The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Waving Goodbye To Summer Nights, Sipping Mocktails.

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm Mouse Welcome to the Bus. :)

Well, it would appear that Autumn is on it's way I have the heating on and can't wait to use the log burner.... shhh!

So, who are we? We're just like you. Married, single, divorced, lots of children or no children, working or a SAHM, it doesn't matter, we all breathe the same air.....

We're just trying to live our lives on the Bus, like you do each day. Well, except for one thing...

I know don't start my day with a swig, or seven, from a litre bottle of vodka (choose your poison) any longer.

And that's what has kept me here, for years now. And no doubt many more to come. Reading the stories of others struggles, wanting to say "I feel like that" or "I do that too!" but being to ashamed to be the first to put your hand up.

Well, let me reassure you here and now, there's not much that we haven't read about on here or done ourselves over the years.

We've laughed at stories of haphazard nights out, we've cried at the loss of loved ones and we've shared the pain that only an alcoholic knows when all that they want is to STOP!

Push the pause button, get off the ride, shut the door, bury yourself under the duvet for days. We've all felt that sickening feeling in our gut that makes us want to curl up and hide forever. And we've shared it all on here.

You see I don't know you and you don't know me, so we're just words on a screen to each other. Eventually, you'll get to know me more and I you, and the other fantastic Babes too, some will stay, some leave us, then some come back.

One thing I can PROMISE - here you are safe, here you won't be judged, turned away (unless you're not genuine) and we even have a huge stock of Opal Fruits but that's all down to Ma.

So, if you think we're you're kind of lovely bunch of people to help you stop drinking, slow down, hold your hand while you decide what to do, then come find a seat!


OUR MOST RECENT THREAD

AND A VERY SOBERING READ, THAT LEAD TO THE BIRTH OF THE THREADS THAT FOLLOWED

[dementedma]

I'm in bed with a hot water bottle and a family sized bag of peanut m and ms

[aliasjoey]

Good idea, peanut m & m's are actually the first line of treatment no matter what kind of cystitis you suffer from. Surprised they're not available on the NHS actually.

[dementedma]

Loljoey they do it for me...and I can't even be bothered to get up and clean my teeth now. Totally living on the edge....
I think I prefer them to Opal Fruits....

[catl1tterinmybra]

Ma! Wash your mouth out!

[aliasjoey]

DH is watching another of his daft sci-fi films. A character says she has nightmares about killing aliens or vampires or zombies or something, and says "I wake up sweating, my muscles clenched"

And I remarked 'sounds like she's menopausal, she wants to get some HRT '

For some reason, DH did not find this amusing

[evilpopstar]

Hi all. Bit sheepish here as bringing down the sober vibe. Had literally the equiv of a 175ml pub glass of wine with my mum after we got back from seeing my dad at the hospital last night. For a Friday night for me that's good. Dodged a bullet not being in London as the girls were whatsapping me until midnight with drunken party ramblings. Love them but boy do they drink. And are awesome fearsomely intelligent fun. Arghhh.
Anyway - ma , goose, Venus, sweet, siren, faire, taking, alias, cat everyone you are an awesome sober gang and have beautifully supported me to start to cut down and build those AF days of which I have had seven since I begun posting almost two weeks ago. Thank you.

My dad is doing ok but has lost a lot of weight and isn't eating yet - he needs to get his catheter and drain out ( Monday) before they think of discharging him ( poss Wednesday).

My plan is to head back to London tomorrow ,regain sobriety and get to that Thursday night yoga class.

What's everyone up to this weekend?

[catl1tterinmybra]

Morning. I am back from an epic grocery shopping fail. I went out to get the ingredients for millionaire shortbread, plus a few bits & bobs. Came back with some interesting flavoured coffee, some marinade for a slow cooked bit of pork, some posh spaghetti and dishwasher cleaner, following the dishwasher licking incident a couple of evenings ago. Completely forgot the ingredients for the shortbread .
I'll nip out again when DP is watching the footie.
Just got a few bits to do round the flat, then it's sofa & mumsnet surfing a go!

Popstar - you are doing so well - it's horrible seeing your parents in an unpleasant state. I remember when my DF came back from hospital after a 6-ish week stay, he had shrunk, and looked a lot like his little old mum.

alias that sci-fi film comment made me chuckle :)

[babyjane1]

Good morning babes,

It's pouring here and I'm loaded with the cold, fellow Scots will understand the term "its a dreech day".

I'm really enjoying reading all your posts and getting to know our lovely newbies and I had a thought anne about playing it through to the end. A very wise babe, can't remember who cos your all so wise told us to imagine the drinking process back to front, so after we drink we get the hangover before the "buzz".

So you drink your bottle of wine (or 2) and immediately start to feel sick, horribly horribly sick, then there's a full day with nausea, pounding headache which throbs with every movement, the sweats make you feel dirty and harassed then oh my god the anxiety, you eat total crap the whole day and can't concentrate on anything, kids don't get their promised trip to the park, can't face making the lovely roast you'd planned and the house is a tip cos you can't get off the couch. You face is bloated and has aged a decade, your belly is swollen and your running to the toilet with an upset tum. You've missed yoga and a coffee with a dear friend and frankly you loathe yourself. You felt like you've been poisoned, oh that's right you have!!!!! At the end of this 18hr hell you get a vague lightheaded buzz and feel a better about your life, you miss the film you wanted to watch and dose away your precious few spare hours or text in appropriate, misspelt shit which later leaves you mortified, the good bit only lasts a few hours and then it's back to square one!!!!!! If it was this way round would you put yourself through all that???? I don't think so!!!!

Makes you think doesn't it?????

Xxxxx

[Sirenetta]

jane yes it does!

popstar - gosh what a time you're having. Well done with the near abstinence.

