's too). Your kids may be thinking the same thing. I so badly wanted peace at home when I was a teenager. Instead put up with tension, arguments yada yada yada. I remember the relief when I first got drunk. Was a lovely reprieve from the shitness of home life.

You're not a failure and anyway, who gives a fuck what other people think. Your husband is the failure in this pseudo relationship. In fact calling him a 'husband' is wrong. He's just some person living in your house treating you like shit. That's not how people treat each other. Been shouted at because of the way you parked your car is soooooooooo not ok. It's totally fucking ridiculous. No one should put up with that. And you really don't have to.

Your kids will be fine. They'll probably be much happier. Make a pact with yourself to be free on your 50th birthday. Imagine turning 50 without that rubbish and just the rest of your life to look forward to. I'll send you a cat. They are fabulous company.

3 years to sort out a plan. Start today.
xx

beachestoexplore · 02/11/2014 00:36

Oh hope sweetheart, I agree with Soc - definitely kill him.

I could never think of you is as a failure in ANY way at all. When I read your posts I sense a brave capable woman who is an amazing mum. There is nothing shameful about trying to make a marriage and family situation work. It is an admirable thing. However, you may have yourself THE most miserable WB of all time and all that nastiness and negativity is absolutely NOT what you deserve. I do think being on your own would be preferable but as Soc said, these words are easy to say from the outside.

I have a friend who has a shit husband, never supports her, never turns up to anything with her and always expects her to compromise to suit him. He is dismissive of her needs and financially mean too. I wish she would leave him but I don't feel I should say that. She is gorgeous, funny, confident and skilled. She is 50 and a brilliant mum. Not so different to you.

I am not sure why I wrote that, except that he doesn't treat her right because HE is a twat, not because she is. I am glad you feel safe to be open on here. We LOVE you for you xxx. 30 cats though....Shock Grin

Ma yay! A reduced intake before Christmas season seems like a plan. Smile

lookingforhope · 02/11/2014 00:37

Thank you Soc . Thank you for caring. That is what I need to hear. I know it is not OK. I know he is a failure. I know it is totally fucking ridiculous.

A couple of months ago I worked at an international summit on secondment. It was one of the single most exciting things in my life. I got home and was telling the family about it (bearing in mind he had looked after the kids that week while I was away so was full of resentment even though my overtime for the week dwarfed his income for the month, and all went on treating the damp in the house) and he was so negative. Just vile. And the kids and I are fans of the Big Bang Theory and there was this one episode where a character, Howard, came back from a mission in space and nobody cared. And ds said 'Dad, why are you making mum feel like Howard coming back from space when she's had this amazing week and been in a room with Barack Obama?' Which was funny, and became a sort of shorthand with me and ds whenever wankbadger belittled something I'd done (all the time). 'I feel like Howard back from space.' Except it's not funny, not really. He's a twat.

That kind of sums it up really. He stays with me because I earn and pay for everything. He slags off my job, and me, and my friends. He is not a bad dad on the whole, except he is because he is teaching them that men don't respect women, and he doesn't pay for a damn thing.

I will break free one day. Definitely by the time I am 50. One day. With the help of this bus.

This is the only place I can really be honest, and I love you all so much. I don't know what I would do without the support of this bus. Thank you babes xxxxx And thank you specially tonight Soc xxx Wry- style bosies to you ((( )))

lookingforhope · 02/11/2014 00:48

Oh, beaches, skipped over you there. Thank you too for your support Smile. You are right. The marriage is dead. It needs to be over. But god, the repercussions, and trying to get the self-entitled shit to go (it is paradoxically harder to be the financially stable one as I would walk away if I didn't own this house, getting him to go will be harder).

But I will do it one day. Keep thinking about how bloody awful it will be when ds leaves for university in 4 years. Or if he does get ill. Don't mind admitting it here, but I do not love him one bit any more. Even when his dad died, I felt embarrassed hugging him, and so did he. That's how physically distant we are. I look at him and feel nothing, absolutely nothing.

Maybe I will get a cat...

70hours · 02/11/2014 08:07

Looking we get one life - please remember that - you are too good for all this - please pease consider all options - Best of luck.

Day 21

dementedma · 02/11/2014 09:37

hope..the marriage is dead, but oh the repercussions....got me between the eyes.
While dh is not abusive or vile in the way yours is, I totally, totally understand. Start making the plan, have a sign which says One day I will, and look at it often. Start looking at finances, trying to save a bit of money, even a few quid and stash it somewhere. Photocopy all relevant documents. It gives you a feeling of taking control. Don't believe you won't meet anyone else who does it for you. I was fifty this year and distracted chap wants to meet with me still have hope. Anyway, this better to be alone and happy. I can say this, because I haven't actually done it yet of course, but don't feel alone. Don't feel a failure. Don't let him make you feel worthless. Your Ds sounds like a honey by the way. Wb is a bully. Decide now in your head that you WILL leave him and the relief will be immense. Just knowing its going to happen in the future gives you power and lessens his ability to hurt you.

lookingforhope · 02/11/2014 09:56

Thank you Ma and 70. I actually don't feel I can get out of bed today Sad. Feel depressed and panicky and have so much to do, including stuff for work, ironing kids.uniforms etc. Dd still being cross and bitchy. Feel trapped in the house. Wb would say I am being stupid and self indulgent 'as usual '. I must get up soon. It is so hard though. Relieved I have made the decision to stop drinking for November. I feel if I started today I would never stop Sad

dementedma · 02/11/2014 10:01

Don't iron the kids! They won't like it.
Plan the jobs today in bite size pieces. Today I have to iron some stuff, dye my hair, visit dad, do the recycling, cook dinner, clean the bathroom.....shite, I suppose I better get up and get started Grin.
Hang in there sweets. The wankbadgers of this world will get their comeuppance one day.

