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

Mm-hmmm... In our house, it's known as "The Peter Dinklage Show"

So, ma you like dwarfs eh? Obama-dwarfs, sailor-dwarfs etc?

If they have intelligence, wit and charm then count me in!

If you haven't seen it and can find it, watch The Station Agent. Drinklage at his finest, a really lovely film.

DH has left me with DD tonight to go out with the boys, and dear God but I may actually KILL her before he gets home.

I've also confiscated her phone, so she may kill me first... Either way, DH is left with the dog, lucky sod. I'm either doing time or strangled with my own iPad charger.

Breathe joey breathe.

Good luck Joey. You can do it.

Things I have learned today:-

1. Waking up un-hungover on a Saturday morning, for the third week running, does not lose its appeal. Felt like a newly fledged bird chirping round the house, no doubt irritating all and sundry intensely. But, oh, it was lovely.

1. You can actually have a stab at reading the weekend papers, rather than just use them for guinea pig bedding, if you don't start drinking at lunchtime (or mid-morning). And learn stuff. Not useful stuff, necessarily, but stuff nonetheless - and stuff which you are less likely to forget if you don't drink a bottle of wine a day. Memory is definitely improving. Though it is entirely possible I also learned and posted this particular fact last weekend - still a way to go on that perfect recollection.

1. But....spending the hours of 5.30 to 7pm combing the house for a small child's grimy teddy, without which she will not sleep, is way more irritating sober than it would be with a bottle of Pinot Grigio inside me. I also found it harder to find the teddy without the amazing wine-y intuition that would have somehow led me instinctively to the obvious conclusion that she'd stowed it in the piano stool underneath a shoe and a half a packet of modelling clay.

Feeling a bit antsy now: really, really want a drink to go with our meal later (or to be precise, to go with the cooking now of our meal for later). But must try to hang on to the annoying-chirpy-bird memory feeling thing.

Everyone ok? Sorry for long post - am still at the stage of finding it really helpful to splurge, and being fascinated by the spiralling levels of self-awareness that come with sobriety - but apologies for rambling.

Hope all is well in the Joey household. Deep breaths. How old is DD?

Small I love your posts, keep them coming. Fight the WW and continue with much chirpyness.

I have just had dinner with DH & DM who's visiting and alcohol accompanied the meal but not for me! Can't believe I abstained with DH on wine and DM on whisky.

Still here, still doing ok. Just keeping busy :)

Oh well done ruby !

Managed not to kill DD but I am drinking. Actually I was planning on having some anyway, but feel guilty about it nonetheless

DD is 12 and the hormones are just starting to kick in...

Well done Ruby!

baby your dh would be nothing short of a legend around these parts, ice hockey an' all. We have been on skates today - we have a pond in our garden and as temperatures are -14 and below we have braved the ice. We manage to beg, steal and borrow some skates and all wobbled hopelessly around the pond, bundled up in huge amounts of clothes. It was fun and very very cold. Hope you enjoy yourselves tomorrow.

Sorry not to NC, I have fallen a bit behind. I am still sober but am at that midway tricky bit. When I was in the library yesterday I came across the book, the AA big book. Out of curiosity I borrowed it and so far I have read Bill's story. Not sure how it is making me feel, half of me wants to read it so I can confirm I am not that bad, the other half is a little wary of finding myself in there. Seem to be thinking about when/if/what I can drink and then wondering why I want to and what am I trying to escape from. Or am I trying to escape at all. Overthinking it? Clear and lucid thoughts obviously!

Here's to a hangover free Sunday morning tomorrow. Sleep well babes xx

Morning All,

Sorry, I was half way through a long post as big name check when the door bell rang last night and I lost it. Then the rest of the evening got away from me.

Things I'm learning, Small . . . that the reason I couldn't lie in at the weekend, was alcohol. Had no problem catching up on sleep yesterday or this morning!

I have learned that I can actually accomplish complex tasks - like cooking today's dinner last night - after 7pm.

That my body feels lighter (not necessarily weighing less) and more like it belongs to me.

Yesterday I spent most of the day in the garden, digging out a stump that is in the middle of where my greenhouse is going to be, and found that I had more patience for finishing the job, tidying up and putting everything away afterwards. And I didn't feel the need to reward myself wine wine at all.

Baby, Beaches, it sounds like you had lovely days, Joey, well done for making it through the evening with DD, but why feel guilty if it was planned drinking? If you are able to maintain moderation, that is a real achievement; is it because in the end you felt you drank for the wrong reasons?

