The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Sweet, Summer Sobriety!

[Mouseface]

Hey, I'm Mouse

Welcome to the Battle Bus! We're a group of travelling drinkers of varying levels, those who are teetotal, and those who have tried so many times to stop, those are 'controlled' drinkers, but we NEVER give up and keep coming back for the support we share, and trying to get some kind of control over the Wicked Wine Bitch Witch!

It's not easy, boy, it's so not easy to stop or cut down some days. There are days when even the Bravest Babes fall into the Sidecar. And do you know what? That's okay.

There is NO judgey pants worn on this Bus and you don't have to be anyone other than YOU to join us

So, come and grab a seat, some Opal fruits, (it'll make sense eventually!)) and meet the rest of the Babes. Remember, you're not on your own, ever with us, you'll always have a Babe you can relate to.

Here's the last thread for you to catch up on if you like

And here's where the entire journey began.

Mouse xxx

flowers
I find it easier to have AF wine or Koppaberg if I'm out at a friend's for dinner. Then you feel like you're joining in .

Thanks Madein yeah your right I'll get myself feeling well again, couldn't eat all day, so having some toast now, I'm so tired but I know I won't be able to sleep. flowers I have the same problem my friend and her husband are quite big drinkers (we stayed with them last night hence such a big drinking session) and I just find I don't have the willpower to say I'm not drinking with them, and it's never just one, must remember about the AF wine & beers. I'm just about feeling ok now, racked with guilt when I think about the amount of alcohol we drank last night, poor Dh don't know how he sticks being around me when that's all going on

Morning you lot,
Have managed a week af! Whooo hooo. Am determined to keep going especially as I'm through the first few days of feeling zonked and I'm beginning to sleep properly.
Will do a proper catch up later.

Morning everyone, hope everyone waking up this morning nice and fresh and clear headed- so good to feel human again- so day 1 starts here.

Hi all, and well done guggs
I have just listed in my head what I have done this weekend - you know, my days "off". So far:
3 loads of washing, several lots of dishes, unblocked the wash hand basin, emptied the interior bins, baked two cakes (one lime traybake, one banana loaf), shopping, filled the bird feeders at mother's house, stripped and changed the beds, washed the kitchen floor, emptied and cleaned the fridge, prepared meals, cut and dried herbs from the garden, done the recycling, taken ds to the museum (against his will but need to get him off his bloody screen for a while) and put the outside bins out. ...Now have dinner and ironing to do...
does everyone else enjoy their relaxing weekends before going back to work on Monday?

ma my weekends are like yours except less productive, not always any baking and never any herb cutting...you've done loads can you sit down with a brew now?!

herb cutting isn't usual but we have masses of rosemary so thought i would try drying it and then using it, erm, for something. Looks very rustic hanging up in the kitchen.
dinner is prepped, sweetcorn fritters and roasted veg, all of which ds will hate because it's vegetables (shock, horror) so he can have a few roasted sausages alongside. Just need to iron a couple of school shirts for him and something for me to wear to work tomorrow and I am done. am having a small glass of wine! Sorry.

Ma
I have a huge plant of citrus sage I need to dry out. I've just strung up a load of chilli's.
I also have a load of varied mint (chocolate, lemon, apple etc) plant's I need to do something with.

And yes, today is my only day off and I've only just sat down from being on the go from 8am. Gotta love a relaxing day off.

Waves at everybody else.

Hi all just checking in. Been watching the thread but not posting as been a bit out of control the last few weeks.

Had an impromptu two days af this week thanks to a random vomiting bug (water wasn't staying down so wine didn't have a chance...), then stupidly drank last night despite not really having eaten. Obviously feel crap today as a result. Hoping though that this can somehow kick start me into getting a bit of control back. Planing for af and an early night tonight but already wavering a bit.

Sorry for not name checking anyone, but been reading and cheering you on.

Hello, tentative wave from someone only
AF for two days since a spiking scare on holiday. I've never known my limit and made some fairly large mistakes previously that have cost me my self esteem for years. I'm ashamed I didn't wake up to what I needed to do until now. Excited but nervous about this new me and worried how it will be accepted in our military circle.

