The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Soaking Up The Warm Sunshine, Instead Of The Warm White Wine!

[Mouseface]

Hi, I'm Mouse :)

Welcome to The Brave Babes Battle Bus.

A place for pouring out your heart without being judged, mostly because a lot of us have been exactly where you are right now, or somewhere similar.

We've been around for a while, so there's not much that we've not seen..... or heard.... or been through ourselves.

Some of the Babes are newer to the Bus, some of the Babes have been here on dear old "Gerald" (The name this Bus was given by one of the Babes, I forget who now!I suspect IsinDe or Silver) for a little while longer!

EVERYONE is welcome here. Drinkers, those who are complete non drinkers, and those who are somewhere in the middle of all of the above. :)

Some Babes are in control of their drinking, some not so much. It's dreadfully hard some days, days when there is nothing going around your head except thinking that you MUST have a drink and you sit there trying to work out when, what time you can have that first mouthful of ice cold poison.

Whatever your goal here, or why you're here, we'll all help you along the way, YOUR WAY.

There will be one of us on here that can relate to your life story as if it were a mirror they were looking at, someone to hold your hand if you want it, catch you if you fall, which you may or may not. Positive thinking, just One Day At A Time.

No one Babe is better than any other, we've all been addicts. We've all suffered, yes some more than others but it's not a competition (and no-one gets turned away) but if you rack up shed loads of sober days, you will be a winner on the thread!!

So, if you want somewhere safe to sit and enjoy the warming summer sun, come find a seat, have a chat or just sit and listen to the rest of us yakking on!!

Nice to meet you :) all.

Also, here is the latest thread -

THE LATEST THREAD WE'VE SHARED OUR STORIES AND EXPERIENCES ON

And this is the very first thread -

AND THIS THREAD, THIS THREAD IS EXTREMELY SPECIAL BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE THE JOURNEY STARTED, AND HAS SINCE EVOLVED OVER THE LAST SIX YEARS

Hope to chat soon, Mousey x

It depends what suits you snowball. If you get hungry, your brain will want to get energy into you as soon as possible. The easiest form of immediate energy is sugar. And what is full of sugar? Alcohol. So, if your brain has been used to regular doses of sugar via alcohol, that is what it will send you in search of.

So eating chocolate or other sweets can give you that quick sugar fix that your brain is after without falling prey to the wine witch. Ideally you would eat before your blood sugar level drops so that you are not faced with strong cravings but in a pinch anything sweet will do, as long as it's not alcohol.

You can wean yourself off it over time. If you want to lose weight do fill up on healthy snacks and maybe get your sugar from fruit? Tbh, we tend to do whatever it takes to not pick up that first glass of alcohol and worry about the rest of it afterwards.

Snow dieting and the first couple of weeks of being AF is (in my opinion anyway) almost impossible. Deal with one thing at a time. I don't remember what your drinking levels have been, but for me, even though the scales tell me I have put on a little weight, the mirror says different, because the puffiness and bloating have gone; so I've lost one chin, and found a waist . And now, my blood sugar levels are more level, I'm finding the sweet cravings are going without trying.

Pop, day four is a tough one, but you will start to notice the differences from day five onwards, if you haven't already, and you'll have a real sense of achievement.

Beaches, you've inspired me to go and change my sheets too (keep your fingers crossed for me that DH notices ).

How are you feeling now, Joey, is there something nice and relaxing you can do just for yourself this evening? Play soggy bottom bingo with Bake Off, using Opal Fruits instead of shots!!

Had a bit of a frustrating day. Still can't get my head around the new software interface for work, and Pup has decided that he will NOT eat the very expensive dry food he has always had before., but will eat egg, sausage, banana and carrot

I'm having to give Becks Blue a miss for a while, it's upsetting my stomach, so I'm hooking myself up to a tea pigs, peppermint tea, drip again. That said, I haven't noticed any wine cravings today .

Snow, What Faire said!

