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

Sounds like he's just down joey and yes, lack of sex turns them into miserable bastards. Can't tell you ho wmuch I have wished dh would find another woman. I would wish them nothing but happiness.
It's been a mixed day today so far. A £30 parking ticket and a £110 tax rebate. Guess I'm up on the day at this point.

Pup surprised us all by being brilliant at training. It was his last puppy class, so a few weeks of bedding in, then it's beginners gun dog classes for us

joey, poor you. My exP spent most of his time bringing the mood down, and boy was he good at it. Unfortunately, he was never up to anything other than being a miserable bastard!

Small, it takes a while, you know the drill, hang on in there. Sainsburys have San Pelegrino soft drink cans on offer - I just got lemon and mint, and blood orange. And garden centres of have posh cordials and drinks you don't see anywhere else. Go treat yourself.

Joey, could it be work stress? My DP can be like that, very distant and quite grumpy when he is under a lot of stress at work. He doesn't always tell me at the time so I said around wondering what I've done wrong .

Why is giving up getting harder and not easier? When's the peak? I am PLOWING through the Haribou tonight!!!!

Snow, the cravings will subside, but then they come back and bite you on the bum at unexpected times. What kind of haribo? I love tangfastics, but my go to sweets at the moment are M&S mint crumbles

Small, did you get anything interesting at the garden centre?

Pups afternoon walk included a free music fest at our local park. I love where I live!

Hey Sweet - and yay for pup!

Thanks for asking! I had a lovely time at the garden centre; DP took the kids off to the park so I got to have a proper look round unencumbered by clamouring small persons.

I didn't get any exciting cordials, but did have a lovely ferret around the plants - have planted out the window boxes with a gorgeous mix of cyclamen and viola (for some reason that tried to autocorrect to 'cybermen' - an interesting choice for window boxes!), and got loads of bulbs for the garden. So I feel quite virtuous and have (touch wood) also passed my weekend witching hour, which as I say rather unnervingly seems to be mid morning these days! I think I'll be ok now for today. How are you doing and what have you been up to? Hope you have not been besieged by misbehaving IT interfaces today (or whatever it was).

I think DM must be psychic - she had alcohol free beer in the fridge! Has anyone tried Soft Brew? We had a lovely catch up and did the stuff we planned to do, DB is looking well, and looking after himself which is great news. I'm nearly ready for bed - her Ddog & I went out for a good length walk earlier - love walking her, she's got great recall these days.

How's everyone getting on this evening?

Small, the window boxes sound lovely, they're on my list for next year. I had some bulbs delivered earlier this week, and I should have my wallflowers at the end of the month when the summer annuals come out. I've not even looked at anything work related today; I'm trying to ensure my work/life balance stays balanced this year, so my weekends are my own.

Cat, dogs are good for the soul as well as the legs! I've not tried softbrew, looking forward to your review.

Day 24 for me, and really feeling the benefits.

Sitting down to Strictly!

Oh arses - am I really missing Strictly? Buggeration! I don't think it's really DM's thing. I'll catch up on it on Monday. The Soft Brew stuff is flavoured with fruit, so it's not as if it's trying to be normal beer, per se. It definitely feels grown up, however, it's making me thirsty, despite being 0%.

I haven't done a thing in the garden this year. Not one bedding plant, not one bulb....you put me to shame

Cat, it's only the pairing up show, Pasha just failed to pick up Carol Kirkwood!

You've had other things on your mind, Ma, and gardening is my main hobby, RHS membership and all.

Mmm...elderflower and soda with a dash of angostura bitters (yep, its alcohol, but minimal!) - yum.

Bit underwhelmed by Strictly contestants and troubled that I was relieved to see Peter Andre as at least I recognised him. But I guess that is the point of Strictly, going on a 'journey' (aargh) with people about whom you neither know nor care, and then unaccountably feeling bereft when they disappear at the end. And I do like Carol Kirkwood and at least she had a proper dress on, unlike everyone else. I am now officially become my mother.

Small. I will never become my mother. Unfortunately, that probably means, I've turned into my dad!!

Feeling sheepish about posting as still drinking . Will aim for day 1 tomorrow but am still with you in spirit. Did I spy Jeremy vine on strictly?

Are we allowed to ask people where they live on MN ?

Not sure Pop but I think I want to live wherever Sweet lives. I want a park with a free surprise festival.

Bought stationery for my business today. Nicked most of it from my last job but quite workaday stuff so ventured out to limp round WH Smith with dd and bought some lovely pink and orange polka dot files and boxes . And the best bit is they are tax deductible

Then took dd for a treat to a lovely cafe by the cathedral, had chai tea and polish rye toast and dd had brownies and milk. Felt a better treat than a sauvignon blanc as am on Day 5 and over the hump temptation wise (for now, till the next stress trigger)

My garden looks like a jungle though. I am joining Ma in the shed of shame

I am finding days 5-8 very much harder than the first few. Had a very hardcore Chinese massage this afternoon, which did help. Onwards!

Morning.

Pop you need to be posting even more when you are drinking and struggling to get day one under your belt. And of course you can ask where people live - some would rather be cagey, some don't mind. I'm in Hampshire. And my local authority does parks and community events rather well.

