Brave Babes - Wrapping up for a Wonderful Winter

[venusandmars]

Hi, I am venusandmars and I've been on these threads for many years.

It can be tough at this time of year when the adverts are full of families cheerfully opening bottles of wine and good cheer, when work parties are alcohol fuelled, when distant friends call round with a bottle in hand.

Maybe you're trying to cut down a little in the pre-Christmas weeks, maybe you are struggling to know how to continue with a longer period of abstinence, maybe you are waking up after a Christmas Party feeling sick and covered in shame (or even feeling shame and covered in sick).

Whatever, whenever, if you want to stop, or cut down, or simply share your struggle with others who also feel the tug..... please join us.

Usually our lovely mouseface opens these threads, but the poor mouse is sick in hospital and so I am overcoming the technophobia that a 50-something feels.... (well done me ). Our last thread is here if you want to read the last few posts

And if you want to read the story from the beginning (you'll need a few weeks) HERE is where it all started when Jesuswhatnext posted in May 2010.

Welcome one and all x

Haha, I will put you on my list as a definite 'yes' then ma just in case

Thanks for the heads up lovely Ma.

Still here, still sober.

HeyMargie well done you. I always forget to name check everyone so if you are feeling abandoned just leap in and bargw to the front of the bus in an attention seeking sort of way. That's what the rest of us do....

testing testing 123

Turns out you're a mind-reader as well Ma! I'm a sensitive wee soul and find the name-checking (or non name-checking) a bit odd at times. But I've been doing plenty of lurking and it's great to see all the babes making such good progress.

Don't be put off by it margie . some of us have known each other for quite a long time now on here so it seems normal to about out for folks we "know". Just make a noise if you are feeling forgotten. This thread moves so fast it's hard to keep up with who is on board and who isn't and sometimes we lose people for a while. It's nothing personal
Shouts out to rural and khalisi and thurso andwry and Annie and Indie and the long lost silver and of course,mouse

Thanks Ma, you're a .

Thanks for welcome everyone .
Baby what a fabulous post . I shall re read that im sure .
4th night now done AF and shocked that I had no physical withdrawals . Haven't gone that long in years .
The best thing is it's ok ! I have more time in the evenings , I'm awake , and a big bonus is my fave and skin aeem clearer ( ? Could be new ridiculously expensive claryfing lotion )
Good night and great thread thank you x

Sorry didn't spell check ...meant face hope it made some sense !

Morning All.

Margie, glad you're still with us, and doing well.

Tink the speed your skin recovers is amazing (though expect a few spots for a week or so). I thought for years I had 'problem pores', turns out I had problem drink, I have to peer really hard to see the pores on my nose - even with glasses on.

Ma, hope you slept well, and someone els did the washing up

Joey ?

Claret do you like one of docs or series? for series, any thing by Ken Burns - American Civil War, Prohibition, even Baseball, is beautifully crafted and fascinating - there's usually some on Netflicks. If you prefer quirky and British, Nick Barker is a great documentary maker - you might, if you are old and geeky enough remember his BBC series From A to B; Tales of Modern Motoring?

Oops, battery dying, will be back later.

Morning All

Still here, still sober can't find my glasses so can't see properly

Have been lurking - you are all doing so well. Many happy returns for last week Ma & Mouse

Margie good to see you lovely (I was also wondering where you were) Keep on keeping on.

Claret, South you are doing so so well keep going ladies x

Squeeze for you Baby

Beaches flower are you ok?

Love to Sweet, Fox, Joey, Hope, Nuff, Isinde, April, Obrigada and Venus and everyone else I've forgotten

Have a good day everone I'll be back later xxx

Welcome Tink forgot you there x

Spanna, I don't want to jinx anything, but you must be coming up for the big 365 soon?

Quick break at work, had a fire alarm earlier, which pleased the dog because he got to go out and see everyone in the building , now off to teach until six. It is so nice to be getting the concentration back to go into sessions over-prepared as opposed to 'getting by'. And doesn't the sun help your mood?

I have another evening when I won't be home at my usual witching hour - if I can get through the period from 4-6pm, I'm ok for the rest of the evening. You'd think that should be easy - normal people think that IS easy - it was sometimes, bloody impossible.

Hope everyone is ok - two thirds of the way through.

