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

Hi all - have found some helpful IOS apps.

Managed to drink less last night, but I still drank...

That's a shame about your meet up - I'm in Glasgow so missed bridge-mania so far!

I'm ok today - though i'm having to stop drinking slowly due to withdrawal. Lovely dh was off work so bought me a glass of wine at lunch - it was so nice, I wish I could appreciate that for what it is, not drain the bottle every time! :(

Right, the sun is outside the window, I am sick of looking at my PC and the wine witch has been calling her siren song for the last fucking hour!

So, I am off to another AA meeting simply because its the only alternative I can think of to walking to the end of the road and buying a bottle of wine.
Theansweris42 I think I bought the t-shirt on ill-bairns-whilst-hungover so many times and it really does make every-damn-thing harder and more difficult. Good for you in keeping it to 1 G&T!
Weegie good luck with the withdrawal. I am finding the physical stuff relatively easy (Sleeplessness, itchy skin, flu-like a bit) but it the mental stuff that always does it for me.

I have found a podcast series "Recovery elevator" quite interesting and a good distraction. It's very American but they are all saying a lot of the same things I am....

well done frogtits. Less is a step in the right direction
memo bloody well done on heading out to AA instead of buying booze. DTS will be proud of you. how old are those babies now by the way?

I've been pretty jittery the past couple of days, the weekend had been a dreadful binge. Luckily, dh is a doc so he's keeping an eye to check I'm ok.

Going to bed soon. At least I don't drink there.

Well quite a weekend for me. Drank quite a bit at my brother's, but less than everyone else and managed to alternate with soft drinks /water + no hangover. Next evening we stayed at a friends - alcohol -wise two proseccos. V. Moderate by my standards. Spent Tuesday in London as tourists and had a pint of lager and one white wine with dinner. Was heading home in the evening via Euston with my DS8, and had time to spare so went in the book shop on the station. Next thing we knew, crowds of people were running past the shop towards the entrance screaming. So I hid DS and myself behind a bookshelf, fearing a marauding terrorist. Eventually we were evactuated by the police and the whole area was closed off for some time while they checked it out. DS and I went to stay at my friends (about an hour from London from another station) and eventually came home today. It turned out just to have been an exploding e-cigarette, so thank god no one was hurt, but it was a very frightening experience! Tonight I am pissed off with DH (as per) as he doesn't seem to have been particularly worried about DS and I, turned up late to pick us up from the station and hasn't even given either of us a hug since we got back. I've had about a bottle of red tonight. Is my marriage over/on the rocks or am I being over sensitive?

Morning,it was a lovely cold night so I slept really well. Am now old enough to complain about the heat of summer, used to love it when I was young 😎

ma well done on the new job and best of luck. I was here when you were beginning to apply for posts but missed the bit when you were appointed.Hope it's something awesome where you can wear high heels, shoulder pads and click your fingers for someone to fetch you a cup of tea. I've also spotted how little you drink now- well done.

memo sooo good to see you! AA is weird and irritating beyond all measure but it's free, anonymous and it's keeps us sober. It was life changing for me. I wish that there was a secular alternative though.
I haven't heard of recovery elevator but I'm working my way obsessively through the Bubble Hour podcasts. Some brilliant resources out there now.

weegiemum keep going, just white knuckle it if you have to, it's worth it and you'll feel better soon. Why not go to bed with a book or some crap tv if it keeps you away from the wine witch? Get under the covers and just rest.

flowers that must have been very frightening. Any stupid suspect bag or sodding lost item has to be treated as though it might be dangerous, half the time it turns out to be someone's packed lunch they left behind. Sigh.
What are your plans for today? Are you thinking about an af Thursday?

Yay I've managed an awesome 17 days and am wearing the smock of smug. I'm very likely to fall head over tits any minute now but I'm very pleased with my 17 days and am going to keep going. I feel so much better. I'm ashamed to say that I' a fair weather sober type, I have no doubt that the next time life turns into a shitfest then I'll pick up a drink. Think I'd need a LOT of sobriety behind me to deal with hard times. Right now I'm ok.

