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

You know this is a safe place, Elba, you can rage as much or as little as you like, we have broad shoulders.

Can you make yourself a herbal tea, or hot choc?

Evening everyone.
Hope you are all well.

sweet my son was awful when he was a teenager too. It does pass though so keep going. My son is now 21 and is lovely and calm and laid back. He graduated this year too so all the angst I put up with paid off.

Today was day 22 for me. As I have said previously I am moderating and I usually reserve a Saturday for my 2/3 drinks but this Thursday I have a big day so I'll have them then.

Thanks for the book recommendations, I'll have a look at them.
I started Truly Madly Guilty last night and I'm enjoying it. Now that I'm AF 6 days out of 7 I'm reading a lot more so I'm getting through a book every 2-3 days. It's great😊

Just checking in. Things have been shit so haven't inflicted it on you lot. Been catching up behind the scenes.
I'm still here but unfortunately in the grip of the alcohol witch.

Hi again!

Felt a bit sorry for myself so have been away til I felt better. Managed to stay off the sauce tonight and last night. Lots of Earl Grey tea!

I'm trying to get 5 af days a week too 42

Luckily at the moment I'm in a new job which does require me to be alert at work as there's a lot to take in so turning up hungover is not really an option.

Sorry you're having a rough time Elba

mint its called sharing, not inflicting you daft mare. Now spill, before you get a slap roind the chops with Barrie.
lux two periods a month is two too many. Get thee to a gynae!
beauty good to see you back
elba are you ok?
miss and vodka well done. You can share the smock of smug.

Sweet - it's well worth giving AA a try, I feel really quite daft for being so against it for years - the public perception of it is generally quite twisted!

(waves at Luxury and ma) So how's everyone doing today? It's hammering it down where I am, looks like we've had our few days of summer!

well, my meeting with the prospective employers went well and I have been told to expect an offer of an interview in two weeks time!!
am far too excited to think straight.

Well done ma 🎉🎉👏🏼👏🏼

Thanks voddy. Well today is graduation day for dd2 and it is blowing a hoolie and sheeting down with rain. No nice outside pictures by the loch then . Still be a proud day though.

oh ma that is excellent good for you.
And enjoy this day!! Proud mama

Hope everybabe is having a good week.
I am on day 4 AF and well be doing day 5 tomorrow as I have cleverly booked into a morning yoga class on Sat
I HAVE slept a bit better (littler DS seems to be getting up less at night) and I know it is all good but my mood has dipped, not sure why. Not gonna have a drink though!

sending strength and love to all x

My mood has dipped too this past week theansweris42. I wonder if the sunshine last week followed by the clouds has anything to do with it?

Day 133 here. Wow. Well on my way to five months.

Had a MAJOR wobble this past week though. I want to post about it to get it out into the open and hopefully gain perspective. I just feel so tired and fed up and like life is a relentless slog ... just all my old martyr feelings welling up and self-pity overwhelming me into ranty anger.

To cap it all, I am going to a special function (quite distinctive so I can't say what it is or it will "out" me) on Saturday, which involves staying over, one night away. I am SO tempted to buy a bottle of wine, or gin. It's simply shocking. I mean, I've been totally fine with being AF. Totally fine. Like it doesn't even seem odd, or register as an active decision day-to-day. That's just the way it is, the way I prefer it.

Is this just old habits bouncing back? What is it all about? I don't really want to closet myself in a hotel with a bottle of something do I? It just seems so sad. Even found myself getting sad about it yesterday as if I'd already "failed" at being AF. Madness!

Anyway. I have been invited to dinner - and there will be a few other teetotallers there, so that won't be an issue. Stay for dinner, head back, and sleep. How hard can that be? Really?!

It's making me realise I haven't processed all my excuses/justifications for drinking yet though. Problems in my marriage are still staring me in the face . Being sober is fantastic, but I can't ignore things forever.

(Sorry for the down post. Just needed to vent.)

elf it's not a down post, it's REAL. That's what this place is for - no need for pretence and somewhere safe to share. I'd suggest that you don't anticipate too much. How you feel today is how you feel today, and tomorrow might be different.

ma hope you've had a lovely day - hold onto your proud mum feelings x

dementedma
Did the weather and enjoy your DD day. I bet you're bursting with pride and good luck with the job interview. So chuffed for you.

Well still no job, never heard back from the Dentist even after contacting them Monday.
I've actually applied for 45 jobs in last few weeks and not one have got back to me. So that's me done. I can't claim any benefits either so on Monday when the bills try and come out I'll be hundreds of pounds in debt.
I miss the gym as it's the only chance I get to get off this bloody farm and see people.
I can't even go and visit my friend as I don't drive.
I need to get back to the Doctors and up my ADs.
On a good note, I'm now going to be dry unless I can work out how to make poteen!
So that's two days dry for me so far.

Note to self, remember name change.

'sighs and goes back to bed'

ma
Are you in Scotland? Yesterday was my sons graduation too, it was awful weather here and his uni has a loch.... 🤔

Yes we are voddy - Stirling?
It pissed down all day but she had a blast anyway. this might out me but so what???

That is a great photo ma
Exactly where I was yesterday
Your daughter is wearing the same colour as my son did so I'm guessing they graduated in the same kind of subject
*whispers 'english'

oh ma what a glorious photo
Day 5 here (well hopefully) feeling a lot better for it
elf your post wasn't negative - just you putting down thoughts and showing lots of insight. Try not to beat yourself up for thinking about drinking, surely that's to be expected? And not a failure at all.
KOKO

voddy I think we were at the same ceremony then!! The afternoon one? DD did Criminology and Philosophy.

Recovering from hangover...

Hi I haven't disappeared without trace. I'm in Cornwall on holiday without wifi. I'm doing ok. Not af but keeping it in check. Hello all babes. Proper catch up soon

You're right, venusandmars. I have difficulty accepting feelings that I judge (wrongly) to be "bad". This is something I'm working on - both last year with an amazing counsellor, and also more recently through reading quite a lot on co-dependency etc.

It felt good to get it out there though - and thank you for validating what I put. "Don't anticipate too much"

Poteen is an illegal 100% proof spirit made from potatoes in a still.
It will blow your head off and rot your insides!

Po-ta-to (channels Keif Lemon)

Hello babes, I jumped on the bus a few months ago and unfortunately jumped straight back off again. I'm attempting to do dry July as I would like to reset my drinking habits, I really don't want to stop drinking as I do enjoy it but I really do need a bit of a break, so I am on day 1 of hopefully 31....eek! Feeling good and positive at the moment but I know it's going to take some serious will power to do this, I have quite a stressful life and I do love how alcohol 'takes the edge off.'

Hello everyone, hi Susie welcome back and good luck for Dry July.

Sorry not been around much. Mr Lux is going to leave it seems so I've lots to think about. It's for the best but we've been here before and always slipped back into routine so I don't know.

I'm always reading. Still off the wine but am having a couple of gins tonight but it's ok.