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!

joey that is absolutely bloody amazing! The smock of smug suits you
name any strategy which reduces intake is good. Don't set yourself impossible targets. Even if its only a mouthful less, its a result.

Good luck with your conference speech today Ma, knock 'em dead

Waves to all the other babes xx

ma good luck today, just smile and take your time, imagine distracted chap in every seat, your fabulous and don't you forget it xxxx

Shake yer pompoms at 'em ma!

Gie it laldy! Xx

Happy Birthday Draylon

Hope your speech went okay ma

wry is Little feeling better?

Happy birthday draylon
It went fine, so glad its out of the way. I was a bit over time as I was trying to slow it down, but a couple of people took the trouble to tell me it was interesting and clear, so that was good. Legs were actually shaking, hope no-one noticed!
Off to Windsor tomorrow for the next conference, which I don't have to speak at thankfully. I am staying overnight in the castle!!!!! Well, in the grounds but it still counts . Get me!!!!!

Ah ma, so glad to hear it went well. You really are very brave, there is no way I could have done that.

Had no choice. Last ditch attempts to keep job going by speaking to the right people. Weather forecast for tomorrow is awful, hope flight isn't cancelled.

That's it, mas off on the celebrity circuit now - goodness knows when we'll see her again. She'll be swanning around on red carpets and hobnobbing with - who did she say? A Rear Admiral?! (Or is that a private nickname for the DC?)

You know something, ma? You did have a choice. You could have jacked it in, you could have crumbled and abdicated your responsibility to bring home the bacon. But you didn't. You pushed on and you faced your fears.

This is why we so admire you here. This is the real you, this is the core of you, ma and you maybe don't realise it, or don't see it, but we do. We do.

You are braver than you think, you are stronger than you know, you have so many admirable qualities, they just shine through here. Your family are so lucky to have you x

Oh faire what a lovely thing to say! Thank you.
at DC being a rear admiral!

Hurrah for ma! That sounds brilliant.
So Gerald's swinging by Windsor to drop you off? Shall we all curtsey?
I know how hard it is to give talks (I'm already coming out in cold sweats about a conference I'm presenting at in March) so really am well impressed.

So, I had another day without my cider yesterday. That's two days over two weeks, which I'm going to treat as a triumph.

I find it scary as I'm realising that it's my crutch to deal with what I think are potentially pretty rocky times ahead. I have to finally go and check out some issues with my DS which I've been kidding myself for quite a while now will go away with time. I don't think they necessarily will. I'm not sure whether to make that first appointment before or after Christmas. I know I'll be a wreck once I take my head out the sand, so wondered whether to allow Christmas to happen first (it's something for the long haul, so I don't think a month matters, but I need at some point to bite the bullet).
Crying again writing about it (aided by starting on the Christmas sherry).

Hope you've all had a good day.

Can Gerald wear headlight eyelashes? Please?

OMG! Did you just let slip that he's a sailor?! That's why he's abroad?

He's in the Navy! Does he have a uniform? Like Richard Gere!

joey Thank you, Little has well and truly turned the corner, faeces results are back, nothing horrible, but nothing definitive either. Just gut rot of unknown origin.

I am getting ready to pop Up Where We Belong on Gerald's sound system. Love that film... ma does he scoop you up like that in your dreams?

Windsor eh? I don't know what you do, but you must be really well thought of in your field, Windsor..Downing Street..next stop The White House?

movealong how are you Petal, don't cry me dear, lean on us. It's what we're here for. Hang on to the scary, it makes you aware. You did really well there, you know.

Hi there Draylon, how are you? Happy Birthday, hope you had a lovely day!

Where the eagles cry, on a mountain hiiiiiiigghhhhhhhhhhh........ Way to go ma...way to go.....

Ladies, another lurker. Bear with me, as I've only recently started worrying that I may be drinking in an unhealthy way. I've spent the last two days reading the first ever thread, and it has really made me think. Lots of resonances, especially about the "normal" middle class functioning alcoholic. At the moment I've made no conscious decision to do anything different, but I am reading through all the threads whilst I try to get my head into the right place. And it's already making me challenge what I'm doing. I'm hoping this is allowed - some of your experiences are really challenging my thinking, so thank you.

Morning, day 5

Morning babes, Day 4 for me today.

Shit. Mouseface, just read your moment of realisation on thread 2. Had to put it down and have a cry. I think you're me. Still don't know if I'm ready for all this, but for today, I'm going to try not to drink.

Hello

Just reserving my seat. At the front because I'm such a fucking goodie two shoes.... Day 214. Luckily we have apps and shit that count because I've totally lost count, but it's a good number and equates to 7 months tomorrow.

Holy crap. I would never, ever have thought I could do this.
This Christmas will be my first totally AF Christmas since about 1985.

Anyway, love to you all, old and new and inbetween.
xxx

Afternoon all! Just a quick pop-in to say Geraldine and I are still A-OK - she/he has just started making his/her presence felt with a bit of kicking!

No grief from the WW here, I'm looking forward to Christmas and counting the benefits of having to abstain. No hangover on Xmas Day, for a start . . .

Much love to all.

Thank you wry .
Glad to hear Little is doing OK.

Hello Wild. I'm new too, and still figuring things out.

So, can someone tell me a little about the side car? Is it for non-AF days? Is there some space...?

Anyone for and ?

Calm it girls, he's not a sailor! (But you re on the right track )
Welcome wild. The sidecar is for me those of us who aren't managing to clock up the sober days but are still along for the ride and trying. A nice place to curl up in when you've had a few and hate yourself for it!
Am slumming it here at the Castle. Seriously. I am the only overnight delegate tonight and have the house to myself in the grounds of the Castle. Its fab!