Well done guggs
Morning all, just checking in

Hello, mind if I join in? Been on the DRY thread but it's quiet! and I'm not actually going dry long term ( ithink) on day 60 AF and so far so good. Been quite easy once I made up my mind, prob. cos I have an end date. Feel like i have reset my tolerance so thats good was drinking waaaayyyyy too much

weegie going to bed is a great strategy.

flowers that must have been terrifying no wonder you were shaken up. Reaching for the bottle can be an instinctive reaction and those are often the ones that trip us up.

guggs great to hear that you're having a sober run. It really does just strengthen the resolve doesn't it. Like many things, the more you do it, the easier it gets. Unfortunately though that works in reverse which is why the slippery slope is sooooo slippery. The smock of smug (I'd forgotten about that) does suit you though - give us a twirl

memo well done on swerving the ww. It sounds like you've been through such a difficult time over the past few months. I hope you have some support? I know family have not been a great support to you in the past. We are always here if you fancy a rant or a chat x

Hi chron welcome to the bus. Well done on 60 AF days. Think of the money you have saved! Hope you've bought yourself some treats instead?

I think it was Margie who mentioned 100 days starting from tomorrow, 1st September. Quite a challenge as that would take us right through to 9th December if I've worked it out right.

Day 1 AF.
MIL arrives this evening for the weekend and I'm on the fizzy water - wish me luck!

weegie if you can get through that.....

Hi chronicle welcome and well done. What can we best do to support you?

welcome chronicle, come and share your advice
guggs that smock of smug suits you!
weegie good luck with MiL
venus it took me over 2 hours to get back from the airport on Wednesday! When I cancelled lunch they said they had had loads of cancellations because of the bridge.
Start my new job on Monday - lots of travel around the Highlands and islands, mess dinners and nights in hotels...oh, and chaps in uniform. It's a crap job

I would just like to lay before the court bus that 'The smock of smug' was on of my inventions. As was the sidecar of shame....
Ok so enough self-aggrandizing bollox (which I am only doing btw in a cheap and facile attempt to divert people from my chronic shortcomings)
I fell off the fucking bus on day 3 !!
I'm only admitting it here and I am back clinging on with my fingernails now but this was always a place I didnt lie.
Chronicle welcome and come and share lovely!
Guggs good fer ya lovely !!
|Weegie My white south African mil was the main adversary in my child custody cases (quote said with gimlet eyes and a couple of centuries of apartheid "They've not got your Blood! unquote) so yours is soooo bound to be better and easier. Breath deeply and remember she will leave soon
Ma what is the job?? You can text me or just say yes or no to the following:-
A - Are you managing actual soldiers?
B - Are you a camp follower offering sexual favours to soldiers?
C- Do you hold a rank above corporal?
D- Are you posting from your bed in the secure unit of some psychiatric institution playing out your fantasies about men in uniform?
E- Is the military you are working for part of NATO or are you journeying through Turkmenistan on a false passport?
F - Are you ready to finally admit that I did not kill the feckin' Rabbit?

Oh and in the absence of Curry I also claim the fact that I named the bus Gerald....
(C'mon Curryeater I know you're out there...)

Leaves a specially selected board of the world's finest cheeses out with lovingly-made quince jelly and the finest celery.....
Basically the best cheese-board anyone can possibly imagine...

Hey my lovely wonderful mate. You know this is for you.
Sorry I dropped off the radar whilst you were going through such hellish times

memo so good to have you back although I think you will find I invented the sidecar of shame. Just saying....
In answer to your questions:
A) Yes. And sailors. And airmen.
B) Yes. Of course.
C) Not yet but am working on it( see B)
D)Possibly
E)I am officially now a servant of the crown. I want a crown. I need a crown (see D)
F) Never! I saw it with my own eyes m'lud. Ask venus. She never lies!

memo - would you mind if I nibble a wee bit of that cheese please..... I have a feeling that we're friends from when Gerald first started roaming these lands far and wide?!

I love your name! xxx

Hello babes, tis me, mouse

It's been a busy week getting my beautiful daughter ready for uni. I'm going to miss her soooooooooooooo very much! She's my buddy and we are so alike. I'm so super proud of her. I think I might have said

A HUGE WELCOME TO ALL VERY BRAVE BABES! xx

I'm sorry not to name you all. I'm still poorly with pleurisy and I'm volunteering at the hospital tomorrow so I want to get back to bed.

