The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Swinging Into Sobriety!

[Mouseface]

Hello there,

I'm Mouse, one of the Brave Babes travelling far and wide, stopping off here and there to collect lovely folk, just like you, for a natter all about booze and the blues that come with being a drinker of whatever quantity.

We don't wear or sell judgey pants here, although a G-string or two (Oooh Matron!) has been known to sort the fan belt out on the Bus as we've been driving for such a long time now!!

In short, we've regular posters here, lurkers, those who have managed to keep their drinking to 'social' occasions, some who are really struggling on an hourly basis and some who are completely dry!

Whatever your drinking 'status', you're welcome here in the new bigger Battle Bus, (as requested) whilst we head far and wide, listening to one another, as we face each day that comes our way, whether it be good, bad or downright ugly, we really have seen it all and don't mind one bit. Lurk or chat, it's up to you but one thing you will always find, is a warm welcome, Opal Fruit wrappers (Looks at Ma bosom push up! ) and of course, in complete confidentiality.

So, if you'd like to look what happened on the last thread (a bit like catch up TV) you can look at this link which will take you there - JUST HERE

And, if you would like to see where we started driving this wonderful Bus, over seven years ago, you can have a look at this very honest thread - RIGHT HERE

Hope to see you soon,

Mouse xx

made
Hows the foot?

Brokenbutbreathing
I hear you there. I fucked up my weekend.

Been AF for two nights now. It's definitely time to get back on the bus and sort myself out.

luxury
Today's treat will be buying some hair dye.
I need it. I'm starting to look like a mad witch.

dementedma
My bastard ex would step over the recycling to get out of the porch rather than pick it up and take it down the path in the morning.

I'm off to see my friend about picking up shifts in her coffee shop to tide me over until I can get a job. The Vets never got back to me so I'm totally gutted.

Hey all. Such a gorgeous day here, almost makes one feel optimistic. Sorry, went awol yesterday - maybe it was a surfeit of olives the night before (that side order of piles didn't help, Dubh!) - and I also felt quiet and sad about all the vileness in Manchester. My thoughts and love are with any of you touched by that.

Guggs - nice to see you, I am just dropping back in too, and I can confirm that yes, indeed, everyone is still bonkers (in the nicest possible way). With a couple of downright doolallys thrown in for good measure!

Welcome back guggs. Lots of us hanging on in here still
*
Mint* come sit next to me. Had two AF nights as well and feel so much more human again. Why doesn't this feeling stay put?? I feel great right now but I just know that in another couple of days I'll have forgotten why I'm not drinking again.

Got to stay on the bus till the weekend now. *
*

Bold fail on phone, sorry!

guggs welcome back. Bonkers? How very DARE you!
< feeds Opal fruit to Barrie the squid, tidies up bastardy thievy spoons, and checks for whereabouts of Horrid Baby Doll>
Bonkers indeed! humph.

Just sharing another fab photo from DD2 - just because.
For all of the beautiful children, wherever they are.

Gorgeous picture Ma. Thank you for sharing. Your daughter is doing an amazing thing. And as Dubh said (though less eloquently than she said) anytime you doubt yourself or are down on yourself, remember what an amazing girl you have, and how lucky she is to have you as her amazing mum.

Hello fellow babes. I've been avoiding the bus a bit. Must remember my ticket! I got hammered with some friends at the weekend, again. Tonight if I get through it without alcohol will be night 4, again. Night 5 is where the problems begin. I know this sounds rubbish. Broken, I feel in the same boat as you. After tonight, I will have forgotten why I don't want to drink. Gah. Lovely pic, Ma!

Hey tiger
Well an utterly shit day at work so of course am drinking. So much for turning over a new leaf.
I have a Board meeting tomorrow and suspect I am about to be hung out to dry. I am so so sick of trying to hold this company together....

I've had a glass again. Just one. It's quite a turnaround from 2 bottles!
Glad everyone is so well and supportive I like this bus!
< bagsies back seat with secret Opal Fruit compartment>

Hello lovelies, I've had 85 cups of tea and told the WW to fuck off.

Going to spend some time reading back through the thread. If I detect any signs of sanity, I shall let you know.
😁

Hi all, belatedly checking back in. Been on a bit of a self destruct mission the last couple of weeks and starting to scare myself a bit. Had to phone in 'sick' for counselling appointment yesterday as was very definitely too drunk to drive- at 9.30am . Off on holiday in 10 days and I want to actually enjoy my days not spend them trying to pretend I'm not hungover, but I know full well that once I'm at the bar I will not leave until it closes. Not sure how to handle it to be honest.

Tonight was going to be a definite af night but now wavering on that one too . I can do it, when I decide to, but somehow can't get the resolve at the moment.

Sorry not to name check- lost track of the thread whilst I've been burying my head in the sand, but going to have a read back.

AF for two nights. Doctor told me yesterday to try and cut my alcohol down a bit. I said I drank 2 21/2 bottles of wine a week... hmmmm. I've had an AF beer (Bavaria) which was quite nice but now I'm wrestling with not going down the shops for wine. How do you lovely lot beat those urges?

pickle what's this about a secret opal fruit compartment? When were you going to share that hmmmmm?