Sounds like you're all being very productive on your days off. I have been working today, while 'watching' DS and his friend at swimming - the joys of being a freelancer who just needs a laptop to work ...seems I don't need my brother's bad influence. .. had 3/4 bottle of red this evening. DH accidentally smashed a jar of jam everywhere when he was cooking dinner -including in the dinner - so then of course he needed a beer and I thought I might as well have some wine. Every intention of AF week though. I plan to post my intake here - and be honest if that's OK with you all? I think I can be honest about booze here. I am not generally. God forbid I admit to my GP howith much I actually drink

definitely be hones piano. it was quite a wake up call when I actually posted the number of units I was getting through a week and not lying to myself. Be assures, that no-one on here will be shocked or judge you at all.
polka the new you is going to be fabulous! Courage...

Hi everyone just checking in, it's my birthday today so this evening might be a struggle- going to shops later to get some sparkling af stuff to take the edge off, even though I died a death on Saturday I was craving wine last night. Absolutely piano be honest I think this might be the only place I can be honest too, there's no way I could judge anyone else consumption without looking at my own, I actually thought you were good to only have 3/4 of a bottle of wine same here polka I'm hoping this is the road to the happier healthier me we're all in good company. Right I'm off to eat cake with the kids have a good day everyone

I got my days mixed up so I'm actually day 4 now- overnight flights confused my body too much. I'm having a bad self loathing day and have a sick with nerves feeling in my stomach, though I don't really have anything to be nervous about. Thanks for the encouragement 3kids and demented, I don't think I'll struggle too much on a daily basis, we don't tend to drink overly regularly, it's more that when I do I massively overdo it. My real challenges will be social events rather than each day, so I think I'm lucky that way, alcohol doesn't routinely appear on my shopping list. Though reading up on going sober I see the urge might strike at any time. My husband is reasonably supportive but already 'sad' that there will be no more 'dinner and wine' nights but I think he'll be easily convinced it's not a loss. I'm rambling, I'm sorry, just not telling anyone in real life yet as want to have a couple of weeks under my belt first

Happy birthday 3kids

God, yes, happy birthday. Sorry, such a selfish spiral made me miss that

Did someone mention cake birthday?

thanks ma & polka that will be this evening mint trying to avoid the fridge, have already received 3 bottles of wine as presents!!! Maybe that should really tell me something! I'm starting to feel a bit caked out!!

Hi everybabe, happy birthday 3kids hope you have had a lovely day so far

Sorry to have been AWOL so much, I am vey busy organising my new life, so much change but it's all good (My good mood is beginning to get on my nerves now!

Hope everyone is ok, how lovely to see made Elba and Dubh

Hi all, for those who are new to this place a great guy used to advise putting as much effort into planning your sobriety as you did/do into drinking.

So in the same way as you would know how much wine was in the house, or how much you had in your purse to buy the next bottle, or where the shops were that you didn't have to drive to.... in the same way as you plotted a secret stash when friends were coming over for dinner, or the hidden bottle in the kitchen cupboard.... in the same glib way that phrases tripped off your tongue when you wanted a drink 'lets celebrate' or 'what a terrible day' or 'lets relax in the garden'....

Put the same mental energy into planning your non-drinking. Fridge full of cool sparkling soda, slices of lemon or lime ready sliced in the freezer, a biscuit treat to go with your mug of tea, a slice of smoked salmon on buttered bread as a treat. Rehearse ways in which to ask for a non-alcoholic drink "I'm really thirsty, so I'll just have a pint of orange juice first" or "I've got a bit of a headache, I think I'll have a mug of tea at the moment"

And if you really can't get out of drinking, start with a pint of water so you're really well hydrated, then stick to spritzers so you are still drinking more liquid than alcohol.

I'm going to post my units too.
I think it might be scary
Hope you're all OK.
I'm getting fatter than ever, bah.

Cake you say?
Units....okay,at my worst, based on 10 units per bottle and 3 per large glass of winre, I was probably on about 55 units a week.
Now I am on about 20-25

3kids HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Cake? I've had a nice meal out but could force down inhale a small slice
Units, ok. At my worst (drinking most days) I was drinking around 100 units. In comparison, over the last 7 days I have drank one glass of wine, 2 bottles (500ml) kopparberg and 1 bottle of redkorderlig (500ml). That's 9.8 units over 4 nights. I feel lots better - not all down to not drinking so much I know - but somehow not drinking so much means I feel more 'up to' eating right and exercising, basically looking after myself better

Well done made. Thats a huge improvement. I no longer wake up groggy and have lost half a stone!