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!

Morning All.

Green freeing it is a good idea - for me dh will still have bottles of red around (can't drink it - as in genuine allergic reaction - so it's safe and no temptation).

Beaches that wasn't maudlin, I think it's a very genuine and common response to the time of year.

I still have my parents here which will help me with the first few tough days, because although DF is a bit of a bad influence, DM is a bit relentless and driven with any personal project. So having told her I'm doing DJ, failure is not an option - she would give Paddington a run for his money in the hard stares department.

So, day two, feeling a bit groggy and tired, and my skin is suggesting I should probably go easy on the chocolate as well, but determined. Today I will NOT drink.

Must remember to put on my glasses before posting! "freezing' not 'freeing' - though I can't help giggling a bit at freeing the wine!

beaches I can completely relate to that feeling at this time of year. Its horrible. Am off for a long walk today to try and combat it.
Day 2

sweet free the wine!

K, help me Babes. We have a bottle of Chardonnay that someone opened on New Years Eve and drank one glass from. I presume that once it's opened it won't keep?

I can't bear to throw away nearly a full bottle. Should I freeze? What sort of recipes call for wine ? (I've always drunk wine, not cooked with it )

I'd better start by defrosting the ice-cube tray, huh.

joey - I use white wine in a tarragon sauce although it takes a whole pot of double cream for four so is not healthy. Also for every glass in the sauce there is usually at least one in me!! I didn't think you could freeze alcohol due to its lower freezing point, obviously years of studying science at school went to waste. We drank up nearly all the open bottles of alcohol with just a little Baileys left but it is DH's birthday next week so the plan is to be AF until then and then make sure there is nothing left open after his birthday to make it easier to stay AF.

Could you just throw away one glass for now Joey and come back later to chuck another one? If you do want to keep it, freezing is the best bet. Dh makes a lovely stilton & ww sauce if you're not worried about counting calories just yet.

Hi babes. Hope you are all OK. I am struggling. Day 2 here and not feeling any benefits, but have declared on FB that I am doing Dryathlon so will have to carry on and honour my sponsors. Am suffering very badly from anxiety. Keep waking up panicking. I have never been out of work since my early 20s (when it was a choice while I did voluntary work in the arts) and I have 12 weeks of employment left. We have been thrown on the scrapheap and the unions are being absolutely shit. WB is not supporting me - he and all his family just say 'oh you will get another job' and then go back to talking about themselves. He gets in a temper if I even mention sharing the financial responsibility and says he can't do anything else. I have plenty of friends, and the kids, but I am so lonely. I feel like crying all the time. I feel the weight of responsibility and have no help with it. New Year always makes me sad. i don't want to be in this position in 2016, worrying, shouldering all the responsibility, doing a hard job with no support at home, living with someone who doesn't love me - or even like anything about me, apart from my financial help - and nobody in RL to turn to for help.... Sorry for the mawkish post babes, but if I'm not on here for a bit it will be because I can't think of anything helpful to say.

Good morning, babes! Another day.

beaches totally feel you on that down feeling. In the end (boldly believing I have my shit under control), I felt so very down in the mornings. A few days ago I had two glasses of Chardonnay and felt so ill, could hardly sleep. But I still felt empty when I woke up.

ma a long walk is a great idea. My whole body is aching but I am pleased that I went outside yesterday. Even if just for a short moment, it is great when the happy hormones flush the body.

joey I have the rest of the Chardonnay in the fridge. Not bothered with it because of the reaction I had. I am however going to cook with it. Just not feeling up to cooking for one right now. (still have lots of leftovers from the NE bash anyway).

hope, hun, a big hug. I do have a job so I don't want to sound patronising. But, I ended my abusive relationship in September, 4 months after moving into a 'new' house together.
I kept thinking what am I doing with this man? He doesn't love me and doesn't even like me. Not judging by what he was doing and calling me.
And, he is a builder so we were doing the renovations ourselves. I now spend many a night wide awake worrying how the hell am I going to do this and, I have to start looking for a part time job because there is no way I can afford everything on my salary.
Sorry, I don't want to complain about my shit.
Take it one day at a time. I know it is more line one minute because the head cannot switch off. But if they don't care, they don't. It just leaves you feeling worse when you hope someone shows a bit of interest.
I cannot tell you how happy I am to have found you guys. I might not have solutions, but I know I can come on here to remember I'm not alone.
Again, big hung.

Hope I agree that you might be better off both financially and emotionally out of the relationship when you only have to provide for yourself and the dcs. One day, my lovely, one day...

In the meantime, please do keep posting even if you feel you have nothing to say. Just tell us what you're doing/thinking/hoping for, or just chat about nothing. Don't isolate yourself from the bus. We don't care if anyone feels they are talking nonsense. In fact, we like the nonsense. Keeps us all sane, ironically

We don't want to leave anyone behind so jump aboard babes and squeeze onto the bus whilst we give the sidecar a good airing. (Think someone had one too many sprouts this year).

