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

OMG, alias!!!
Have me in stitches!

Good morning, darling Babes!

Stayed AF last night! Totally proud of that because Fridays are really, really hard. And the week was horrid.

ma you need the freak, lovely. A long weekend of opening up the lane, so to speak! Really sorry, babes.

Hope weedy?! As in the lawn needs to be weeded?! (if that's a word?)
Girrrrrl, you and ma need to come over and we go to Hamburg and hang out in St. Pauli where surely good looking sailors with, well, long anchors can uhmm....
OMG, I'm having too much sex!!!

Oh, and really, I should be cleaning but can.not.be.arsed.
To be fair house is more dusty than dirty but I really feel lazy.
(And I think I miss new fella although we spent the night together and he left for work at 6.30. Does this mean I'm falling for him?)

khalisi too much sex?????.Good grief!
I, on the other hand, am painting the ceiling which has flipping mouldings and cornices and is taking for ever!

ma yeah but painting the ceiling is more satisfying and rewarding than sex, right?

well last night I had a quick google, and it seems legally my employer may be allowed to insist I change my days after all. Dammit. (really not sure what to do about the dog, I feel guilty about leaving him all day till DD gets home from school - although tbf, all he does is sleep and even when we let him out he's not that desparate for the toilet - but, as he gets older? My bladder is definitely weaker with age, so his may go that way too...?)

I'd like to say to boss "Fine, I'll change my hours. But since we're playing by the book and work to rule etc, I won't be covering and helping out at short notice in future. 9-5 it is then, and no flexibility." Better not though.

I've decided to go AF!! I was just getting fed up of the endless voices in my head, about how much I could drink and when, and always waiting for the weekend. So I'm planning to go for a month to start (already done one week) I do know the first few weeks will be hard, but I did it before Christmas and CAN do it again

What's everyone else up to this weekend?

Isinde if I sent our boss he would offend everyone, criticise the course leaders and then target the organisations that sent you with a capability review which will conclude that all the middle managers can be sacked and work can be outsourced to a private agency run by his party donor mates. So best not!

Now, the Lark Lane trip, on the other hand, does sound good. Is Keith's still there? Remember when it was the only place you could drink after hours in the 80's but you had to order food so we would go in and order 3 bottles of red wine and one portion of chips between six of us.

Khalisi what is this 'sex' of which you speak? (sifts through memory banks in vain)

Joey laughing out loud at your dog musings... (- but, as he gets older? My bladder is definitely weaker with age, so his may go that way too...?)

Bad luck on the work front though - but they will suffer in the end, as you do end up unwilling to go the extra mile, do overtime etc. Why is it that nobody embraces employee friendly practices when it would build loyalty and increase team morale?

Ma how's the ceiling coming along? Better than my freelance copywriting I hope. Had to go out this morning and buy a printer (cos WB's broke months ago and true to form he's not fixed it) therefore wasting half a day and knocking £50 off my fee in printer and ink costs and parking before I even start. Still, it's an investment right? Even though I know after today it will be commandeered by dd for homework purposes and whenever I need it there will be no ink left

Getting back on it now, having finally installed printers, even though only have an hour before I need to break off and make dd and her friend and ds their dinner, then put on a curry for us to have later.

Working from home is not my forte it seems...

Enjoy the mountains and chocolate Isinde. Remember to bring back some treats for the bus .... (I like milk chocolate with almonds)

I'm alright on the sex front,but what's Larks Lane???? I'm a London girl and used to 'hang about dhan camden when it was proper indie and may be able to recall one or two establishments which were able to provide a thirsty girl with a Snakebite & Black. Classy.

joey Go for it! I'm not going to be entirely teetotal this time but am drinking bugger all.Your boss sounds a pain in the bum. Will you benefit in any way if you have to work the hours he suggests? Better pay or feeling more informed? More access to chocolate biscuits? I dunno. He really ought to be offering you an incentive if you have to change your hours.

God I'd forgotten about Keith's wine bar. And of course the Sunshine cafe where we used to hide when the landlord came for the rent.
alias there are new rules in place re flexible working for employees. I sat through a seminar on it so google it and see what you are entitled to do, and not to do.
indie I want your job. 4 nights away in a European city??? Swap you for some soldier ogling.
hope you sound upbeat. Well done.
I am drinking wine and eating peanut M and Ms. I will probably make myself sick. Painting wise I have done the cornice thingy and thats about it. Have also had my hair cut, coloured it and been to visit my friends one week old baby granddaughter. So tiny, and making that little creaky noise that babies make....sheesh, dd1 is 25 this year!
Is Khalisi off shagging again? At least my current fanjo problems are keeping dh away. Every fanny has a silver lining.