Flippin 'eck this thread moves fast sometimes! Sending strength to all those wobbling too tired here to think about drinking, myself.

Just recovering from a big old bowl of chili - it seems I can remember how to cook! I have some sweets stashed that I may break into later, assuming I stay awake that long.

Take it easy on yourselves, Babes, and those that are suffering the voice of the Wine Witch, kick her in the shins (not lick, as my autocorrect would prefer).

Dh is a wankbadger. I have failed you all tonight.

Oh ma you haven't failed us. You had two brilliant days off and you can have two more starting tomorrow. Wanna talk about the wankbadger?

puts on stern face Ma you know this bus better than that.

What's he done ma?

sniff I'm just working flat out, doing my job and lovely boss' job on reduced hours and am exhausted. Then come home to cook dinner and an argument about what is for dinner tomorrow because dd2 is coming home unexpectedly and so we need to change the planned "menu" and he can't cook because he's on nights and needs to sleep etc etc etc. Fuck, he spends his nightshift on duty watching TV and snoozing, then comes home and goes to bed for 9am until late afternoon but can't throw a curry in the slow cooker???? And I am planning on going to yoga tomorrow with a friend so that's my fault that everyone will have to eat at different times and God, its all so fucking trivial!!!
I am trying to save my company and write a funding bid for a shit load of money and need to be in London for 3 days next week,which is also a problem because how is Ds going to get to school ( no school bus, dh doesn't get home till 9).....
Ach, just fed up so have turned to my usual form of comfort. Pathetic!

Snow - what Faire and Sweet said. Last time I went AF I tried to diet simultaneously and it was well nigh impossible. As soon as I started mainlining sugar it was bearable. Also, saving the diet for when you're feeling a bit more stable about being AF did, in my experience, give a bit of a boost - a new thing to focus on at a time when there's a risk the WW might otherwise have come creeping back.

Ma - wasn't it only a week or two ago you were worrying this might be the end of the bus, it was so empty. Look what you did - you summoned us all back, you miracle lady - and you found some wonderful new babes too. Hurrah. But I am sorry about DH and all the stresses and strains - you are doing an amazing job at work and at home and i am just so sad you get so little support. Can you just chalk today up to crappy experience and start again tomorrow? Maybe try to do London AF, too - might it in a funny way be easier than being AF with all the annoyances lurking at home.

Waves to all. Been an ok day today, and I think I'll get through day 2. But gosh, I'd forgotten those first nights of AF dreams - wow are they vivid! And if the content represents the state of my subconscious then i am seriously worried - a very disturbing episode with Anton du Beke last night - really?? My psyche couldn't even deliver me Pasha or Aliazj (sp?)?? I'm ashamed of it.

Sounds pretty crap ma and, like you say, it shouldn't be that big of a deal, he signed up for family life and that's what families are like. But you haven't blown it. Take today off and get back on it tomorrow.

Did anyone see there is a 'Dry September' thread in relationships, might be another place to go to for support/distraction.

Small I have no idea who any of those people are. I'm sadly out of touch. Must try harder

Well. I am glad to be here. You have got me to day 4. Thank you babes. Please don't let the bus get empty. Sob. Snow - well done. Ma - it's a lapse not a relapse. There is nothing like carrying the family can solo to make you feel like a drink.

Ma, sorry to hear that your getting grief from your Dh. Sometimes it's like having another bloody kid isn't it!!! Sounds like you have a busy and complex life. Put today behind you and start afresh tomorrow. It's just a hiccup.

Small fox, I hadn't heard about getting strange dreams. Are their certain symptoms most people experience when going AF? How long do they last?

AF= alcohol free yes??

I ended up hitting the Haribo today after a strong urge at 5pm
and not the bottle! For me the big challenge will be if I try to drink. I'll go a week without it but once I start and can't stop. I'd love to just drink the recommended limit and just stop there. Never happens

Small...I don't watch it but I'm guessing Strictly...?

