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

[Mouseface]

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

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 -

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

Hi there movealong! Welcome to the bus I am just away to start work, so will catch up with you properly later.

You will find everything you need on this bus, support, love, friendship and more opal fruits than you can shake a stick at!

You have a season ticket whether you want one or not, welcome aboard! Xx

Thank you for the welcome, CominThrough!
Definitely up for some Opal fruits - thank you - and, er, am I allowed to bring Wine Gums?

Ma - I often give speeches for work and I agree practise, practise, practise and make a point of pausing after every sentence. It does get easier the more you do it.

Well following on from yesterdays bombshell I am a bit more positive that even if they restructure a) it won't happen for a while as they are incredibly slow to do anything and b) it may be possible to amend my role and just work less hours (once DD finishes uni summer 2016 I could easily afford to halve my hours).

And, in the nicest possible way, it feels like I have been here forever and it is a very nice feeling.

joey spill the beans on the mascara plllleeeaaaasssseeee xxx

ma - first thing is to KNOW that you have a great story to tell them, get really excited about your topic, and then go in with your only mission being to make the audience understand how important this is. That's why you have to speak slowly and clearly, and that's why you need a good structure for your talk - not so that you don't look stupid, but so that they can get your message - after all that is why they have all come to the conference.

Then replace the traffic like image with the image of you as the most inspiring woman you have ever heard speak - try Tanni Grey Thompson on disability, or even Princess Dian speaking about land mines. Then morph yourself with them.

Focus on one or two individuals who are particularly attentive and interested and speak to them like you're having a conversation, rather than speaking like you're on the news.

And finally, get those norks on view and distract them

Also, when you practice speak out loud don't just mumble through it in your head. Say it out loud over and over again and your mouth and tongue get used to the pattern of words.

And before you start to speak do mouth exercises - the best one is doing a really exaggerated 'meow'.

Then take a big handful of green opal fruits to put in front of you - you know that old advert: "Opal Fruits, Made to Make Your Mouth Water"

babyj I posted about the mascara yesterday- did you read it?

Day 7, I'm on antibiotics now so I'm fairly confident I won't be drinking tomorrow night. It doesn't say they can't be mixed with alcohol but does warn that it could cause vomiting. No thanks, I rarely go out, I don't want to ruin the night with my head down the toilet!

Regardless Venus I intended to follow your advice of starting with soft drinks. I know too well how hard it is to have a glass of wine and then switch to soda. In all honesty if I only want to have 2 or 3 units I need to stay off wine period.

Good luck with the speech ma, I can't offer any advice as I would die if I had to do it

Welcome movealong :)

Doesn't matter anyway. Finances today mean either me or boss have to leave if company is to limp on through cash flow crisis. Company needs boss more than me. Have one last meeting tomorrow night with potential funder but think all is lost. Am beyond words.I love this job and lovely boss and genuinely care about our clients. The shame of going bust is beyond comprehension.

Day 3 nearly done! A bowl of Frosties and 'no money for wine' came to my rescue Wine witch has been getting louder all day, what a bitch !!!

That pesky moon is coming up again Think I might have to find a quiet place to do some howling

Joey loving the mascara tips My DDs are 15 and nearly 11. I really hope that they are friends and closer when they're older. I can only hope!

Ma can't add any more advice on the speech. I wish you luck x

Anneis Day 7 is awesome, well done Babe, keep going

Currently watching Posh Pawn, love it and can't wait to see Celebrity I love this one totally addicted, that and Strictly, what an exciting life I'm leading

Wry I love Ermantrude. I'm getting rid of my personal black cloud, slowly. Had a day off today (usually on Wed but we have the Panto coming in tomorrow, Puss in Boots) not my personal favourite found myself having an afternoon nap before the school run, which was bliss Hope work has been kind to you today Babe, big love xx

Beaches you OK Babe? shall we go for a good howl together somewhere?

Oh Ma xpost. Oh Babe I hope some better news comes from the meeting tomorrow. hands big bag of green opal fruits

Welcome Movealong stick with us there's some lovely folk on this here bus

Hi babes,

joey sorry lovely I seemed to have missed you and ma's post re her upcoming speech so thank you for the top top and my albino lashes thank you also. In my younger days if I had a hangover and couldn't face work I'd go in with no mascara on and my colleagues would say "OMG you look so bad, get home and into bed, you look really I'll" nuff said xx

ma I have no doubts you are very capable of making a splendid speech, you seem to me to be very articulate and your so warm and empathetic with us lot, you will be amazing. I used to make a lot of speeches (these days my speeches consist of the importance of studying to dd1 and why you shouldn't paint the carpet to Dd2) Anyway, as said before, find a friendly face in the crowd and if at any point you have a wobble go back to the friendly face, it really helps. Also imagine everyone naked or on the toilet, they look less scary. To be fair when you have your stunning thistle and norks on proud display, you could be reading a phone book for all they'd notice, resplendent, fabulous lady that you are. Xx

annie take it from one who knows, anti biotics and booze do not end well. Think of this turn of fate as added will power, big hugs babe xx

Welcome movealong your very welcome and you will find oodles of support and empathy here and lots of practical advice on cutting down, I look forward to getting to know you better.

