The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Shaking Off The Winter Blues And Getting Out Our Booze Free Summer Shoes!

[Mouseface]

Hello, tis me, Mouse

Welcome to the Bus. It's a Bus full of drinkers, non-drinkers, occasional slurpers, sneaky sippers, we're all a very different bunch but we ALL have the same thing in common.

Alcohol.

We all have a story or two to tell, we have all been through some terrible times, some more than others and we all have our reasons for drinking or even not.

The one true wonderful thing about this Bus is that we don't do judging!! We're all on a even playing field, no matter what has brought us to this thread.

So, if you'd like to talk, then talk. If you want to lurk and see how we work for a while, that's cool too :)

The Bus is never full, there's always is room for YOU.

And, if you'd like to see what started this off, amost good 5 years ago now, have a look at A TRULY AWESOME HEARTFELT THEAD HERE

And our last thread is just here too for those who would like some more history THIS IS WHERE WE'VE JUST BEEN

Hope to see you soon :) xxx

Gawd I'm tired.
Whatcha all up to? How are the new babes getting on?

Hey Babes,
Me too, ma. I'm in bed already but just wanted to pop in for a quick Chat.

Love the Poem, Isinde WoW!

Hope my lovely. Just shitty.

Spanna babes, print out Isinde's Poem and put it somewhere so you can Change the days and feel really proud and good and kick ww into the night! There's a Poem just for you, Darling!

Hey sweet babes! Whats up?

I'm sorry but can't even write anymore. Will catch up tomorrow.

xxx

Isinde love the poem! Made me chuckle.

Spanna [indignant face] I did NOT stain the smock of smug! I am affronted at the very thought. There may have been a very tiny dribble of drool on it owing to a brief (imaginary dream) encounter with a lovely cold bottle of champagne, but I promise I washed it thoroughly by hand before folding it carefully and stowing it in Gerald's special overhead lockers. Honest.

Tired wave.

Loving the poem isinde

Glad the email issue wasn't so bad ma

spanna well done, you're doing brilliantly.

sweet, hope - hope you're feeling a bit better today.

otter, are you still with us? How are you doing?

I had bad work news today. Not as bad as some of you are dealing with, my job is safe, but a restructure is going to have a negative effect on my role. It's an effective demotion really. The other person affected is talking about looking for another job, but I'm p/t so it's not so easy.

However, on the bright side, I'm on day 15 AF.

Well done on 15 days April
I am on day zero as usual

Glad that the email turned out okay ma

I'm on day 2.

Fox

Thank you April

Khalisi good idea

Have a good Zzzzz all. Night Night x

April Day 15 is awesome

I've been AF today so feeling really proud of myself. I've started reading a book called Taking The Leap - Freeing ourselves from old habits and fears by Pema Chodron. I'm hoping that when I've finished reading it I'll be all serene and zen like and will never crave booze again. Sadly I know it will take a lot more than a book to do all that!! xx

Good Morning Babes

Day 3 for Isinde Joey Guggs and Hope - well done ladies. Leaves a yummy breakfast for you all and a big bag of opal fruits. Keep going Babes, you can do it

Isinde thank you, of course you can borrow smock of smug

Baby we've not heard from you in a bit. How are you lovely? I hope you're ok? Sending you hugs babe x

Sweet darling are you alright hon. please let us know x

Another day off for me today I've got a ton of paperwork to do (which I've been doing anything to avoid for ages and it's now got to the point where it's urgent) I'm no good with time planning I always leave a deadline right until the 11th hour

Day 37

Morning all.

Spanna fab day 37, that is awesome. Now get on with your paperwork

I'm off to get a shower and to work.

Hope everyone has good days

Ruby shower, school run & paperwork in that order, whilst trying not to find any distractions between school run and paperwork. It's amazing what I can find to do whilst avoiding Have a good day Ruby

Morning,

Hello to fairie and spanna and ma and isinde and ruby and hands and joey and looking and venus and mouse and khalisi - please say that I haven't missed anyone?

Fairie hello lovely soo happy to be back here. I don't have that app- what is it? But because I'm a sad old gimmer,I've made a little chart where I draw a brick every af day and write down how much money I've saved. And I've adapted some of ds 's things,so I've made a 'cravings thermometer'
(STOP laughing) because if I visualise where I think my cravings are -say 9/10 then I can quite often think again and take that number down until the craving has passed. It's a technique for getting a bloody grip and it works well for people who are a bit hard of thinking. How are you my lovely?

Righto,I've already decided who I'm going to vote for on Thursday,but are any of the lying bastards beloved politicans saying anything about alcohol or recovery?

hope,hope I didn't nc you- sorry.

Morning All.

I'm up and down, thank you all for thinking about me.

I'm struggling with self loathing at the moment because I know that objectively my life is about perfect. I am so lucky in so many ways. I have both of my parents, in good health enjoying their retirement; I have a very lovely DH and a DS who, when he is not trying too hard to be a teen, is a delight. After years in a nightmare falling down house with bad memories of ExP, we have a lovely home with great neighbours, and a manageable mortgage. I have a gorgeous Puss, and a Pup who is growing up into a lovely dog. I have a career I love (even if I'm feeling incapable at the moment), and a reasonably secure job situation. I went to the theatre last night, and can just about wear skinny jeans without embarrassment.

So why am I feeling so fucking shit? Why can't I get my arse in gear and do anything practical? I can't charge my phone, in case it rings; I can't do what I need to to make my laptop work. There are so many things I need to do, simple, everyday things just seem so overwhelming. I don't have any reason I can hold on to, because rationally, I know it's a chemical imbalance in my brain, it's an illness, but I just can't make that connect.

Sorry all, I want to send out hugs and positivity, I'll be better again later. Today is another day one, and this time I'm going to make it.

Guggs the version of the app I have is called 'I'm done drinking'. It is a US app so you have to translate from dollars but apart from that I have found it helpful. If anyone has a sterling version, let me know!

Sweet, hugs to you. Your clarity of thought is wonderful and inspiring. Don't feel you have somehow to justify how you are feeling. It is great that objectively so much in your life is positive but that doesn't mean you should somehow feel bad about feeling bad. It's just a fact, an imbalance as you say, and you are doing all the right things to address it. Sorry, am on phone so can't check back and see exactly what you said so forgive me for not echoing your words precisely. But take care of you and we are all here for you.

Hey darling Sweet,
Don't beat yourself up about everything you can't do. For today, do just one thing. Charge the phone. Surely you have a land line and people can reach you otherwise?
Just one thing.
(I'm not saying this lightly. Yesterday I finally opened an important letter from the Insurance (which arrived last week) because for the life of me, I just did not feel like dealing with anything.)

Tired waves to everyone!

Sweet is it worth going back to your gp to see if you can increase your dosage or change to something else? Are you having counselling? Please don't beat yourself up about it, as you say it's a chemical imbalance in the brain and absolutely not your fault. Try not to be too hard on yourself and good luck on day one xx

Have a good day ladies. The weather's crap here. Hope it's nicer where you are xx

Hold my hand please through day 1 AGAIN

Hi ionnika (slides into next seat and holds hands). How are you? Have an opal fruit

Just finished another union teleconference. Due to the powerful nature of the department heads doing the persecuting we feel a bit like David fighting Goliath, only without the magic slingshot. Keeping battling but it is draining.

Day 3 here ...

Love to all.

Wry, if you are lurking, we miss you. Hope you are OK xxx

Thank you looking - feeling determined