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

Work know. Not about the drinking but my mental health problems. I went to the GP who basically said well done for recognising there is an issue, you need to stop drinking. I asked my DP to come home at lunchtime (he only works round the corner) so hopefully he will and I'll feel a bit better.

Welcome glamour and I hope you're getting some real life support this afternoon.

I am in a foul mood. I'm ancient 54 and I've got a fucking period And it hurts..... Doesn't mother nature know that all of this should have finished years ago?

Oh well at least it didn't arrive next week when I'm on holiday.

Bad luck Venus. I recently had a polyp removed and am simultaneously moving into weird period territory. Sending sympathy.

Glamour - how are you doing?

Hi all. I'm actually doing a little better- buoyed up by anger more than anything. My DP came home on his lunchbreak earlier so it was good to talk to someone irl. This won't even count as a sick day, as I have swapped my days around so will still do all my contracted hours this week. Since starting, I've had 3 days off with a chest infection but that's not a ridiculous amount I don't think.

Apparently my work is good and I'm well liked, but my health is becoming too disruptive for the department according to someone in a supervisory role so they and my manager will have to think again about taking me on permanently. I've been told repeatedly that I will pass fine, and that I'd even have to "do something terrible or change my personality" not to pass. The last time someone said this to me was Friday. So it's confusing and more than a bit weird.

Hi babes! happy Monday (??!!) Hope everyone had a good weekend - mine was mainly spent clearing out the loft and going to the dump - oh the glamour!
still struggling to get to day2 again, Strictly on saturday was a convenient excuse for prosecco with my mother (its our tradition to watch strictly together) nothing excessive but would really like to just be AF for a while - although i really enjoyed my evening (is that wrong to say!?) why is it so bloody hard to not have a first drink with strictly!! And then today i went to my bereavement therapy for my dad and we ended up talking a lot about alcohol and my relationship to it and i told the woman i was scared to be a teetotaller as it would make me boring and would be yet another negative thing in my life! (sounded so lame when it came out my mouth) the lady was like "why would that be a negative thing?"
thanks for the ginger beer tip cat maybe i need something more exciting like that, so far fizzy water has just led to wine...
Thanks sweet, i may be in the sidecar but at least i'm here right?! what pup do you have? i have a lakeland terrier - she's hilarious, but very willful... she knows what up, i swear whenever i pour myself a drink she gives me the "look"
hey pop thanks for sharing, i think you're doing brilliantly too. xx

oops posted to soon...
i wanted to say welcome to you glamour
3 days off for a chest infection is not ridiculous at all - they sound like they're being a bit wanker-y to say the least. Whatever happens your health and happiness is number one!

Today is day 7 of dry September. Nearly a quarter done already. Even if it seems hard 'in the moment', the days do start to stack up quite quickly. If anyone is struggling, try to hang on to that idea. It is only the here and now that we have to worry about.

A while back I read something on the Dry thread which stuck in my mind. I'm sure they won't mind if I quote it here:

'When you have some sober momentum, don't fuck with it'. Which basically means keep going, don't think 'just one'.

I hope those who may have lost momentum find a way back to it because it's the getting started that's the hardest.

Once you make that commitment, plan it, prepare for it and just go for it, all that remains is to stay away from that first drink, that 'just one' which will never be just one for people like us.

If you want a drink today, right now, tell yourself 'not now, maybe tomorrow' because we don't have to worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Take care of yourself today babes, it's just one day x

On bus to get kids then home to the usual post work second shift with kids. wW usually calls to me at 7 or 8. Tonight I am prepared. No booze in house , I will determined silence that voice that says I need it. It's just a voice. Nice post faire.

Tonight I'm bored. I went to eat and had tap water. I really craved dessert. I so of wanted wine. All the restaurants are touting happy hour drink specials, etc. I felt sort of left out. Like, a two for one cocktail special would have given me something to do in some weird way. But I don't think I would have felt good after. I would have ended up tired.

