The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Starting the New Year in Fine Style

[venusandmars]

Hello, I'm Venus, and standing in for Mouse (who usually starts all our threads)

This is a safe and welcoming place for anyone who is facing up to a problem with alcohol. It may be something you’ve known for years, or it may be that struggling with dry January has made you re-think your relationship with drink.
Anyway, welcome old and new, lurkers and posters. It can be a weird thread at times – travelling on a bus 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 been 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. If you find all the banter off-putting just jump in with a cry for help.

And HAPPY NEW YEAR xxx

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

Our most recent thread, if you want to catch up

Ma and Mouse HAPY BIRTHDAY!!

Well we don't have snow just a damp grey day. I strictly am not on the bus but in the sidecar - do I still get an opal fruit (doesn't have to be any particular colour)? Since joining her, thanks to the wonderful support, I have gone from not knowing when I last didn't drink to having first one AF day, then two AF day's, then three AF day's and this week I am going for FOUR AF day's - I know it's not a lot compared to some of you but for me it is humungous

Stay safe in this weather babes.

that should be HAPPY BIRTHDAY - I can spell really!!

Morning Everybabe, but especially the Birthday Babes, Mouse and Ma, cheesecake for Mouse and special no-calorie cake for Ma.

Lovely to see so many people here. I'm stuck in a grotty management meeting, sitting in for someone else this morning. Wish I hadn't agreed to it, because the anxiety it is giving me is making me a complete grumpy bitch this morning.

Beaches, they are indeed a pampered bunny and spoiled rotten puss. Bun is 'free-range', not a house rabbit (hence the heat pad); he has a very large two storey hutch in a sheltered spot, a hutch-cosy cover, and the run of the garden. Puss, on the other hand gets the heat pad because she is only four and a half months old, and still very small, but is Queen of the House. They've only met through glass because she doesn't get her cat flap until next week, but he could out run and out scratch her for all of his eight years!

Soupey, well done on building up your AF days - I find that even more difficult than complete abstinence - once I've started it takes me months to build up to starting again, I really hope moderation 'sticks' for you.

It's bright and cold here, although the forecast is saying expect wet and stormy, and there is snow in the next county long.

Work was ok yesterday Sweet and I'm back in today. I feel happy today and more like my old self ( from quite a number of years ago ), I so hope I can continue to feel this way. I feel quite emotional .

Big Happy Birthday wishes to Ma and mouse. Still babes in arms to this old bird . Hope you both have a wonderful day. xx

Happy Birthday ma and mouse

40 is da best.

Have a lovely day.
xx

Morning babes, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Mouse and Ma - wishing you both everything you both health and happiness xx

Waves to all the other babes

Hello all.

I think it's the Dry Jan thread that has the expression 'TSP' - which I puzzled over for ages but turns out to be 'Twatty Sober Pollyanna'. Don't love that phrase but TSP pretty much describes me today - have been zooming round the house with excess of energy, cleaning, binning, reorganising. Not sure if its the not drinking or the amount of spinach I've eaten but I feel a-maz-ing.

So much recycling to do (for once, not wine bottles, yay!) the guinea pigs were nearly a casualty, having strayed inquisitively too close to my teetering piles of random stuff to dispose of/repurpose. Feeling dangerously smug.

Won't last. But nice while it does (though DP is looking terrified - have told him he'll be next for the new broom - its up or out in this house at the moment!).

Really hope this v positive energy doesn't flip into a tricky night of craving - anyone else find that its when they're feeling really strong, purposeful and determined that the WW is most likely to hit, hard and unexpected? So unfair.

Happy Birthday mouse, ma

Waves to Babes (I can't namecheck in case I miss someone...)

Hi Small sounds like you've been busy today, how fab having so much energy. It's often known on here as the 'boing' which I am yet to experience but waiting patiently.