I'm on day 15! Got through the second sober Friday night much easier. We did our new thing, which is to get babysitter in for ds (2) while we sit and go through our household finances and admin. Then we go out for dinner. This was our 3rd time doing this and it feels so good - we discuss important stuff about money without distractions, and then celebrate. We had curry. Dh's Taj Mahal did look delicious and I kept automatically reaching for it but it didnt exactly bother me. Also he woke up this morning saying he didn't sleep well (whereas I was out like a light)- ha! We have been married 5 years, made silly financial blunders (nothing catastrophic just some careless errors) along the way and now we are really in control and communicating. It feels so good and is in exact parallel with not drinking .

Clearly the cloud is pink today:$


So I do have one question: have you non drinkers found new habits to replace pouring that first glass when you get in? This is the hardest thing now that the rubbish aches and pains have gone.

[catl1tterinmybra]

To be honest, Sirenetta , I just pour a glass of something different, whether it be soda water, ginger beer or one of my AF concoctions (thus far, Super Bock, black label 0% is my favourite). I make sure I sit down, and chill out in peace & quiet (as much as the cats will give me) for about 10 minutes, then I'm good to start my evening without going on a bender.
I don't know what's going to happen when I agree to meet DP in the pub after work, which is bound to happen at some point, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.
Day 15 is brilliant!

How's everyone else getting on? My shortbread is in the oven, I fell asleep when the footie was on (I find it a very relaxing noise, all the crowds, and talk of stuff that I'm not really interested in!), and my pork is bubbling away in the slow cooker. I'll bung some jacket spuds in the halogen oven in a bit.... Domestic goddess ahoy!

[melsbelles]

Hi just lost my whole first post argggh!

[melsbelles]

Sorry about that. New to mumsnet never mind this thread. Have spent the last 48 hours reading some of the old threads. They really made me think. I no longer drink when out as I want to enjoy myself. What does that tell me?

However I do drink 3/4 days a week to the point of always being underpowered the day after. I have been drinking for many, many years and don't want that half life anymore. My kids are grown and I am divorced. Not sure I fit the profile However I have thought about my drinking and seen things from a different angles by lurking here.

[catl1tterinmybra]

Hi Melsbelles - I don't think there's really a profile here - some of us have DCs, some don't, I'm pretty sure there's a variety of marital status & ages here too. The amounts we drink vary too, and the amounts we used to drink will have varied too. If it's too much for you, then it's too much. I love the way you describe the feeling of being underpowered the day after.

[dementedma]

Underpowered is a good word belles -welcome.
My older two dcs are adults and we even have grannies on here - looks at Venus so there are quite a few of us more mature ladies around.
Well done to those notching up the days. I'm not.

[evilpopstar]

Melsbelles come on in and take a seat. There's plenty of listening ears and support. I've not managed to stop drinking but I'm doing a lot more alcohol free time since I've been on this bus.

[evilpopstar]

Just wondering if it's super lazy and slightly disrespectful that I'm not putting everyone's names in bold? To do so I write stars by it right?

[dementedma]

Star to the left and star to the right will do it evil
Not disrespectful but just makes it easier to spot who you are talking to.

[melsbelles]

Yesterday was AF woke up feeling good. Just had a poke about to find the This Morning interview with David Cassidy. Dear lord if I need reminding why I must stay away from alcohol I will watch this. As a little girl I remember him. He was so good looking, cool and a total ride (was too young to realise at the time). Now he is a sad man who appears drunk on the tele and is fooling no one. The look on Eamon Holmes face speaks volumes. If you want to know why drinking is a bad idea go YouTube.

Have a great day all x

[SweetLathyrus]

Morning, still here. Friday and Saturday got away from me a bit, but I got lots done, and stayed AF.

In a bit of a grot this morning because I seem to have broken the coffee machine, D'argh, and the spare one (yes, I know, who the fuck has a spare coffee machine?) is at work. Double D'argh!

Will be back in a bit, if and when I've got some caffeine down my neck.

[evilpopstar]

Morning all. belles there is nothing like seeing a drunk who thinks they are getting away with it to make you realise how pathetic it is!

sweet two coffee machines eh? It's probably a whole new thread but any recommendations as to which one to buy? Have a feeling it might help with the AF evenings.
I've just woken up in the little guest room at my mums retirement flats. My dad wasn't great last night and isn't passing as much urine as he should've through his catheter. I've got to go back to London today as got big work event tomorrow but really wishing I could stay here and see what's what at the hospital.
We got home at 830 last night I drank 1 beer 2 small wines. There was a whole new bottle of wine which my mum was urging me to open buried resisted u thinking of you all and also how much shooter I would feel in the morning.

Again , it's not an AF-er but three weeks ago I would have had at least another half bottle more likely the whole thing.

[evilpopstar]

Ok typos akimbo there.

Buried = but I
Shooter = shitter.

Think I need !

[dementedma]

Well done on resisting that other bottle evil
Morning all. Up peeing in the night, or feeling that I need to.
Cystitis is horrible. Just want to stay in bed all day but need to take DD back to uni....

[Fairenuff]

When you get back, get yourself back to bed ma and rest/doze. Hope you feel better soon, keep drinking lots of water to flush it through x

Hi belles welcome to the bus, keep posting whatever pops into your head, that's how it works round here

[dementedma]

I posted on the health thread and people have suggested a substance called d-mannose. It sound excellent. Has anyone tried it?

[catl1tterinmybra]

Morning my lovelies! Been up since about 5, bloody shiftwork & cats! I'm actually feeling touched out by the buggers this morning. Perhaps I've had too much tea, I dunno.
I'm taking millionaire shortbread to an artist friend this afternoon - we're talking fascinators for the wedding - if you ever met me, you'd understand how frankly bonkers this actually is.