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

Right ma spill xxx

Oh go away the lot of you! Haven't you got someone else to harrass?
In another time,place and lifetime yes, there would have been something, but we are in this time and place and life time and I don't have the right to cause so much hurt and destruction to others,and neither does he. So he has gone away. And I miss him. A lot. And now I need to shut down the emails and have done because that's the best way. Isn't it?
But he made me laugh and feel special and feel alive, even for just a short time, and some people never even have that ever. And I'm tired and oh so very lonely.

Squishy hug for ma xxx

Oh ma, I could roar for you. At the unfair timing, at a lost opportunity, and for your heart.

You'll never be lonely though. We won't let you.

This will transport you to a place of daydreams and happiness when you find yourself between sleep and dreams.

I, like yersel, am too gifted in the breast department to give you the man hug you so sorely need right now, but I'm a dab hand at bosies.

Have an Irn Bru fae me, and gird yersel for Monday. For the uninitiated the Bru is made from girders and is both strengthening and helps thistles haud their heads up, xxxx

Oh wry you made my eyes leak! Thank you for the Tardis. I will use it to transport me to him in a way that doesn't hurt anyone and will administer the BRU to lift my thistly heid the morra. Its so silly. Stereotypical mid life crisis I suppose and I really shouldn't be putting it on an internet forum but this is the only place where I'm not judged. I just feel...like I've found something that's been missing all of my life but I can't have it because its not mine to have. Honestly, I need a good kick up the arse and a lesson in counting blessings!! My penance is making myself read some of the heartache on the relationships threads and the reality whips the rose tinted specs off pretty damn quick!
I am such a silly moo! And you are all so very dear to me.
Scuse me, seem to have something in my eye again.....

ma sorry for harassing you. You are not a silly moo, actually you are far braver and more selfless than I would be

You weren't harassing me joey. I meant to put a smiley in there and forgot! . I'm fine. And thank you for the flowers.

ma I don't know why but this (song from my youth) seems right...

I love that song venus.

So... poignant

Sorry, ma, not helping with you dilemma am I

Oh Venus

But this isn't a chick flick and in real life it doesn't end happily ever after, does it?

faire that is one of my favourite films ever!?

And just because we haven't seen him for a while, here is our very own the dog riding the sidecar, ready to snuggle up with anyone who needs a bit of tlc.

Hi Babes. Off to bed soon after busy day running round after kids as ever (sports, dance, shopping, homework, gym, etc etc)

Just wanted to look in and say

Ma - sympathise with your situation. It is easy to dismiss your own desires as a mid life crisis at our age, but the reason the term exists is that when you get to your 40s, the choices you made earlier crystallise into your life situation possibly forever and change seems harder. If you aren't happy and changing your situation from the inside is scary, hard work or often just impossible due to other people, then escape seems so attractive (especially in the form of handsome distracted chaps). And there is nothing wrong with that - or with doing it if you like. we only have one life. But if you do have other people to consider - people who can suffer emotionally and financially then it makes your decision harder - and it sounds like you are putting others first. Hats off to you Ma, but I bloody hope you get another chance at it sometime down the line. We can live the dream through you xxx

Wry - am joining the popular clamour in hoping you join the NaNiWroThingy course. Your words here are spectacular and I think you would be amazing. Plus when you are a famous author you already have a tour bus for book signings . Even if your publisher would probably make us park round the corner in case a bus with a sidecar, squid (and who remembers the camel?) doesn't quite say 'Booker prizewinner' to the masses

Guggs - just big hugs to you lady. You and baby have been big inspirations to me. Sorry you are having such a hard time - keep talking, and hope the ADs help. Sit on the back seat and let us ply you with sympathy and biscuits and well meaning advice (as well as stupid jokes). We are here for you .

Marfisa Welcome back!!! You are doing so well, you sound much better. Know what you mean about the weight though. I should be a few bottles thinner but seem to be plugging the wine gap with carbs

Spanna - reading Gone Girl at the moment. Not one to jump on the film / book bandwagon, and not seen the film, but read an interview with the author and was sufficiently intrigued to download it on my Kindle. It's amazing. So much so am going to log off now and read for half an hour before I fall asleep

Sorry not to namecheck you all (and baffled by the Meatloaf videos, not seen the films they are soundtracks of, sorry!! Did not realise we had so many rock ballad fans on Gerald ) but just know that ALL of your posts, each and every one, are such a big help to me, whether I am up or down (and am somewhat in the middle at the moment - ie my life is generally full of shit things, but the kids make up for most of it, plus I have a few good books, you lot, and a jar of secret jelly beans hidden from the family, so, you know, bearing up - for now!)