I know what you mean about WW creeping up on you when you least expect it. You have to be ready at all times to give her a karate chop

Goodness me, so many messages! Thank you all
thurso tell me I haven't been on here for 4 years!!!!!
Well, no birthday cake as no-one could be bothered to make one for me, which tells its own tale really. Family not exactly pushing the boat out but as I have all of you, stuff them!
Lovely boss gave me a card :-)
Don't know if I'll drink tonight or not. Felt a bit meh this morning after a few glasses last night and don't want to slip back into that way of feeling.

Evening, Babes. A really, really tough day at work today, although not actually for the reasons I expected. It's all a bit exhausting. I would quite happily have poured myself a drink, although I knew I didn't want one.

Small the pride with which I am placing cordial bottles in the recycling box is ridiculous! And I love the noises guinea pigs make!

Ruby, glad you found a bit of the old you - long may it last.

Ma, we all love and value you, come and hang out with us. Perhaps your family thought they were doing you a kindness though by not tempting you to break your diet with cake? Did you get your colouring books?

Am still in side car. Busy day. Time tomorrow to reacquaint myself with you all and reveal all.

Happy birthday Mouse and Ma

I got coloured pencils- not felt pens- and cheap kids colouring books, not the intricate pattern ones I had asked for!
Fuck the lot of them!
Am AF again today after yesterdays blip which I am pleased about. Day 13 out of 14.

sweets am loving your tea reviews!

Think I am going to need an early night tonight, I'm feeling a bit washed out mentally, but physically, healthier and just, better. Bit spotty again - 'that' time of the month, but now reflecting that once I go to bed, this will be the longest I have been AF since DS was about 2 - he is 13 in a couple of months.

How has everyone else's day/evening been?

I think 13/14 is a good way to think of it Ma.

You are going to have to do what my DS does and send an email list of urls (he's not as grabby as that sounds, but it works well for some of his smaller, more obscure and geeky requests). Go on Amazon right now and buy the ones you wanted - reams of them (I really like the look of this one)

Wish I could say the same about all of the teas Alias

Yeah sweet that's the kind I wanted! I should nt be ungrateful. I got tons at Christmas and that was only a few weeks ago.
Its the off handed not really caring that stings, as it falls to me to give everyone else a lovely birthday. You would think they could do the same for me just once a year....

Designate yourself an 'official' birthday, like the Queen - half way through the year between the real day and Christmas.

I also found the one you were worried about googling!!

Happy Birthday Ma x. - AF tonight - was doing Dryanuary but had a blip - back on it again today :). Glass of milk tonight and now bed :)

Evening, tis me, Mouse

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MA [THANKS] xxxx [CAKE] xxxx

Thank you all so very much for all of the wonderful Birthday wishes and kind words for my big day. xxx

I know that Mum has been with me again today, I felt her hold my hand as we sat in a lovely hotel having lunch, watching the river Dee flow by.....

I have had two glasses of VC fizz, as an ultimate special treat.... wonderful gifts, a photo shoot of DD and Nemo, which was all done in secret when I was asleep in bed!!! I didn't hear a thing!!

Anyway, night lovely Babes, thanks for all of your messages xxx

Hi babes, just popping on to say Happy Birthday to our gloriously fabulous ma and mouse

mouse 40 is the new 30 xxx

ma 40 something is the new thirty something xxx

I remember picking up dd1 from nursery when she was 3, it was my birthday, I was 32 and dd1 had told everyone. The teacher said "can I just say you look amazing for your age, what's your secret?" I was astounded and chuffed til I realised my dd had told everyone it was my 42nd birthday not 32nd, should have known!!!

When I was getting in my car today I got a loud horn toot from a van full of men, "still got it baby" I said to myself, got a text from my male mate later saying "I saw you getting into your car today and tooting my horn to get your attention". Talk about mortified, so I ain't got it, probably never had it in the first place, Ah well, was a nice thought while it lasted xxxx

Day 250 AF

King of the fucking castle down here . It's hard to believe. It was such a battle getting to day 7. It was such a battle just doing 1 day sober. Tis a miracle babes. Anyway I'll get off my high horse. Xx