The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Battling The Wicked Wine Witch, One Day At A Time!

[Mouseface]

Hello, I'm mouse, one of the Babes who have been on this lovely, rickety bus called Gerald for some time now!

There's no judgy pants worn on this bus, nor hoking of bosoms!! It's filled with every day life, love and laundry. As simple as that. The rest falls in between.

We're a welcoming, supporting thread, filled with a mine of information from many years of experience, from those who have consumed alcohol day in, day out...hidden the 'habit', the lie, disguised our drinking with many an excuse. So perfected over the years or new to the guilt of drinking more than you think you should.....

Anyway, old or new, lurker or not, come and say hello to us if you feel the need. We'd love to meet you if we haven't already :)

Thank you for reading this, find a seat, hide green opal fruits if you find any, they're like gold dust around here! Aren't they ma!!

See you soon, I hope.

Mouse x

And, if you'd like to see where we all began, sit with a cup of tea/coffee and have a peek at this - the beginning

And our latest thread that will take you back to many others enjoy your read!

Morning All.

It's been a patchy weekend for me - ended up doing nothing on Saturday because I felt so ill. But Sunday was lovely. Early morning walk with SweetDog, though nowhere as beautiful as your beach Ma. Bought, assembled and used my shredder (all Mums should get power tools on Mothering Sunday!), DS made me cheese scones, then we went to the cinema and for a Mexican meal. Very proud that I asked for lime and soda without even thinking .

So, day 14 for me and it's beginning to feel more normal.

Have a good day Babes.

Morning all
Quick update on the Mothers Day celebration I bailed out on......it did not end well ......lots of arguments . I knew deep down this would happen but it's just so sad because it's all down to alcohol.
Be back later

Hello lovelies. I was at a wedding this weekend inevitable very drunken but picking myself up dusting myself down at back at sobriety today.

small it's lovely to have you back on the bus it's the best place to be when you are struggling. Have a big hug and a you have done it before and you can do it again so don't give up on yourself you are fabulous.

sweet great stuff you are on a roll ! And also my role model for this week.

joey glorious to see you sounds like you are doing really well

elba brilliant you have broken through in RL it can only be for the good

Massive wave to all other babes I'm on my way to a work course but just for one day lets try and be in a state of mind to forgive ourselves and forgive others and be the kindest and best we can be.

sober! to you too. Pick yourself up and move forward. You are in good company. We all screw up. It's what you learn from it and do next that counts.

And welcome to the new babes ... Mucho support for your here. Stick with us as we try and ... Stick with ourselves!

Day 1 anyone care to join me ?
I am planning on catching up with housework and then going for a long walk in the beautiful park where I live. I am putting a plan together for tonight which so far involves a long soak in the bath and reading one of the many books I have downloaded but never read
Sun shining here .....hope it is wherever you are 😀😀

Just back from doctors. Will never ever complain about them running late as was with her for probably 30 mins. She was really lovely, have been referred to community mental health team which I was really not expecting. Not totally sure how I feel about that, feels like things could now escalate beyond where I'm comfortable with. Also have to have bloods which terrifies me in case LFTs etc show something. Feel a bit like I've said too much and can't go back now.

Have to try and get some sleep now for night shift tonight, and get ready to try and put a front on again and be a responsible professional. Feel like I'm leading a double life at the moment.

Hope everyone's having a good day, will try and check in later or tomorrow.

Hi, not sure if anyone remembers me but I do need to climb back aboard. Sober its Day 1 for me - my plan will be to read or work tonight.

For anyone who does remember me, I have had a rough couple of years and increasingly turned to the obvious as a way of switching off at the end of the day. But I just don't want to anymore. And I need to live a long life!

So here I am. Clambering aboard Gerald. Again. :)

msgee hello again! I am glad you have posted, though obviously not happy that you've had a tough time, or that you need to be back here. Time may have passed but I'm sure you'll find everyone as supportive, non-judgemental and helpful as ever.

elba well done you! I can only imagine how scary that must feel, but I think it is nothing like as scary as keeping the genie in the bottle and letting the worry gnaw away at you, and to be quietly continuing with your drinking. I truly hope that you will find that you get just exactly the kind of real-life support and help that you need. You took some action! Well done, you ARE a brave babe

Sober and MsGee - I am on Day 4, so at a similar stage.

I work evenings for half the week, which helps. Last night I got home at 1am and had a glass of my favourite Eisberg alcohol free sauvignon blanc.

It has a trace of alcohol of no more than 0.05% so hope I will be okay - the meds I am on are so heavy that my liver has enough to cope with.

When I was given the meds a week ago the nurse told me I could have the "occasional glass of wine with dinner". Apparently the meds just won't work if I drink alcohol, so I don't want to jeopardise that.

I am hoping to do a year off the booze. Will I be able to do it, though? That's the question.

I joked to my friend on the phone that I would have to join Al Anon to get through it.

So here I am.

Hello plantlover A year of booze? Will you be able to do it? Well, never mind a yea - can you do one minute, once hour, one day. Because if you can, then all those minutes and hours and days add up.

Sometimes, in the heat of an alcohol crush, it might feel that one minute is impossible. And then are times you might go days and days and days, and even weeks and weeks without giving it a thought.

The key is HOW will you deal with the tiny and intense moments - that is the key to keeping sober. Welcome. We can help. x

thank you venus. I am definitely one day at a time approach at the moment, as I don't think my brain can take much more! Life is feeling slightly more of an even keel though, so now is the time.

Hi Venus, I had a bad craving on Saturday night but instead reached for Sainsbury's cream soda, which I love.

The longest I've gone without an alcoholic drink is two weeks last summer when I suffered from dizziness.

