Brave Babes Battle Bus

[Halleberry]

New thread girlies as the other was about to run out ... Hope you all find this one xxx

Ps ma where are you taking ds in London? I know all of the cheap stuff and barginous places to go taps nose so if you need any recommendations then let me know

We re going on Sunday *lala. Tuesday we are going to the zoo. That's the main paid for thing. I thought Monday we might just potter round Camden Market ( near where my sister lives) although not sure that will take a whole day. I need so etching for him to do on Wednesday - he's 14 and a bit geeky. I thought maybe the Churchill war rooms? What other ideas do you have?

Some thing , not so etching

ma, how about the imperial war museum? From what I remember lots of interactive stuff but also very informative. Or natural history museum?

Both are free

Imperial war museum sounds good....will check it out

ma I went to the RAF museum not long ago, was free as far as I remember and really worth seeing. Its in North London. Science museum and natural history museum are also fab, and right next to each other so easy way to kill a whole day. So sorry about work, it's totally shit and unfair.

lala totally get the wedding panic! Determined not to make a prat out of myself this time...don't remember much of the last one I went to, and I was the maid of honour!!

It seems I'm as much of a liability sober as I am drunk. After a lovely morning I managed to trip over (no idea over what) and have spent the afternoon having four sutures put in one knee, and gravel dug out of the other. Now walking a bit like John Cleese which is going to cause much piss taking at work tomorrow. Feel like I deserve a glass of wine, but trying very hard not to. Might just give up on today and go to bed...

Elba he's been to the RAF museum and loved it. He tells me he's also been to the Imperial War Museum with my sister...damn! Have to keep looking

Sounds like he'd love the science museum...if not already been!

ma if a long time lurker can make a suggestion, try googling "free attractions in London", there's loads of ideas on that site.

Evening, tis me, Mouse

Ma - enjoy your break, I'm sure you'll find things to do if the weather is pants! MrHannah - great idea, I was going to suggest Tourist Info :) (Oh, and nice to meet you)

I have to say that the atrocities and scenes that I've seen from Nice today have absolutely shocked me to the core. A small girl covered but not her doll......... I've wept as I did for those in Belgium and Paris..... All of those innocent lives taken in moments.

Enough of dwelling on things I can't change....

How are we all? I've not really caught up again what with docs and trying to sort meds out and scripts for the hols etc... permission to take stuff on the plane...

Anyway... bed. Oh and a treat for dog and Nemo lovers :)

Love to you all :) xxx

Science museum is a great shout, took a group of disadvantaged kids there for work a year or so ago and they all loved it, they were aged from 6 to 18 so it has something for everyone.

So I had wine last night....but am jumping straight back on the bus this morning...had a long chat with my dh about it and we are giving moderation another go - might be a losing battle but with his help I can give it one last try. Don't feel good for it this morning though...shows my tollerance dropped even with 5 days off.

Anyway, that's 9 units this week which is my lowest weekly units since dry January. AF day today.

ma science museum and natural history museum are excellent suggestions from elba and claret, or what about just pottering about near Buckingham Palace and horse guards parade, have a picnic in Hyde Park if weather is good, etc?

mouse I love that photo! Where are you off to?

elba you poor thing! I am just as bad, ended up in a&e more times than I care to remember for utterly ridiculous injuries (when I was actually sober!!!!) it's become a bit of a running joke at my work now I never used to be this accident prone. Hope you are ok

claret I love your determination and well done for the dry 5 days.

I am about to get ready for this sodding wedding, feeling quite anxious. Plus Mr Lala had a go at painting my nails last night after 3 pints of Guiness and a prosecco. Bloody disaster! For those of you that remember the photo I posted a while back, are you sure that its an ok outfit???

Love to all the rest of you lovely babes xx

Thanks all. Lots of great ideas.
Mouse look at that gorgeous fish boy! Give him a huggle from his Auntie Demented.
Love to all. Am going to try and raise isindie today. I think we have a babe MIA. Fasten seatbelts.
Hope have messaged you. Email me.

Ps Camden market is awesome ma, it can take all day, especially if you go and sit down by the canal with a beer and watch the world go by... It is also very easy to get lost in the maze of cobbled streets. If you do go, try and find cyber dog. It is the most random 'raver'(?) shop ever, lots of flashing lights and neon clothing. Just don't venture down to the section on the left after the escalator, that's where they sell sex rude things

lala yes that outfit is perfect, enjoy yourself at the wedding! Just water water water and keep it steady.

elba hope you are ok now - sounds nasty!

Hi all

I've been MIA for a while. Need to catch up on the thread.

Things have been pretty shit here this past week: I found out the abusive Ex has been giving access between my estranged abusive 'parents' without my knowledge.

It's triggered a pile of stuff, I've had to tell the relevan authorities things I really didn't want to talk about and have had to stop contact. He's well aware of the abuse I experienced growing up and has frequently told me in the past when he wants to deflect/kitchen sink me, that MH mother really fucked my head up and made me crazy and yet he's now quite happy to secretly expose our child to her.