Love all of you! Just keep on moving forward!

One Day At A Time! xxx xxx

PS - Ma - I hope your car has stopped bleeding money! xxx

Hello ladies! Been a while but I'm a couple of days away from two months AF. Who'd have thunk it!

It hasn't been too bad really, but a) I haven't lost any weight which as a lager drinker I'm frankly disappointed by or b) I haven't saved any money. Feel a bit sad about those but c) have achieved LOADS and had no hangovers!

to you all avoiding the WW tonight x

I've been awol for a while (but just about staying sober- have found a new hypnosis app which helps)

But I've just read that ma has a new job, so popped in to say bloody well done and I hope you get everything you deserve AND have the time of your life

Hopping on.

Been reading for the last couple of hours and need to get to sleep, but this is day 1 af for me.

Can't really just have one. Meeting my mum tomorrow with my Dd for a day out. Trying to focus on the positives but not really feeling it right now. I don't like her much (DM that is). It's all a bit fake to me.

Anyway, blah, I have to stop with the drink, it's getting out of control and I don't like it.

It's been nice to read all your stories- I'm pretty awkward and tend not to fit in anywhere but you all seem really lovely.

Here's to a new start- if I can make it through tomorrow I'll do well!

Can I climb aboard? Huge step for me.

I need a place for support. Not ready for AA. I'm post menopausal, never had a drink problem, food was my thing. Had bariatric surgery maybe 6 years ago, in many ways this has been great and I've gone from size 26 to size 16 (still overweight but much better). One of the risks of bariatric surgery is it doesn't address addiction and there's a risk of switching addiction. So now I drink too much wine.

No one outside my immediate family is aware of my drinking. In public I seem to be able to moderate it. It's with my family or alone I can't control it.

I'm away with DD, her friend who is pg so not drinking and DGC, we had a bottle of wine with dinner. DD and baby went to bed and I brought the half bottle of wine to my room fridge "for tomorrow" but I finished it and have now woken up with a headache. This is not untypical....waking up feeling guilty after drinking too much. A couple of times I've got a bit stroppy with family too and the last time, a few weeks back, apparently I was quite snarly and I don't remember being cross at all which really worried me!

I have a chronic illness which is (mostly successfully) managed with medication which means I'm not allowed to drink more than 14 units a week so I'm abusing my body too and I have so much to live for!

So where am I on the drink problem spectrum? Do I need to stop drinking entirely or is there hope of me finding a way to go back to "a glass of wine"? I've set rules before, only one glass, never drink alone but I slip back. I have actually done the thing suggested here about leaving it an hour and seeing if I still think more is a good plan and that sometimes works but generally I drink much too fast. The family actually think that's my main issue.

I do usually have one day a week when I don't drink at all though. I'm going to read through the back threads but just wanted to introduce myself. I'm a regular MN poster but have NC for this topic. My DH doesn't drink at all, never has so I have no excuse though I used to enjoy a drink with my adult DC.

Need to find the right book for me. Is there one in particular? Ideally British not American (want to feel at home).

Yikes! Am I onboard?

Notthatwitty seems like we're joining at the same time, doesn't that make us time twins? Sounds like we are at a similar level of problem too.

I think we might just be, holdthe!

Cracking insomnia last night, but I used the time to do some work I had been delaying with wine wine wine (I saved it but didn't submit) and let the dog on the sofa to sleep with me from about 5.

He thinks it's Christmas! That's another thing though, I suffer chronic arm pain from an accident last year (not wine related, got banged in a car) and I think I've been using alcohol to mask that as well. Irony is, I'd think about going to the docs for some pain medication but wanted to dry out a bit first!

Sit next to me, holdthewine and I promise not to moan. Too much hope you're feeling ok this morning!

I wanted to check in and reply to all the old babes and welcome the new babes too. But my sodding day started at four fucking fifteen am. And I have a whole days worth of childcare ahead of me. And I'm old and ....whimper...whinge...

Hands back a very sticky, play dough coated smock of smug.

Not drinking but may lay comatosed in front of cbbies all day. Sob.