I've read back a few pages and as always, I'm humbled by the wisdom and bravery of the bus. I can see how hard some of us have it and how much we need each other.

Still love the fact that the babes are in all different places with their drinking / sobriety / hanging about in the sidecar moping- there will always be a babe who has some strength and wisdom to share.

Life has not been easy here but I hope that we have turned the corner with ds and his many difficulties. Finally accessed services and trying to get support in school for him. Baby diva is an imp of a toddler. I'd bloody well forgotten how much hard work toddlers are. Small babies are bad enough but toddlers never bloody stop. And they throw food. They look you right in the eyes and deliberately throw food. Aaarrrgh!

I'm on a bit of a health kick and the guzzling red wine has to stop. Nothing has happened, I'm not getting pissed but its too much for me and I want to have a break.

99th cup of tea coming up.

I'll be honest, I've built it myself and you will have to a) find it and b) go through the sequence of tasks I've set.. To open it.

The compartment has only one colour inside,.... Just saying!

thingscanonlygetbetterrrr
I don't drive and live 5 miles away from the nearest shop so if I have no alcohol I'm pretty much screwed.

Hello all. AF tonight in the pub - tea, water, coffee and chips! But I feel so much better for it. Came home and did some yoga.

Ma that is a lovely photo. Your dd really is doing an amazing thing and that’s to your credit
Hi tiger
Elba hope you’re ok and that your night is going ok
Things the main thing stopping me now is being busy/living with parents so need to be careful. When I lived in uni it was much easier but distraction was my friend, anything to keep busy! I think boredom is my enemy really.
Lux how are you doing?
Dubh hope you and the terrorist are ok
Flowery how are you my love?
The swelling on my foot is finally starting to go down (a week after the event…) and still sore but not too bad, I’m still resting it though. Going out for a posh meal Friday night mam and dad’s anniversary and have managed to change shifts with work (they are good to me, fair play) so will have a good time. I’m ok, feel down after recent events which feels daft as it didn’t personally effect me but I don’t feel as safe. Sorry to bring a downer on the thread.

pickle as this bus is about sharing (other than green opal fruits) I'm afraid I will have to resort to basic procedures to open the secret compartment.

I have a Board meeting at 10 - the vultures are gathering. Feel sick

What a beautiful child, dementedma - thank you for sharing the picture. You must be very proud of the work your daughter is doing.

made I think it's natural to feel down about what happened in Manchester. I used to try to squash all my feelings with antidepressants and alcohol (great combination - not!) so now I'm not using either I find I respond much more emotionally to things, which can be quite disconcerting. A friend of mine's daughter was at the concert, very thankfully unharmed. But brings it home. And DH and I both were very sad indeed about the 8-year-old who died. It's simply dreadful. (On a more mundane note I am very glad to hear your foot is on the mend, and your posh meal on Friday sounds fab!)

Not much to update here. I'm plodding on. Had a few wobbles the past couple of weeks but haven't really wanted to drink, deep down. It's been a passing "sod it" thought but in reality quite manageable. Actually found myself staring idly at the gin behind the counter the other day in the co-op and wondering how on earth I used to afford it. (£19 - and that's the Gordon's stuff on offer, not the posh pseudo-hipster stuff I used to get occasionally. You know, it's "naice" so therefore I'm not a raging alcoholic. Savour the citrus botanicals, cocoa nibs and Egyptian limes! The hint of Moroccan vanilla! Hand-plucked juniper berries!) Blimey .

Have to say I've been loving being a bit less skint. I won't say solvent, as I work for myself so I'm only as good as my last fee, but still. I bought some lovely secondhand reference books for the family on Amazon today and love knowing that it's wine/gin money I'm spending (which means it doesn't count ). Big atlas, book on volcanoes and another one on evolution...

stilllearnin sounds like you had a great night all round last night. Well done! I wish I could get back to doing yoga but I'm so un-bendy it's not funny.

I have, however, completed two weeks of the C25K . I've signed up to do the Race for Life in June with my DDs and am soooooooooooooo unfit. But actually training for once. I have done it a couple of times before but winged it. No chance of that this time! Over the past few years my weight has ballooned - partly alcohol, partly binge eating, partly stress, partly depression, partly nightmare work situation. Gradually fixing these things, and finding my mojo!

Looks like a lovely day out there where I am. Have a great day, everyone!

Ooh cross-post, dementedma. Good luck for the board meeting! (and can I have the green ones if you don't want them?)

Hi babes, hope all are well.
I had 2 G&T last night, so not AF but ok.
And I feel a lot better today, first 2 AF nights I got hardly any sleep. More down to DC than being AF though.
At work again so more soon.
Sending you all strength and light

Good luck ma.
Are you thinking of job hunting?
I just got served my redundancy notice, but it's OK cos something in the pipeline.
Might make work easier to bear if there's other possibilities...?

Elba - what help are you getting? I have been in the place of drinking when I didn't want to (I could not say 'no') and it's not pleasant.
I couldn't stop drinking until I
a) asked and accepted help
b) changed what I did

My thinking cannot cure my thinking. I have to act my way of a problem by taking action, not try and think my way out of one.
Good action leads to good thinking.

Good luck