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

checking in. Went to doctor, burst into tears. Got ADs. Again.
She told me to take two weeks off work with stress. Ha bloody ha. If I'm not here nothing will get done as there isn't anyone else and I will come back to an even bigger and more stressful mess than there already is!
Have another blinding headache but need to be here to run event tonight which won't finish until after 8pm. I am exhausted

Sorry you've had a shite day ma.
Maybe for once they will have to do without you as your health is more important than work!

I'm making the first batch of elderflower cordial. Dry June is back on track!

Crashed and burned. Am in bed. Someone else can do it now

ma your main priority is getting some rest, then securing a new job (you will do it). What can we do to help?

Hope you are feeling a bit more rested this morning ma. Please take it easy today. Have some 'You' time.

Thanks. Not going to work and will ask someone from the Board to represent me at the dinner tonight. Cant shift pains in neck and head...first booking with Derek not until July 8th. No-one in the office now to deal with stuff which will start backing up but I can do emails. Took first Citalopram yesterday which made me feel so sick I couldnt eat. On the plus side, I will lose weight....

Good for you, not going to work today, dementedma. Look after yourself.

MinttoBe - sorry if I've asked this before (brain=sieve) but can I have your elderflower cordial recipe? I have seen some likely-looking elderflower bushes locally and have been planning to take a snip or two... LOVE the taste of elderflower. I want to make sorbet, too.

(Fancy!)

ma try and have your citalopram with food, it'll help the nausea.
Is there any way you can not do emails at least say for the rest of the week? I do understand how hard that is. But it's your mental health and you need a break.

*Ma"
Try taking it before bed. I take my Mirtazapine then. It helps with the side effects.

UnwiseOldElf
I use this recipe and I freeze some of the cordial as you can just scoop it out. It doesn't freeze solid and you can eat it like sorbet too!

15 heads of elderflower
500g caster sugar
4 tablespoons quality runny honey
2 unwaxed lemons

Wash the elderflower well, picking off any bugs.
Place the sugar and honey in a large saucepan with 1 litre of water. Gently bring to the boil, until all the sugar has dissolved, then remove from the heat.
Finely grate in the lemon zest and add the elderflower upside down, making sure the flowers are completely submerged. Squeeze in the juice from one of the lemons, then slice the other and add it to the pan, too. Pop the lid on and leave to one side to infuse for 24 hours.
Strain your cordial, line a fine sieve with muslin over a large bowl (if you don’t have muslin, you can use good quality kitchen towel) and pour through the cordial.
Voila!

I'm going to try these as well
Wilkinson do citric acid £1 for 50g. Don't go to a chemist, they'll think you're a crack addict.

lol @ crack addict. Better not put my Breaking Bad yellow suit on then...

Thanks for the recipes - my secateurs beckon!

Afternoon, tis me, Mouse

Ma - I'm glad that you've got some help from your GP...... I was taking Citalopram and took them at night as the side effects were awful. I was gradually given 50mg slowly increased from 10mg, and then weaned off them again, slowly.

As venus said, how can we help you sweetie? Is there anything practical that we can help with?

Well, I did the 5K and came last at just over an hour!! We got our very own crown of those who had finished! I managed it all on my crutches and raised £200 for Cancer Research. I'm so pleased that I did it!!!

Sorry to be typing and running as per, I will get to talk to all of you soon I hope.

mouse xxx

Hey my lovelies, a few moments of Internet ☺
ma my darling, stick with the citalopram, my oh takes it and it enables hI'm to 'be' it takes a while for the system to adjust.

I miss you all but will be back in a few days with high speed broadband. Can't wait!

A stressful time here and there has been gin but I seem to be able to moderate that so I'm not too worried.
Almost 6 months free of the wine witch, 8 owe that to this thread and you amazing guys xx

Hopping on. Been in touch with local alcohol people. It's not very local. It's an hour's drive away. I didn't go because I didn't have the proper address and the county town is like hell to be lost in. Sorry all. I am trying. I really am.

Hey Tiger

Welcome to the Bus. You need to take the pressure off yourself! Take it a day or an hour at a time. Keep posting and letting your feelings out xx

Hello, I have just screwed up my courage to post here for the first time. I have had a super stressful year and have got in the habit of drinking too much of an evening to unwind. I drink a couple of glasses to half a bottle of wine a night - I know its not awful, but its too much isn't it? How do I get it down?

I think what worries me is that I know I am leaning on booze to cope. There are some nights when I don't drink but I really miss it. It scares me because my ex is an alcoholic and I saw the mess he got into. It was really horrible. I need to get it down but I don't know how and feel a bit of a fraud around people who have a much more serious problem with alcohol. At the same time, I don't want it to keep sneaking up. Help?

Evening tis me, Mouse

I don't know how many of you will remember when I got run over deliberately in 2015 but apparently, I have a case of "assault with a deadly weapon" as such, because the lovely man who decided to use his car to move me out of his way, instead of waiting for me to get my car keys out, and make more space, is guilty of numerous driving offences - failure to stop at the scene of an accident, leaving the scene of a crime, not reporting the crime, failure to stop and exchange details (even though I was on the floor in pieces) and deliberately using a vehicle to cause GBH/ABH etc.......