Well done, Jingle, and Ruby - brilliant restraint.

DS is planning on baking honey and cinnamon buns this morning, so it will be a challenge keeping the kitchen decent for DPs this afternoon, and I have a lecture to write for tomorrow morning, so I had better roll up my sleeves and get my bottom into gear. Day 18, here I come!

Happy Sunday Obrigada, Jingle, Small, Ma, Baby, Ruby, Thurso, Pop, Isinde, Soc, Soupey, 70, Mouse, Beaches,Soc, Hope, Nuff, Joey, Rural, Venus, Sweet, Anneis, Why, Khalisi and all other Brave Babes

Day 16 for me today. I've had my moments of 'face to face' combat with WW and smacked her flying. My problem is finding alternative things to fill my evenings I know - reading, puzzles, lovely baths etc etc but I can't be arsed I went to bed at 8.30 last night and slept until 5am, I must be tired. I keep thinking, is this it??? Is this my life now??

On a lighter note, as a family my DDs and I are getting on OK (this can be unusual in our household) and that gives me great comfort. Things to note to myself:

I am less grumpy and short tempered
I have alot more time to 'listen'
I have loads more patience
I feel like I am a nicer Mum (no hangovers)
My skin is much better (I suffer from psoriasis which improves considerably when I don't drink)
I can think more clearly
Everything is clearer (but boring and bored) - sounds pathetic, doesn't it.
No Boing yet, how can that be?

Beaches your family skating sounded such fun How's the rest of your weekend going my little red tulip?

Ma meeting sounds very productive

Isinde big squeeze to you lovely

Joey I often want to kill both of my DDs well done for resisting

Wry we miss you. I have a Big Tasty with Bacon waiting for you followed my mushrooms on toast. Hope you're ok honey and still lurking. Big huggles to you honey. Please come back and let us know that you're alright

Sweet Small and Ruby I love your posts. You're all doing really well. Keep going Babes

Baby you sound amazing. I hope today brings loads of laughter

Have a good day y'all xxx

Morning.

Well done Joey on getting through the evening with hormonal DD, I do not envy you.

Small and Sweet love the things I have learned posts. I may do one later...

Beaches I don't know where you live but every time I read your posts I think it sounds amazing.

Jingle keep going.

DD beckoning as always, see you later

Sweet x posted with you there. Have a lovely day Babe. Sounds like you have a Boing this morning (), good luck with writing the lecture x

Guggs didn't mean to forget you there. How are you? hope you're ok Babe

spanna don't stress about evenings. It all just works itself out eventually. I felt exactly the same and spent many nights going to bed really early wondering if this was now my sad life. Now I wonder how I could possibly drink and waste all that time. Don't let those boring evenings deter you. It becomes a non issue very quickly. Not drinking is fine. Millions of people do it every day . Day 16 is awesome.

Bossy Soc
xx

Thank you for your wise words Soc it really helps I expect you're Zzzzzzzzz x

Morning all.
I coped well with an AF Saturday night but not quite the way I planned. I had a huge row with DH over something trivial and went to bed early and watched Bridget Jones.

It was an effective strategy for breaking my drinking routines but not one I would necessarily reccomend.

Hi babes,

Kate a row is always miserable but at least it hardened your resolve. Well done!

Spanna good to see you sunshine! I know what you mean about the boredom, I have these extra hours but lack ideas or motivations about what to do with them . Good list though, it helps to focus on the positives.

Small and Sweet love you lists.

I am not sure what I have learned but I think maybe I am less intense, when I get frustrated I can let it go a little easier. When I get overwhelmed I can believe it is a feeling that will pass and manage it a little better. I bloody love the mornings, no sinus headache and hopeless cow self talk. Sleep is heavy and restful, dreams are interesting at times!

Ruby I am in Nova Scotia, Canada. Cold, pretty and always 4 hours behind the bus!

waves to every babe hope you are having a good day xx

Hey all. Was a bit down this morning but a good heart to heart with my bestie over coffee has cheered me up. I agree with everyone about the evenings. I was i n bed by 9.30 last night!
I need to get back on it after a couple of blips. I need to banish this demon so I can be on top of things. I have big changes to make in my life and I can't do it pissed!

You're BACK!!!!
We have missed you So much. Don't worry about the hair, I bet the new choppy cut looks fab.

In my head - this is the new me.

{t'interbosies x one million} Wry