The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Driving Through A Sober Winter Wonderland.

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse

Welcome to the Bus, he's called Gerald.... he takes us up and down and this wondrous land, searching high and low for Babes in need of some support, a warm place to sit and chat, and to have someone to listen to them.

So, grab a seat as we swing by your way. There's lots of hot drinks, food and fleeces, places to just be and places to sit around and chat if that's what you want.

We don't judge, because we've all be in your shoes, be they stilettos, wellies or crocs!...

We're just us, we're just honest and we just do what we can to help, if we can, when we can. Let's try and have a Merry Christmas without getting off our faces this year.

Here is the very first, emotional thread if you would like to see where this all started

And the last thread if you want to keep up!

Fine. I'll be Joseph then.

But I won't wear the beard.

Ahem. Where are my lines? I take it i have a speaking part.

sweet that sounds lovely

I thought Wry and Indie were the donkey? Where are they anyway? (looks order pile of tinsel)

And seem to remember I ended up cleaning up after the camel last year too. Hmmph.

guggs you have to say 'I'm sorry there is no room in the Inn. Then pause dramatically and point off stage saying " but you can sleep in the stable with the ox and the ass!"

Oooh, we need an ox and an ass. Where ARE indie and wry?

Guggs I've found a little song for your big moment in the spotlight.

Mary, Joseph and Donkey: Rat-a-tat-tat, Rat-a-tat-tat

All: No! No! No!

Innkeeper: There isn’t any room
And you can’t stay here,
There isn’t any room for strangers.
The wind may be chill
And the night may be cold,
And be full of nasty noises-in-the-dark
And dangers.
But there isn’t any room,
There isn’t any room,
There isn’t any room for strangers.

M, J & D: Rat-a-tat-tat, Rat-a-tat-tat

All: Yes! Yes! Yes! (triangle accompaniment)

There is a little room
And you may stay here,
We have a little place for strangers.
Come in from the night
To a stable bus so bare
Which is full of warmth and friendliness-and-safe from dangers.
Yes, there is a little room,
There is a little room,
There is a little room for strangers.

Waddya think?

Well, I think calling Gerald bare when we have a dashboard groaning with mince pies and sweets, enough tinsel to cover the Eiffel Tower, a tonne of lametta, fairy lights, flashing reindeer (sounds swanee whistle for innuendo) and a load of overdressed babes in costume.... Is totally wrong!

But as for the sentiments expressed... You are spot on, lovely Ma. (tears up a little with Christmas bus spirit and love for you crazy, life saving lot, then puts game face back on and starts grumbling about camel shit)

Twasn't ma, twas me

But it's not my song.

Let's change the word 'bare' to 'rare' - how about that?

(Can't believe I am actually discussing changing the lyrics to a song that no-one will be singing at a fake nativity performance on a fake bus )

Anyway, as you were.

Are the angels going to be wearing smocks?

Smocks??? I don't think so! Hang on while I compose a suitable reply...

Right, Faire. Apologies for mixing you up with Ma and disrespecting your role as musical director, but I will be wearing a full length crystal gown and halo complete with flashing lights. Now dd has left primary school I have a nativity shaped gap in my life that is being filled by this bus and I demand full on bling and the right to a solo spot singing Let it Snow. Thank you and good night!

So, to recap, so far we have something like

Rehearsals are going well then?

I am ridiculously chuffed to be a shephard! I have a freshly laundered dressing gown and tea towel, all I need is a crook, which I really like the sound of. Plan on dragging all wayward babes and reluctant theatrical types center stage! May even hook some unsuspecting small world leader that has not already been distracted.

guggs what if you said to the boyish joseph that there WAS room in the inn? Plenty of room, enough for camels and everything.

I am a bad Shephard and I am herding myself back into the sidecar.

Love to you all, you crazy wonderful babes!

Actually I think it is a shepherd isn't it?

I was thinking about being up and awake (voluntarily) and ready for the day at 6am on a Sunday, and thinking wow! AF sleep is the BEST! Then I realise I'm a lightweight who went to bed at 10.30 last night when you lot were still discussing the theatricals into the wee hours! (AF sleep is the best though). Does Hope's rendition of let it snow mean my penguin tap dance gets bumped?

It has been a full week for me now, Sunday to Sunday, so the start of day 8 and all the usual benefits are starting to kick in, better skin, sleep, energy levels, and I have found my long lost waist! I don't know about the kilos, but with the bloating gone I definitely have a waist. Unfortunately, I can now see the actual fat on my stomach!

Happy Sunday everyone - will we be having a dress rehearsal?

Haha Sweet, just don't look down Congrats on a whole week. I think going to bed early is a great idea, it really helps to knock the ww out. And yes to AF sleep being the bestest.

And beaches, yah it's shepherd dahling. A shephard is a vair, vair posh shepherd. Wouldn't be seen dead in a stable.

Are shephards the ones who supply Waitrose?

Morning Faire excellent advice as always, I will only look in mirrors from the waist up from now on!

You ladies so make me laugh! ??

Just dropping in to day hello, formerly posted in here as Pink. I want to wish you all a merry Christmas and a great 2015 in which all your dreams come true ??.

I'm almost 14 months AF now, have not touched a drop. Heading for my second sober Christmas and feeling great. Thanks to the support of the wonderful bus in the early days I got through the hardest part and now it is a habit and I hardly give it a second thought. It can be done because if I can manage it, anyone can. I even realised the other day that I am not planning a load of posh AF drinks to get me through Christmas I think I'll just end up drinking water or something ?? Weird really, compared to how I used to be.

Anyway love to each and every babe, think of you all often

Pink X

Oh dear sorry, don't think Mumsnet likes my emoticons. They were smiley faces and Santa's!

Morning all. Dress rehearsal later today. Do you all have your costumes ready? Looks sternly at shepherd and angels.
OK, has anybody seen wry? If we have a babe down I'm going to have to ask you all to fasten your seatbelts as we screech northwards on a search and reduce mission....

Pmsl - rescue! Rescue! Although search and reduce is somewhat apt

Hahaha

Wryiyyyyy Come oot, come oot wherever ye ur...

Hi Pink, fantastic to hear from you. Another amazing success story. This bus rocks!!

I could do with reducing

pink and sweet that's fab news and very encouraging.

faire I know the tune to that one...but I have a voice like a lovesick yak. Can a babe with a lovely voice do the actual singing bit????

Good to go for dress rehearsal. Tea towel in place. old man's dressing gown quite comfy actually.

So the general theme is:

Come in from the cold,
there isn't any drink in the mangeeeeerrrrrrr!