Love and hugs to all you fabulous ladies, you keep me sane (ish) xxx

spanna can't believe you've been on here over a year! Well done you!

ma oh that really sucks. Your lovely boss will be so disappointed and frustrated to lose such valued team members. And you! It's so unfair, after all your hard work

movealong welcome and well done for being brave and getting on the Bus - the first post is the hardest!

venus thanks for the reply

Joey I know 'get me' think I've been on the bus since Oct a year ago doesn't seem like a year they go so quickly!

Soc how are you lovely?

DD2 got a bit of a cold. Managed to wangle her way into my bed last night, got a feeling she's going to try again tonight I want to resume my starfish position, no room for DD! She snored all night, she then points out that I snore too. I had to remind her that it's my bed and bedroom!!!! Urgh!

DD in her own bed Day 3 done. Night all x

Hey Spanna sweetheart, and a good long howl at the moon for good measure. I am still about but following the successful brewing of some homemade wine am doing absolutely rubbish . All you say is true about being af, I have also passed my year mark and can honestly say I have had made some real progress. I reckon I have probably drunk for about a third of the year overall. (Which is a huge improvement for me). I am so much more mindful.

Having said that, I feel bad posting when I am not beating the old saggy bitch.

I love you all though and check in to keep up with everyone,new and old. I have on my list a mission to look for no7 mascara in Canada! Ma I am so sorry your job feels so doomed, I wish you all the very best of luck with the funder tomorrow. X. To all of you, a warm smile of encouragement and Spanna I hope your starfish impression lead to a night of sweet dreams! xxx

Day 4 woop woop not feeling a 'boing' or anything like that

Beaches home made wine sounds yummy Glad you're ok hon. 'Mindful' that is a very good word

Good luck today Ma x

Much love to you all

Just getting up for work but wanted to wish Ma good luck with the funders meeting tonight. Am keeping everything you crossed for you, let us know how it goes.

Ma good luck at your meeting today

Everything crossed for you today ma, may you and your lovely boss bewitch the funder into funding you for many a moon, xx

Lovely babes, the sun is shining again here, nippy but bright. My day ran away with me a bit yesterday, got home very late, promise I'll catch up tonight, xx

Thinking of you today ma

ma I hope and pray the meetings going well for you xxx

Oh, so many messages of support. Am touched. Funder has given me some thoughts and said to submit the bid. He likes the project in principle but there are hoops to jump through before it gets to him for approval. Its a bit complicated. Will rework the application to get it in for approval- fingers crossed - and to panel in February which may be too late anyway.
Hospital tomorrow with dh for his op to have a stent in his artery, so have a 208 page report in my bag to read which may give me some nuggets to put in my bid.
Gonna be a long day......

Evening, 'tis me, Mouse

Welcome to all the wonderful new Babes I've missed :)

I'm so sorry to be a pants Babe and not support you all, chat and just well, be here really. I've started my volunteering role at the Neurological Care Home and it's hectic just now with Christmas coming up, making paper maché snowmen heads, sorting out a Christmas meal for the residents and cardboard present costumes for the town festival this Saturday and I've run out of all of the meds that I need to get me through it all! Eeeeeeeeeeeeeek!

And of course the days after..... plus we have a friend of DH's coming to stay on Friday, they're playing golf.... if the ground isn't frozen!! [grip] And I want the lounge to be finished before the tree etc goes up but I need some nice white decorations which may have to come from the t'internet.

So, I've missed TONNES AND HEAPS AND FAR TOO MUCH about all of you lovely, wonderful lot. :)

I'm still sober and managed to get through the first year anniversary of my mum passing without blocking it out with vodka or anything else. DD came with me which blew me away. She's so grown up and supportive....

Nemo is poorly. AGAIN

Every blooming winter he gets a cough and a head filled with thick, gooey mucus so that his reflux is exacerbated ten fold! It makes me so sad that there's nothing for him. He can't swallow meds, he just has paracetamol and Piriton™ down his NG to help ease the symptoms.

Anyway - how are all of you? Looking forward to the Christmas celebrations or dreading them? Projecting already how you'll be or taking it a day at a time? Not giving a shit and letting your head/heart guide you through the day/s? And don't forget, there's always an emergency exit, oh, bugger, it's locked.

Thing is "You can check out any time you want, but you can never leave" but only because we care!!! :)

However you get through these next few days and weeks, remember that Gerald - (The Bus ) never takes a break, has a holiday or gets full.

There is always a seat for YOU. We've all been in various pairs of shoes, boots and wellies! Up to our neck in booze, thinking that we're the dog's bollocks.

So, that's my boring old waffle..... I'm off to Bedfordshire with a low calorie hot chocolate, thanks to Aldi and with my copy of Closer to see how the other half of this planet live, or rather Instagram!!

Night Babes xxx