Fairenuff · 02/11/2014 10:22

Today I need to have a bath, make sure we have lunchbox stuff for back to school tomorrow, check ds has done all his homework, order dd some contact lenses for dd, take MIL her birthday present and do something nice just for me. Put that last one on your list hope and ma, always remember to look after yourself too x

BProud congratulations on 4 years sober and thanks for letting us know how you're doing. Well done my lovely x

PhraseAndFable · 02/11/2014 13:57

looking, he is a Grade A arsewipe. I bet half the reason it feels so massive and difficult to leave him is that he's grinding you down day by day, taking your energy, undermining your confidence, telling you you're a moron.

As soon as you're out of that and don't have him pouring his poison into your ears, you'll be so much stronger and happier. And your DC will be just fine if you separate. WB is a bad dad. By the sound of it he is a terrible dad. He sneers at the DC's tastes and calls them morons!

My parents are divorced - when I was in my early teens - and I can categorically say that the divorce did not scar me. What scarred me was my mum being batshit crazy. The divorce was just incidental.

You cannot grow old with him. Sod finding anyone else, do it for yourself!

I'm sorry if this sounds harsh, but it made me really cross reading about how he's behaved Angry He must think he's got it made, having someone he can abuse and belittle who'll pay for his pathetic lifestyle.

Remember that everything he says is bullshit, and start ejecting his voice from your head Thanks

dementedma · 02/11/2014 14:21

Well,all jobs done except dinner, and have even baked a caramel,apple and pecan cake which smells divine.
Going to wrap some Christmas presents now.....really!

dementedma · 02/11/2014 18:14

Where is everyone? I have cake......

70hours · 02/11/2014 18:35

Ma - stop with the xake and opal fruits - I'm on a diet I tell you - DIET !!!!

aliasjoey · 02/11/2014 19:47

Day 16. Eaten loads of chocolate, and spent too much money on makeup... But I've done 2 weeks AF. Smile will join in with dry November.

beachestoexplore · 02/11/2014 19:59

Well done joey, day 16 is awesome! After reading the make up talk of late, i swerved down the cosmetics aisle and purchased some new eyeshadow and mascara. Scandal eyes no less!

I am just getting ready to eat a massive roast with crumble - strategy is to eat my way through day 2!

hope honey, have been thinking about you all day. I really hope that your day was a million times better than you were imagining. Xx

Ma wrapping presents??!! Is that a bit of blatant gloating or what? Grin. I think I have committed to one pack of lego so far.

Love to all babes xx

venusandmars · 02/11/2014 22:02

ma wrapping presents? for what? Is it someone's birthday TOMORROW? No ? OK I'll put away the wrapping paper until 24th December........

looking the way you are living sounds horrid. I remember a time when I was in a horrid place with abusive ex, and I have such a distinct recollection of laying in bed and thinking 'Christ, is this what my life is to be, day after day, for ever?' And somehow (very quietly) in that night I found a wee tiny light inside of me - one that had not been extinguished by hurt and possession, or ridicule or cruelty - and that little light burned and burned and burned and grew stronger and hotter until it broke the hard, sad shell that had been holding everything together. Then I flew free.

You can, someday you will. And you shall be happy.

dementedma · 02/11/2014 22:10

looking what Venus said

Fairenuff · 02/11/2014 22:17
Smile
lookingforhope · 02/11/2014 23:03

Aww babes, thanks for kind thoughts. Life threw me a curve ball today in the shape of dd finding some visiting nits in her hip -length thick curly hair, so she had to be my friend again so I would go out and buy Hedrin and treat her. Smile. Got me out of bed anyway. Confused So also did roast, ironing, bought fireworks for Wednesday and did development form for work which took hours. Not that I care as job ends in April but have neurotic inability to do things badly (except cleaning, am very slapdash at that)

Venus, I loved your post there. Thank you. It gives me heart. Am moving from 'should I? ' to 'when shall I? ' bit by bit. May not be very soon, but I will.

Phrase , thank you too. You don't sound harsh, your words are wise and in my best interests. One day....

Faire Thanks Smile

Joey well done you! Have some Cake

Ma am I too late for your lovely cake? Sounds lush! Have you got a link to the recipe?

Who thought head lice would improve my day? That and learning the words to Meghan Trainer's 'All about the Bass' with dd. Odd.

What would make my day would be Wry checking in. Still longing for a photo of Little Lab...

And Mouse. where are you? Hope you are Ok X

Back at work tomorrow... Will pop back when I can xxx

Thank you again, love you all to bits Smile

lookingforhope · 02/11/2014 23:06

Ps Beaches thanks for your thoughts. And agree with you about Ma... When you have Amazon Prime there is no point letting Christmas bother you until December 22nd at the earliest