I had a craving last night too, even after work at 1am, and drank the alcohol-free wine. Gosh, all these cravings and I'm only 4 days in.

A year off the booze is a pipe dream isn't it?

Something I discovered by accident that was really effective months and months ago was when I made myself a gin and tonic with ice and some crushed lime (my favourite drink).

Except I'd forgotten to put the gin in, which I only realised later, but I enjoyed it nevertheless. So I guess I'll be trying that one more often too.

Thing is, I absolutely cannot get tanked while I'm on these meds, so the fear of illness will hopefully keep me in check.

I just read the opening part of the original thread - I felt quite emotional reading it. I do hope the OP has stayed strong and happy.

Things aren't any better today, things are very unpleasant between me and friends and they say they're no longer going to bother with me and this is it, all over not going to try AA! Been called a Shit, unsupportive friend basically. Tbh I'm getting fed up of all the arguing and di wonder, if we weren't speaking, would there be less arguments, I think so. All this and my depressing course (sexual abuse in young children) is making me crave wine like mad and I so want to go and get some after the course. Only thing that's stopping me is a lecture tomorrow

Not slept at all, tonight's not going to be fun. Feeling tearful and really scared about the CMHT referral. Wish I could just hide away from the world with a bottle of wine (or two). Didn't fully admit the extent of the drinking, but I think she guessed and I didn't deny it when asked. But a lot of very painful things were discussed. Need to try and think of it the other way round, that like venus said facing things can't be as bad long term as keeping everything secret.

Anyway I'm going to try and moderate this week. My aim is to not drink after work on Wednesday morning which always ends in a day of complete loss of control. Putting it down here now as have had this goal before and failed dismally! Read back through my posts the last couple of weeks and a its a bit like watching a car crash in slow motion...need to sort myself out!

Yay joey is back with us

Plant welcome to the bus. Most of us are just doing one day at a time. I agree that a whole year can seem daunting but the days soon stack up. Stick with us, grab a seat and you'll start getting to know everyone. JWN hasn't been on the bus for a long time but last I heard she was doing great

It looks like lots of us are making a new start this week and there are lots of positive, encouraging posts to keep us motivated.

Elba you are doing so very well, don't underestimate yourself because we can all see how strong you are and part of that strength comes from looking for and finding support from others, reaching out and letting people help you. The referral is just another step along this journey and we will be with you every step of the way. Did you ask the gp for something to help you sleep?

Made there is a lot more than that stopping you. Look back over your posts, you really don't want to drink, my lovely. The thing is, there are always going to be days when you feel pissed off with others, or they are with you, that's just life. But feelings come and go, they aren't permanent so all we need to do is find another way to cope with them until they pass.

MsGee I remember you and that horridbabydoll lurking at the back of the bus, emerging every hallowe'en to scare us all! How is LittleMissGee and how are you. What's occurring?

Hi babes, am away in snowy Iceland at the moment so moderating happily. Also eating regular good meals which goes a long way to me keeping in control. So very easy on holiday but not so much at home.

Have caught up on the thread but am pushed for time so won't name check but a big hug to all of you - you're all great and don't you go forgetting that.

I'll pop in and out this week if I can but I'll always try and lurk to keep up with what's happening.

Hello everyone! Sorry haven't had much time to check in.
I craved a drink earlier but ended up napping instead, feeling a bit better right now. Feeling powerful that I managed to walk down the wine aisle in the co-op earlier without picking anything up. I know it won't last though and next time I'll end up buying some. Trying to keep positive though.
Sharing lots of hugs with everyone.

Aww Faire we still have horridbabydoll buy I hope to get rid one day...

It's been... Challenging! Two years ago FIL died of cancer, all very sudden. At the same time LittleMiss Gee was ill with recurent infections and off school a lot. Then MIL committed suicide. Then huge emotional and behavioural issues with DD. DH develops chronic pain issues. Erm... Oh and lovely LittleMissGee diagnosed with ASD last year. But she is doing so well now.

Apologies for life story, can't remember what had happened in last posting but suspect it was before all this.

But all in all I have been OK. The problem is that I deal with a lot smiling away and cooing well and then have a drink in the evening. Which has crept up. And I need to stick around for DD.

How are you?

I did buy wine earlier, and I've drank almost a bottle. I know I'll feel bad in the morning but for now I'm enjoying it. I wish I'd bought another bottle though. I'm half tempted to get a taxi to tesco and get some more wine, but I dont think I can. I dont think I have enough cash to get to and from tesco and buy wine as well. I dont want to walk either wine cos I'm a bit tiddly. Plus I'm in my jimjams and cba to get dressed. I suppose I could put a coat on and get changed but I've got to be up by 11 tomorrow to attend lecture at 12. I wish I'd gotten 2 bottles earlier on. I might look how much cash exactly I have.

gee good to see you back. I remember you and littlemissgee.
I seem to remember poogate....or was it constipation gate?
Horrid baby doll still lurks on the bus unfortunately.< cue scary, fingernail scraping music>
joey me old mate. Good to see you too. Not sure if it merits the distribution of opal fruits with such wild abandon but hey ho!

I've worked out I have enough money for a taxi there and back, and enough to buy a small bottle of lemonade and cheap bottle of wine. I don't want the taxi guys to know I'm drunk though. Will leave it 10 minutes to sober up and decide then

made Nancy Regan died today, you probably don't have a clue who she was but 'Just Say 'No'! Google Grange Hill to give yourself a laugh and have a bit of a distraction. You will probably feel really crap if you get another bottle. Perhaps you could go for a walk in the opposite direction and then feel ready for bed?

Made, just go to bed. Now. This will pass and tomorrow you will be proud and have some money left