Evening, tis me, Mousey

Who is having sex? And too much of it? Can someone remind me what it actually involves? [grins]

< wonders if DH could even find her lady garden, tis waaaaaaaay too overgrown since the braking of her wrist, wonders who has tried one handed gardening!! >

So, how are we all? I know I've not been here supporting you all, cheering those on who needed a little ear for listening too, but I have had to rest.

Weirdly, I've just wanted to sleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep. For hours and hours on end. I asked my aunt (who I miss and love to bits, she came to see Nemo last weekend, he was 6 Babes, 6! She was so very close to my mum.... ) anyway, I asked her about breaks/fractures etc as she's a nurse and she said that it's the body's way of healing.

Mind you, it makes sense. If you're ill, you sleep. This cast is due off on Tuesday so with a bit of luck, that should be it, then rehabilitation and physio to re-strengthen the wasted muscle, I can see down my cast and it's loose around my arm so I know my arm is thinner, even with lifting my big boy!

Can you believe he's six whole years old? He's had such a journey. On his big day, DH and I shared a bottle of fizz that I got for my 40th.... he means the absolute world to us, every battle, every step has been HUGE. He's my idol.

Anyway, me....... how are the wonderful Babes? I need gossip!! xx

One handed gardening?

mouse I bet he's still beautiful give him a big squish from the bus.

Isinde Righto,will put purple DM's on and happy to come and join in Larks lane,since I now know what it is. Not doing a tan of any variety though. irish blue

ma Giss us a green M&M then

Have tucked ds into bed,sorted washing,had 1 small glass of wine and now I'm off to bed. Night all x

Happy birthday to *nemo". What a wee star.
Indie there is something very sexy about a chap/chapess in combats.....
Book me intoisindie towers for some rest and recreation and a trip down memory lane.
No m and ms for you guggs. I've eaten them all.
Off to the rugby sevens tomorrow to eat my body weight in hospitality. Ogling rugby players will make a change from soldiers....

Hmmmmm, combats.

He's still gorgeous and of course I'll give him hugs etc from his Bus Babes :)

Ma - sex? Is it you getting the sex? I need more detail tomorrow!!

Right, bed for this Mouse

Love and strength to all of you gorgeous people. I hope you can make the weekend without too many regrets.

Night lovelies xxx

Can I crawl aboard the bus please? It's my birthday today and DH isn't speaking to me because of whatever I did last night. I am so so sick of this. I need to go AF but it scares me.

Hi Andy welcome to the bus. Happy Birthday. Look after yourself today with plenty of water and food. Lots of peopleon here who will support you.

Joey your employer has to consult with you about changing hours of work, they can't just go ahead and do it. They need to explain clearly the reasons for the change and discuss options with you first. Your boss is just making assumptions not discussing. Are you contracted to part time?

Hi Andy. Happy birthday. I'm going AF today too (day 1 AGAIN!). Like you I find the whole idea of quitting the booze terrifying but I know I can't continue like this. I'm sat here feeling totally shit and hungover. At least there's lots of support on the bus . Hope your DH is talking to you now. He can't stay mad on your birthday! xx

Welcome Andy you will get loads of support here.
mouse nooooo, its khalisi getting the sex, not me!

Thanks everyone. I've lurked on here for years and climbed aboard a few times only to fall straight off again. Two weeks ago, I ran a marathon. I hold down a responsible job. I can be so strong in some ways but, when it comes to alcohol, I'm pathetic. I'm 47. I can't go on like this

DH not talking to me. I can't go anywhere because he's ripped my bank card up. I'm upstairs waiting for DD to come and talk to me with that sad disappointed look. I need to write this down so that I can read it in a few days when I get the urge to have 'just a couple'

Welcome andy and well done for posting, you've made the right choice to come on here.

mouse lovely to see you, and glad you're on the mend.

ruby

Boss has 'consulted' with me, if you can call it that. Basically I suppose what he's saying is the needs of the business have changed, so if I don't accept it they could make my post redundant. Found this with a quick google >>

Your employer may vary your hours to suit the needs of the business, and can give staff a reasonable amount of notice of such a change. You are free to accept the new terms, or reject them and find a new job.

and

Employers are entitled to make changes to your contracts where it is necessary for the reasonable requirements of the business. If the changes are relatively minor then you probably have no choice but to accept (although see below). But if they want to totally change your days or switch from days to nights then you may have a case that the changes cannot be made without your consent. However, if you do have a written contract check what it says. Most contracts are very open about working hours, allowing the employer to change them if they want.

(my contract doesn't specify working days) So, I guess I will just have to suck it up!