Hope, stationary shopping, love it. Took DS last week, it was SO exciting filling a basket - and I got 24 sharpies for £6.99 for me . Your day with DD sounds lovely, and you just sound as though you are really thriving away from your old work stress.

Not sure I want to, but I have to ask, Siren, 'hard core Chinese massage'? And yes, 5-8 is hard because you are starting to feel better, and forgetting what a permanent hangover feels like. It will get easier.

Right I will be back this evening, have a good day all

Is it wrong of me to start the day with home made Plum crumble cake and cream? I'm not even going to fit in the sidecar or the shed of shame at this rate!
pop if I didn't post when drinking I would never post at all. I live in Central Scotland where today, amazingly, the sun is shining.
hope I agree you sound so much more positive now all the old job stuff is gone. Sounds like you had a great day yesterday.
I have tons to do today and MUST go and visit dad....I hate it.
Tomorrow am off to London to the House of Commons doncha know, and a spot of soldier ogling. Ridiculous to be so excited about having a few hours to myself on the train.
Must go. Bee in the house which I need to rescue....

Ok message received. I need to get over Shame of bingeing and be more open and honest if I'm going to beat this thing. It's always been my problems been to have the balls to show my weakness and admit I'm not coping. I've been drinking heavily for 30 years since about aged 15 when I would my it with speed, acid , dope . Had a daily cannabis habit which I quit aged 35 when I had kids. Had a half decade of mdma use in the mid 90s which ironically was the only time I curbed my drinking. Since having my DDs its 'just' been the booze. dP drinks but seems to be able to have AF days with very little bother. I have a very critical mother - not supportive , emotionally very cold - and although I'm not blaming her I know it's partly why I struggle to show my sadnesses and that I'm not coping and go into myself / drink etc. have tried super hard not to replicate this in my own mothering and think I do ok. Lately struggling though with ' boredom'of long term relationship / tediousness of childrearing/ low level stress of juggling job/ kids etc. and for the first time really can clearly see that the drink isn't helping anymore. Very curious to know myself and who I or who I can be without any substances. Phew. Getting in the shower now.

Ps I live in London but I'm a northerner.

Wow, Pop you seem to be coping brilliantly if you don't mind me saying, no matter what it feels like. You have already controlled / quit so many substances, and you are taking steps to control the booze too, all with the stresses of young children to bring up and an unsupportive parent making you feel low in the background. I think you are a star (and not just the evil pop variety)

I too have avoided posting on here when I've had a major binge (I am a funny sort of drinker - can go weeks without it once the hurdle of day 1 - 3 is over, can sometimes do moderate social drinking, but then once I start a binge - usually triggered by stress / upset - I can drink for days and feel suicidal). Equally when I'm doing well I wonder if my chirpy posts are irritating babes who are struggling. But I've never had anything but support from this wonderful bus and feel I have made some real genuine friends. So please carry on posting here - we all understand and don't judge. And if you bring us some once in a while, even better

What are we all up to today? I am going to see Paper Towns with dd which I bet will be awful, mawkish teenage crap but I want to treat her for clearing out a chest of drawers and setting up my home office yesterday while I made dinner . She is more organised than me and has done a better job than I would have! Plus just seen a timehop of ds on his first day at high school 4 years ago and when I compare that fresh faced smiley boy with the teenage zombie upstairs in bed right now then I realise I won't have my little girl much longer (she is 12 now) so am making the most of her wanting to be with me.

Out for a curry this evening too. My diet is just not happening. Anyone want to buddy up for a weight loss challenge tomorrow? (I know, I ask this as often as I start the 30 day shred but rarely follow through. But one day I need to make it happen or no clothes will fit me)

But on a happier note, thanks for all the good wishes on the new job, and yes, I feel like a new person. Of course it's scary dealing with tax and spreadsheets and payroll and the whole self employed stuff. But I am SO much happier - feel positively bouncy. Am really seeing how much that vile job, was weighing me down. This time last year I used to cry the night before going back to work after a weekend. And drink of course.

Love to all babes out there - and Ma, enjoy your day tomorrow (also love me-time on train to London!)

Thank you hope. all round.

Morning all, back on the train after a good long walk with DMs Ddog. She slept on my bed last night - she's a real cuddle monster.

I really hope there's a buffet cart on this train, as I'm desperate for a cuppa!

Day 6 here, and feeling human, possibly a bit tired, but that's par for the course with me. DP will hopefully find out about whether his shifts are changing to more sensible ones tomorrow, so hopefully no more 3:30am starts before long.

Popstar - flipping heck! I second Looking - you've got so much under your belt in terms of control - booze is just so much more difficult because it's more socially acceptable, in fact, you feel like you're going to be a pariah if you don't partake. People actually look surprised if you go out for the evening and aren't knocking it back. DP went out to a sports event this week - he left at 9 in the morning and didn't get back until midnight, he was a spectator, and didn't drink a drop as he actually wanted to watch the event & remember it. His colleagues were incredulous that such a thing could happen!

Well, apparently, there is no buffet cart on this train. I'm a little miffed. Oh well, onwards and upwards. Dbro has loaned us a political drama on DVD, which I'm looking forward to actually being able to watch and keep track of. And I think I might pop into the supermarket on the way home & pick up some AF cobra, if they have any. I've accidentally drank one of those in the past, and the only thing I noticed was that my brain didn't pick up on the alcohol, IYSWIM?