He's accused me of screaming at him in public, taken the car from us and is starting proceedings to try to have us removed from the family home.

I was doing so well, had drastically reduced my antidepressants and now I'm almost back where I was again - crying, feeling worthless and afraid and anxious, wanting the world to just stop and let me off, dissacosiating, frightened to leave the house.

I feel awful.

Oh pink I don't think I have anything helpful to say, just that I read your post and I care, and it does sound awful You did well before, and you have shown yourself that you can function with less antidepressants - when the conditions are right. Your ex has changed those conditions But in time they will settle and stabilise, and you will be able to return to the less frightened, less anxious person that you truly are inside.

mouse what an amazing photo - how incredible that your little boy, who was so poorly, should look all grown up and lovely like that. He truly has a nemo spirit

Contacted Indie. She's ok, just having tough times.
Heyvenus how goes it?

Hey ma - thanks for checking up on isindie let her know I'm sending love.... I@m doing OK, just waiting for summer to arrive

elba and lala I hope the weddings are going ok. In my experience there are 3 scenarios as a guest:

1. The 'normal' wedding: Get ready, turn up at church / register office / hotel for the ceremony, queue up to hug bride & groom and pick up a rather small glass of champagne, look around to see if it's possible to get a refill. At the 'best' weddings grab 2 glasses (one for a friend!). Then just as one starts to feel a tiny bit inebriated...... the black hole.... there are now 2 hours of mingling and photos and polite chat before dinner is served. Champagne is finished and there doesn't seem to be a bar open... Eventually dinner is called, judge which wine to ask for (i.e. table of eight 5 people drinking red... ok I'll have white :) ) Find the white wine bottle is stuck on the opposite side of the table next to 2 ladies chatting - no-one notices your glass is empty again and after asking twice for the wine to be passed you stand up and walk round to the other side of the table and fetch the goddam bottle yourself. While you're at the loo the other two white wine drinkers have rejected the option of another bottle so you have to decamp to another table and cadge drinks off them. Time for the toasts and another rather small glass of champagne. Oops! it seems you've finished it before the speeches are half done (fill your toasting glass with water). Now there seems to be another 90 minute gap before the evening guests arrive..... mingle... yawn... then people are 4 deep at the bar to buy a drink at twice the normal price. Eventually go home, frustrated by everything, not quite sober, but certainly not drunk enough...... Next morning you still feel frustrated, other people are either saying how 'lovely' it was, or they're saying that you were a bit drunk and a bit 'off' . You can't even remember anything good about the day.

2. The 'drunk' wedding: Ah You've learnt from the last wedding so you have a couple of drinks while you're getting ready. As above ^^ for the after ceremony drinks, plus you've got a bottle of voddy in your bag At dinner your focus is on the wine server... "we'll have a bottle red, and then another one for later, thanks" ... phew! no risk or running out. Champagne during the speeches - oh those bubbles seem to have gone to your head, and you've shouted out some rude inappropriate comments about sleeping with the bride's father . Evening dance, spent hanging over the bar - actually don't remember much about it. Go home with.... well anybody, really Next morning, avoid facebook because everyone is talking about how terribly you behaved

3. The 'sober' wedding: Get ready, looking and feeling good - a bit of a 'tummy' but well who cares really? After the ceremony (which incidentally was touching and sweet) accept a small glass of champagne but find that it tastes cheap and sour and secretly swap it for a glass of soda and lime. Spend time chatting to the bride's great-grandma who is an amazing lady and tells you hilarious tales of her trip to Africa. Eat a lovely dinner, and laugh like a horse at the best man's speech [clever, funny, appropriate and just 'edgy' enough] Dance, dance, dance... cheesy songs from the 70s, stuff from the 90s, big beats from this year - ooh it's good to let your hair down. A small glass of brandy, but actually after all the dancing I really need a big glass of water. Dance off to bed with dh....... Next morning - maybe more of the same and then breakfast with other guests smiling and sharing happy stories. ....... [And because of where I've been in my own journey I deliberately avoid the discussions about how drunk other people were]

So really - which of the three options above would you really rather have. I've done all three, often. I know that both 1) and 2) are crap. I also know that at the time option 2) feels a bit better and bit more 'in control'

But I know that I was only 'in control' of how much out of control I was actually getting. And once the alcoholic 'out of control' process started, I was no longer in control of anything much. In option 3) - well yes there have been times when I have felt bored, or unsociable, or 'left out' but at least I had some choices - I could go and sit in a quiet place, or go and stir up something on the dance floor, or leave and drive home.

pink I can't write much as I'm at work but just wanted to say I've read your post and am thinking of you. Huge well done though for being brave and telling the relevant authorities things what you needed to in order to stop contact. I can imagine it must of stirred an awful lot of horrible things up. Big hugs xxx

venus 1 and 2 both sound familiar...! ('My' wedding not for another two weeks)

Be back later on probably, already started with the 'do I drink after work' internal monologue....

This constant merry go round sucks. I want to get off. Even had a chat with Dh tonight but he wants me to stay on.