I was hospitalised for two days and suffered horrific bruising, and a dropped foot. BUT............... worst of all, that's what triggered my fibromyalgia and chronic fatigue syndrome.

I had months of physio and counselling and was so scared to leave the house that we had CCTV put in, in case this man came back to finish the job.

I was told by the police so many times that it was an RTA, even though I was out of my car and stood at the rear of it, trying to protect it, in the end I just didn't know what to do!

Eventually, I was taken in for questioning, because this man had said I had scared him and he was worried for his own safety, which is why he'd driven at me like that!

Today I can't walk after a massive fibro attack last night so I'm in bed. I've got a hospital appt in the morning and then I'm talking to someone about what this shitbag put be through and how it has still effected my daily life.

I hope that you're all safe out there tonight and that whether you are drinking or not, you know what tomorrow will bring....... a Bus full of unconditional support if nothing else.

And maybe some Opal Fruits if Ma is still fed up. Give things time sweetie, I know it's easy for me to say but we've known each other as long as this Bus has been on it's travels......... take your own excellent advice and treat each day s if it's a brand new one, okay?

Lots of love to you all, wherever you may be,

Mouse xxx

Hey 41

I can only tell you what worked for me when my DH was having a drink and I couldn't, I mean really couldn't or I faced hospitalisation......

Separate your worlds for a day/night and try to keep busy with other things. OR make fake drinks, mocktails if you will? Get your tall glass, fill it with juice and soda and crushed ice, stick a brolly in it and sip it whilst you read a book, watch tv, craft or do whatever you like, other than be with your ex and drink.......

I used to hate listening to the bottle of ice cold white being opened, now, I can take it or leave it and mostly it's leave it. It was a habit for me. It would get to 5/6pm and I'd want to pour that first drink. Just because.

The other thing that helped me was being totally open with my DH and telling him that I wasn't drinking. That way, he wouldn't even ask! Worked much better than him asking if I wanted a drink or not, I'd kind of beat him to it.

It really doesn't bother me now, I can have 3/4/5 drinks at a party and nothing at home or nothing when we were out.

You have to do what you feel is right by YOU! You're an adult who can make choices as to whether to drink or not.

You have all the support you need right here, no matter what you decide...

I really must go to bed now but I'll be back. Take care of YOU.

Mouse xxx

ocelet welcome. And well done for posting, it's a big step.

It doesn't matter whether you're having the occasional sherry or downing pints of vodka, there are all sorts here. The important thing is that you are recognising a pattern, the potential for a dangerous habit to form. Great to tackle it now.

Can you form another habit? Grow a potof mint and make your own mint tea. Or turmeric tea (yes it does taste as weird as it sounds but after a week you get used to the taste and after 2 weeks you start to like it).

Post whenever and whatever you like - and ignore any of the mad opal-fruit-grabbing theives!

mouse lovely to see you posting. Rest well x

Good idea Venus!

Waves Hello at ocelot41

EasyToEatTiger
There's no need to apologize!

LuxuryWoman2017
Salted Caramel shower gel from Avon is all

Made
Hows the foot?

venusandmars
I am growing apple mint, strawberry mint and chocolate mint.

Ma
How are things now? Are you getting some proper rest?

Elf
How goes the elderflower cordial?

And this cheered me up this morning, my Dutch Iris are starting to bloom.

Hello, everyone!

I haven't managed to get any elderflower, Mint, and fear I've missed the boat. On the way back from the school run this morning a likely-looking bush (ooh, Matron) was covered in berry buds... I think I may have left it too late.

Well I did a first last night: I went to a mums' dinner at a friend's house last night - alcohol usually flowing a-plenty - and didn't even feel tempted. Wow. Where is Elf and what have you done with her?

I was soooo nervous beforehand - the first big night out/in I've had since quitting. I was worried about getting loads of questions about not drinking. They're a boozy bunch and I'm usually head of the pack . But only one person asked me! And she dismissed my "I gave it up as I was relying on it too much which wasn't great" with "oh I suppose you're not drinking because of your tablets" (we'd been talking depression etc) and then when I said "no, I just don't drink anymore", she said "well, I suppose that doesn't stop you enjoying a G&T".

Wow. Just wow. Completely not listening. Sweet, in a way, because she didn't want to "hear" that I have/had a problem with alcohol, but also a bit weird to skip from "I don't drink" to "G&T".

But anyway - I DID IT. I felt soooo good on the way home, too - all floaty and proud of myself. Am still a bit floaty now, in fact (though that may be coffee).

Babes
I've just had a call about a job interview!!!!!
I have to call Monday morning so they can arrange a time.
I'm celebrating the fact that this is the first company to contact me in five weeks with some elderflower cordial 😁

Elf
Oh that's a bugger. It's only just out up here in Scotland.