Khalis I just wrote you a big long post and lost it!!!! I will come back later and post but essentially, you are so very welcome here and learning about our new babes is so great because we can all learn something from each other's situation. Your doing great and sound just lovely. Also loved your "big hung" at the end, laughed for ages. Xxx

hope I wish we could all help, your family sound so unsupportive. Do you have anyone you can talk to? Are they not talking about it because they genuinely believe you'll get another job? Or are they "cross that bridge when we come to it" people? I can feel the terror in your posts, it must be awful to think you're on your own.

ma how are those menopause symptoms? Will you try the HRT? Despite being absolutely shattered last night, I was unable to sleep & am sure it's because I didn't have my Sage drops (they were 'tidied away' somewhere when we were preparing for the party) maybe a coincidence - could have just been overtired, adrenaline etc; but I was sweating as well. Have ransacked the house and finally found them, thank goodness. SAGE well they're called 'Menosan' have become quite reliant on them.

Ma hope you enjoyed your walk. The physicality of moving forward really helps my mind move out of a rut. Sometimes some music and sometimes silence but the process of moving and the scenery passing by seems to drag my thoughts into a forward motion too.

hope please don't disappear sweetheart. This is a desperate time for you, facing an unknown future and feeling alone. It is the most important thing that you don't withdrwaw from us, you don't need to helpful or funny or anything but you do need to snuggle in. Whatever poison WB would have you believe about yourself, it isn't true. You are very valuable and wanted xxx

Sweet thanks for the reassurance With the skin thing, I find when I stop drinking I breakout in the first week before things settle down. Toxins leaving the body I suppose (although I jest that giving up obviously doesn't suit me)

joey chuck it out. I know the reluctance to waste anything but if it is going to drive you crazy sat in the fridge door then just get rid of it. Will be a relief to know its gone.

Khalis the big hung brightened my day! Well done on leaving your abusive relationship, an huge and brave achievement. Good to have you aboard

Slept ok, a few powerless dreams and a headache this morning but at least it is an authentic one not a hungover one!

hope please don't get off the bus, just post something so that we know you are still out there hanging on. It must seem like a complete nightmare at the moment but all nightmares end eventually.

hope I lost your post too so will post later when I've calmed down.

I have made it through all of Christmas and New Year sober, as was said a few pages ago, it's nice to feel relief for what didn't happen rather than shame at what did!!!

Stay strong babes, we can do this TOGETHER xxx

FOR THE ATTENTION OF ALL BABES:

You know the Lynx advert where the guy sprays it and hundreds of hot women run towards him and he looks scared... Well in my mind the man is the wine witch all ugly, wrinkled and smug (no not me, her) and as there so many of us, we are the hot women (well the menopausal ones are hot, though we will all be hot for the right reasons when we're sober with swishy hair, dewy skin and slim and vibrant, yes us) we are all running together shoulder pad to shoulder pad towards her and we will trample her to death so that she never bothers us again, keep this image in your minds, nothing is stronger than the fabulous babes on our bus. TOGETHER WE ARE INVINCIBLE!!!!!

baby can be heard cackling with victory as she walks towards the ironing pile wielding a soup ladle for protection........

HA Ha ha haaaaaaaaaa

Xxx

baby great post, made me chuckle!
hope I can so sympathise. I will know by the end of January if my job continues to limp on or if we cloe the doors, letting so many people down. It makes me feel physically sick and I am scared to go back to work in a way because I have to face it. I am doing practical things like updating my CV and putting it on jobs websites. I am also trying a Paul McKenna technique called Havening when I feel panicky which makes me breath slowly and count out loud. Might be bollox but it seems to help.
alias I have been taking Evening Primrose Oil and Vitamin B and it really seems to be helping.
Just done 6k walk and logged it on my Noom app.
6 hours until 9pm which is when the WW gets bored and gives up. Hang tough babes. Only 6 hours.

I've just realised that I don't need to deal with the Chardonnay. DH does most of the cooking and it was his mother that opened the bloody bottle (to mix with her whiskey and cider she was in a right state)

So he can decide what to do with it. I can "Let it go" not just 'free the wine' but free myself

OMG
Freud lässt grüßen! (Freud sends his regards!)
I actually came on to say ma, thank you for the inspiration to go for a walk. It was simply wonderful.
(except, I forgot to put on a bra (!) and I tell you, ladies, I do not have community tities! I was half way when I realised and thought well, bra-less Friday it is!)

And isinde pops up at the merest hint of a double entendre ...

Day 2, woke up feeling pretty refreshed and then slumped at about 1pm. I'm so tired I just feel like curling up with a glass of wine, and I wondering why I even want to do dry january...I know that's the ww talking and for me she will not shut up till bedtime :( I've been known to pour a glass at 10.30 because I only want to have the one....

indie!!!!
I go braless and tuck my norks into the waistband of my trousers to keep my belly warm.....
Annie don't listen to her. Only a couple of hours until bedtime, or go now if you are on your own with a book or the TV or the laptop. Its the only way....you can do this!
khalisi good for you. Did thoughts of Service Jorah disrobing in your tent help you along?

Pmsl at autocorrect Service Jorah!!!!! Now that's wishful thinking!

That's what I'm thinking ma, I was going to go shopping once H got in from work but I think that will inevitably lead to me drinking. I'll kid myself I 'deserve' it having gone out when I'm knackered...going to bath the dds and have an early night

Good work Annie, you rock!