Ma that sounds so incredibly frustrating. To give you a spot of comic relief, I've just had to leave the bedroom in fits of giggles - the very elderly cat was sat with her back to DP on the bed, stroking his nip with her tail, sticking her tongue out. It was quite a sight to behold.

You know afraid I'm going to be really bored of my life and my husband if I stay AF. It's an escape from all the mundane aspects and the disappointments. Geez what a debbie-downer I am tonight .....

Wow .... Hope you apologised for barging in like that!!!

Yeah, I did feel like I'd spoiled a moment :)

Thank you all for your understanding. You babes are the on!y people who totally get it. I promise to be back on it tomorrow. Will just have time to get in from work, get changed and then head out to yoga and by the time I get back from that and have a bath it will be bed time. Wonder if someone in the family will find the energy and skill to switch the slow cooker on if I prep it all before I go to work???? God help them all if I come home to dirty dishes......
snowball I understand.

Small, your subconscious hates you! (Quite like Brendan personally) .

Cat, what is it with these men and cats? My DH 'holds hands' with Puss if she get on the sofa

Ma, that sucks. Would it really hurt him to get up an hour early one day? I did nights for a year when I was a post grad, and could never sleep past 1.30 in the afternoon; and ok, I was younger then, but I'd sometimes get up and take a seminar the next day too. Have you stopped now! Grab a cup of tea and get yerself to bed.

Snow, as well as sweet cravings, there's spots, from about day three or four, fortunately followed by dewy, fresh skin. Tiredness, bloody hell the tiredness, that just replaces the passing out at 9pm. But once your sleep patterns normalise (varies for everyone, could take a few days, could be a few weeks), the quality of sleep is amazing, and hopefully around the second week, you'll get the 'boing'! What else, Babes?

Thanks all. I have stopped now and am going to bed

I Have bonkers dreams when AF. Really vivid and psychoanalytical like seeing my first ever boyfriend again or being ignored by all the mums in the school run! It's like alcohol blocks it all out. No bloody shit Sherlock!

Ok I'm off to bed In a minute as craving craving and am almost shaking at the thought of birthday night out...

Should I be setting a drinking limit. I'd be a liar if I said I was gonna to AF it.

Here comes the rain again ....

Ma I totally get it . Leave a psychotic note on top of the slow cooker saying you will not be responsible for the resulting murders if they don't leave you some curry and clean the kitchen after themselves, then throw yourself into work. Hope the bid is going ok.

Well done on Day 4 Pop.

Snowball, I hear you on the Haribo. Eat tons of them when not drinking.

Waves to Sweet, Faire, Small and all other babes ...

Sorted business bank account this morning, then went into office where new team based feeling all adult and sophisticated. Took short cut out of car park in heels (which I hardly ever wear), tumbled down grass slope, broke left shoe and sprained right ankle. And I was stone cold sober. 'What an excellent first impression', I thought, as I picked myself up off the grass.

Spent night with bag of frozen peas on foot. In agony.

In bed now after bumping up the stairs backwards on my bum. I've put some weight on too, my triceps were barely able to haul me there...

Still happier than I was in old job though.

Ooh, Looking - that sounds pants on many levels - but shiny new team is exciting stuff :)

I'm rather dehydrated this morning, which I was expecting. However, I've just had a really disappointing cup of tea, which I was not expecting. I'm blaming the tea bags. I'm watching an old episode of Dr Who before getting ready for work, and debating another cup of coffee, which whilst it was acceptable, just isn't tea . And I'm going to have to wait till this afternoon to have one that I know will be ok.

On a less mundane note, DP may be moving to more sociable hours in the near future. This can't come soon enough, as I'm really bloody bored of this being tired all the time shit.

Ma - I second Looking's advice about the psychotic note. Consequences for unthinking actions need to be the way forward . It's like you're not even being treated like an equal part of the household, there's no acknowledgement of everything you do, and I'm getting grumpy thinking about it. Perhaps another coffee would be a good idea!