Hi babes,

margie a big superhug from me (spell checked changed to superbug), so definitely not giving you one of them!!! I know being NC'd feels lovely so this ones for you lovely lady, great to see you xx

spanna a big squeeze for you my dear friend xxx

tinker your doing so well. I think we're naturally much better to ourselves when we stop drinking. Firstly there's actual time and energy to pay ourselves and having our self esteem and self worth returning means we actually think we're worth pampering, it's a nice feeling, well done.

I don't know if any of you live near a college but near where I live there's a college with a beauty school and they offer mega cheap treatments for the girls to practice treatment. It's brilliant if you want a cheap massage or facial and your called a "model", yes I'm a model and not for Horse and Hound!!!! On Thursday I have a 2 hour body treatment for £6 and did I mention I'm a model!! Anyway have a look for one that might be close to you and check out what they offer. There's usually a hair school too for cheap blow dries. It's all supervised by very qualified staff so no green hair (unless you want it).

All good here apart from my continued weight gain. I'm so torn, the mood stabilisers have given me back my life but the weight gain is rapid and a very common side effect. I think I said before they give this brand to anorexic and cancer patients to make them crave sugar and create an appetite. Many people of a healthy weight end up developing type 2 diabetes because they eat so much extra sugar it affects cholesterol and blood sugar. My specialist is thinking of changing me to another but I'm terrified of the risk of another episode. I've worked so hard and given every ounce of energy I have to rebuilding my life and I have my life back but equally I need to be physically fit and healthy for my family. My app is next week but I'm not gonna lie it's praying on my mind and anxiety is the enemy. God, even being well is a complicated bloody business. Life is never straightforward but I have better coping skills and lots of hope now I'm not drinking so I'll cling onto that in the days ahead.

And of course I have all of you, the best medicine in the world!!!

Caio for now xxx

Quick check in welcome tink welcome back margie massive wave to everyone else. I'm on day .... 15!!!! And feeling good. Confession though I am going on a 40th weekend away on Friday and I am going to drink then get back on the bus on Monday. Is that terrible?

Hi Babes, I'm still here. Have been following the thread. I'm doing DJ - on day 19. The longest I've gone without alcohol for goodness knows how long, certainly at least 15 years . Didn't want to post and jinx myself!
I am mostly fine, and quietly smug, but have had some wobbles. My wine o'clock was 9 p.m. so have been trying to find something to do at a time when all I'm fit for is vegging out- you wouldn't believe some of the obscure threads on MN
Feel unsure about how to proceed after January, but I'll save that for another time.
Love to all - no way could I have done this without you - you're all brilliant!

Well done anne. Also unsure how to proceed after DJ ....

There's always Lent - starts 10 Feb - a bit more thinking/pondering time perhaps.

Waves to all the Bus Babes and returning to my mostly lurking.

Have been lurking. You're all doing so well! Very inspiring.

I am finally on day 2 and it is so hard.

Hey work nice to see you. It does get easier. I've always found day 2 very tricky it's usually an hour by hour job for me! But after that , you will get some momentum and start to feel a bit better and more resolute. You can do it. Keep yourself busy and hydrated.

Thanks pop

Day two done! Despite massive row with DS1 which really made me want to run out to the shop, which is very near, but i didn't!

How is everyone else this evening?

Hi everyone, thanks so much for the good wishes, I guess I must be more than a bit insecure but it's so nice to know you're all thinking of me. I feel so close to all of you even though I don't know what you look like or even what your names are - weird isn't it? But I certainly couldn't have done 19 days without you.

Pop, I don't think it's bad to get off the bus for a night or a weekend and then get back on. Like Anne, I've been pondering what will happen after DJ and I've got a night out on Feb 5th so I may well fall off the bus then and crawl back on the next day. JWIM I like the idea of using Lent for more motivation.

Work, the first 5 days were almost impossible for me, and then it somehow got easier and became more like part of my routine not to drink. I've still had plenty of wobbles, particularly on Friday and Saturday nights, but if you take it one day at a time you can do it!

Baby big hug rightbackatcha, I can totally understand your worries about your weight gain but it's clear from everything you write that you are one of life's beautiful people inside and out. Please don't be anxious, let yourself be guided by your specialist who I'm sure has handled this problem with people who are on the same drugs before and keep talking to us all about it.

South, how are you doing hon?

Big love to all babes fighting the good fight!

Oh and BTW does anyone know what treggings are? I know what leggings are, but I am not clear on jeggings and then today in my H&M catalogue there are suddenly loads of treggings?!? They all look like leggings to me...what's the difference?

4.30 walking the dog

it's taken me an age to work out how to upload from phone to tablet

Nuff I love a good sky