Today would have been a dim sum & beer day, as it was rather stressy, however, it seems that I bounced back from the stressyness better than I usually do. I still had dim sum, but am having a 0% Radler - it's actually rather ok and you can get it in supermarkets.

We're using a Feliway diffuser for the little old Dcat, and so far, so good. Fingers crossed she gets more sleep and isn't as anxious...you never know, we might get more than 2 hours at a time tonight. Crikey, AF and full of sleep - I might actually be dangerous tomorrow (boing alert!!).

Glamour - when I started my new job recently, I caught ALL the colds (new office, new air con, new germs, innit?), and had to take time off. Your bosses sound like a bunch of Cockwombles.

Happy Monday everyone mwah

I'm off to bed in ten mins after a cuppa. Day 1 nearly done. Have horrid cold sore . My dad due to have emergency bowel surgery tomorrow. What a day.

Ma and sweet how are you?
Cat - you sound perky.
Isinde - where are you?
Glamour did you make day 1? Your work is being unreasonable to change their opinion if your probation like thAt. They need evidence to fail you. You could challenge them.

Hello, tis me, Mouse

Sweet - orange fish? Are they not goldfish? Do you have a circus near you right now? Your day out sounds lovely, the weather was lovely here yesterday.

Welcome to you Glamour :)

cat - I'm so sorry to read about your cat, we have Mabel, she's 20 in November! We too, we I'm wondering how long we've got left with her

venus that's an utter nightmare for you, just when you think that you have waved a jolly goodbye to all of that crappy womaness :(

So, how is everyone? Baby are you feeling better?

I do worry about the Babes we've 'lost' as such.... xxxx

Morning.

It was one of these, Mouse . . .

Bleurgh Sweet, you couldn't pay me to eat that! Popstar - yep, I'm of a perky disposition - it was day 7, now day 8, and I'm feeling level. It's a good feeling.

Mouse - we've not had our elderly cat all her life, she was living in a field for quite some time, no-one really knows how long for. One thing's for sure, she's not even vaguely bothered about that there outdoors any more! We weren't sure how long we were going to have with her from the start as she's been diagnosed with iffy kidneys, but she's still going strong(ish) a couple of years on. The Feliway has made a huge difference - it's massively taken the edge off her anxiety when she's on her own. I'm slightly less impressed with our younger cat who dragged me from a really good sleep to keep her company in the living room at 5, only to drop the smelliest dump ever - I swear it's still lingering.
I'm thinking I might get another cuppa, and take the bus into work today - I definitely need to get more caffiene in my system before I leave the flat.

Ma - how was your soldier oogling? Did you enjoy your peace & quiet on the train?

Ops, posted too soon.

Hermit, Pup is a working strain Cocker Spaniel with an extremely high hunting drive (euphamism for: little bugger only comes back when he's ready!). Lakelands are the ones that look like small Airdales? I can see she would be able to 'give you the look', gorgeous.

Glamour, it is perfectly normal for someone starting a new job to have sick days - you're exposed to new stresses and new germs, as Cat said. Perhaps if you can discuss it with your line manager when you're feeling a little stronger.

Cat, I hope Dcat gave you some sleep last night, they are such a worry when they start getting old.

Faire, I love 'sober momentum', and I know to my cost what 'fucking with it' does. Those little days do add up, I can hardly believe that I am already on day 27 - that's very nearly a month.

Mutton, you need to give in to that desire for dessert - it will help, and you can cut back on that when the wine witch is a bit quieter.

I hope your Dad's operation is a success, Pop, hang on in there.

The light has a really Autumn-y quality to it this morning. Our park has baled the hay (they let it grow long as a meadow all summer), and I've booked Pup in for a new semester haircut before the students get back; so I guess I can start drinking more hot chocolate, and the call of the Cava will lessen!!

I'm working from home today, lectures to polish, and getting quite excited about seeing all the shiney new freshers. Have a good day everyone.