Night all xxx

Ps Faire - never got the Spirit references as not been here when it began, but that video is fab, I get it now, thanks for sharing xxx

Day 8 - I am on day 8 - wow wee proud - only downside gave terrible period pain - gah - and still not sleeping great but hoping those days just around the corner.

lots of hood humour on the bus and I hope all ok - new to bus so new to humour x

hood humour ??? We are not gangsters 70

(though some of us are inclined to lawlessness when trying to mow down wankbadgers like Wry's spendthrift chap )

Have a lovely Monday all - cappuccinos and croissants on the dashboard. Don't make crumbs, we are going to get rats in here if we're not careful

ma sorry, didn't mean to make light of a difficult time. Take care lovely.

So babes it's Monday and the start of a new week - never mind whether this is day one or day 100, don't be despondent if things are feeling too difficult. Minute by minute, hour by hour, day by day we're trying.

Good not hood - duh - clearly being sober hasn't done anything for my typing skills !

70 I burst out laughing when you pointed out your typing error, I never even realised, just thought we were super duper cool (til you spoiled my ultra cool facade) so I have taken my gangsta medallion back off.

Yes we use humour cos if we didn't laugh we'd bloody well cry...
Day 8 is fantastic, hope your feeling the benefits and I'm sending over my fluffy hot water bottle for the pesky cramp xxc

Hugs to all you wonderful babes, have a great day xxx

Morning babes

I’ve decided to go completely AF. No idea what prompted this decision, I wasn’t in the middle of a hangover or a crisis, just got fed up of the endless thinking about it. Even if I only had a drink on a Sunday, I would spend Wednesday-Saturday planning it.

Part of me is panicking about my age and losing my ‘beauty’ (what there is of it!) I know that when I’m drinking, I let things go eg.

Sometimes don’t bother cleaning my teeth
Sometimes don’t bother having bath or shower
Will go and raid the fridge
Not remove makeup before bed
ALWAYS end up going to bed late* [this is probably this biggest issue]
Not sleeping well

Plus, on the physical side
Alcohol seems to affect my bladder (over-sensitive/over-active?)
Sometimes has triggered a (hayfever-type) reaction
All of this completely out-of-proportion to the amount I drink (only about 10-12 units a week) !

Lately I’ve really been thinking about spending money on beauty products, on maybe getting my teeth done, on new clothes. Alcohol is just pissing money down the drain. Maybe I’m being too shallow, thinking about my looks? All of mas talk about her lost man has triggered something I think. Not that I’m going down that route. I don’t know where I'm going – but wherever it is, I’m going to do it sober!

yay - I too am trying for AF Joey - what a good idea to put money towards beauty products x

Yo, bitches in da hood! Sorry I mean hi babes. I used to live in Chicago but can't really speak gangster. 'Yo bitches' is the extent of my vocabulary.

Thanks for the welcome back, looking! I'm keen to hear what you think of Gone Girl the book. Someone I know just saw the film and hated it - I wouldn't have expected it to be her cup of tea anyway - but maybe the book is better?

ma, I don't know what to say. I can feel something prickling at the back of my eye as well on your behalf. I want to tell you to chase the dream, because you only have one life after all...

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?”

• Mary Oliver

But everyone else's wise words are wise, and so are your own. You deserve better than a WB of a DH though, everyone does. Hugs to you. I want to ask whether Distracted Chap is married or otherwise entangled even though it's absolutely none of my damn business.

Keep going, 70! Day 9 for me here and my Monday has got off to a very slow start. I'm still not getting this 'research and write for a few hours every day even if you have masses of teaching prep to do' thing, which is fairly essential if I want to save my career.

Off now to hopefully get something done.

Just saw your post, joey. Go you!

When I was drinking I ticked every single item in your 'letting things go' column too. Can't say things are perfect now (see fridge-raiding) but bedtime, sleep and rest are definitely loads better.

10-12 units a week is impressively low though, wow.