Pup got super muddy on his morning walk, but I couldn't be cross because he was having such fun chasing swallows. It took two rinses, an shampooing and conditioning and another rinse before the water ran clear, and I think I may have blocked DS's shower!! Anyway, after a mad half hour he is now tucked up in my snuggle blanket and DH has put the fire on for him because he was shivering - it most certainly is a dog's life!

in london, working hard!

Them soldiers won't ogle themselves Ma

Hi new friends. Made it through the Labor Day (bank holiday) weekend without drinking and into day 11. Had some wobbles on Friday and Saturday nights . Am in a phase of life (not much extra money, 2 year old DS) of not going out much- the drinking has been mostly wine "with dinner" at home. I keep making a cooking plan and the drink pairing automatically shows up in the thought - eg spag carbonara and nice glass of red; home made burger with cold beer. So then some other part of my brain has to edit it each time. This is exhausting. Feels like trudging up a hill at the exact moment of the day when usually sipping first glass would feel like sweet relief. But I know this is normal, from reading you all and a lot of other great stuff online (who knew there were so many blogs? You can surf around till you find some that resonate and comfort). Had more flu symptoms coming and going wed- yesterday for a few hours each time, not at wine o clock but earlier. Simple paracetamol helped . Hope that's not a no no to medicate using another drug. Assume this will pass. Feeling good this morning - gorgeous day (best time of year imo) and I feel some sort of lightness and thankfulness. . That made me a little teary but it's good.

Well done for getting through the long weekend, Siren. It's not been so bad this time, but in the past when I have given up, I have had to invest heavily in microwave and ready to eat meals, so I wouldn't have to be in the kitchen long enough to get tempted! Hold on to those good feelings, it will get easier.

Quick check in to say hello.

Especially lovely to see you baby, hope things are on the up.

Hopefully be back to chat properly later

Hi babes!
faire i really enjoyed your post, so true about "the now" and not thinking on tomorrow just focusing on today, have you read any Eckhart Tolle? he talks all about that
pop i hope your dads surgery went ok?
sweet awww i love a spaniel! we were originally going to get one and call it Spaniel Day Lewis but we ended up with our Lakeland (yes a mini airedale!) 100% madam
well done siren and to all the other babes

Dads surgery got bumped by an even greater emergency case who came in just as my dad was about to be wheeled to surgery! So he's now waiting for the op tomorrow and being pumped full of antibiotics the whole while. I'm miles away but my bro is there tonight and my mum sounds very panicky and is lashing out/ blaming in her usual way when a crisis happens. On way to get kids from school club with a throbbing cold sore and a huge alcohol crave but really determined to get another day 2 under my belt as alcohol is not going to help.

at Spaniel Day Lewis, Hermit - but you've gotta love a terrier with a mission.

Hello, April

Pop, as tempting as it might be, you will be glad you have a clear head to deal with everything.

I've noticed I'm getting much better at getting things done. Today I took back a bag of dog food that Pup refused to eat (our pet shop has a no quibbles money back guarantee), the drunken me would have just left it and bought a new flavour. Then DS came home and asked for sticky back plastic to cover his school books, so I went straight out and got it - the drunken me would have said I'll do it next time I'm in town and written a note to say it was my fault he hadn't done it. I'd just let things slide, they are very ordinary things that most grown ups manage to do, but I'm really pleased with myself!

Pop - my DF went through similar a few years ago - yours is in the right place. I totally agree with you about dealing with it better with a clear head. I'm sorry your DM isn't dealing with it so well.

Poor old DP missed out on the job that would have given him better shifts. I do feel for him, and I hope I can pull him out of his funk when he gets home. At least I won't be doing my best Captain Jack Sparrow impersonation (apparently I'm not a very subtle drunk - who knew?), which he'll be relieved about.

I really should eat something, but I'm not hungry and am feeling a bit meh - suspect I've caught new term-itis from one of the many parents of school age children at work. Harrumph.

How's everyone elses evening shaping up?