The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Go Sober For October?

[Mouseface]

Hello, 'tis me, Mouseface, welcome to the Bus, aka Gerarld.

We're a bus full of various Babes, from those who are as dry the Sahara, those who drink in moderation, those who binge drink and can go for weeks without a drop and then fall arse over tit (pardon the french!) straight off the bus and into the sidecar, and then we have Babes who try every single day to give up.

The thing is, we all do 'this' ONE DAY AT A TIME and with passion too. You have to WANT to stop with every fibre of your being.

And that's what this bus is about. We support each other. No matter how many times you fall of the Bus, we'll always be here to scoop you back up and listen.

So, come and join us. Lurk, or grab a seat, make sure you're comfy and enjoy the journey as we talk about the dreaded drink, plus everything from how expensive Tena Lady's are, to what's in the slow cooker!

We don't judge, this isn't a competition, it's our lives.

And if you'd like to read the last thread, HERE IT IS

Plus, if you'd like to see where the Bus started out, you can RIGHT HERE

Hope to see you soon xx

CURRENT THREAD UNTIL IT'S FULL

Please fill up the current thread so that we don't leave anybabe behind. Thank you xx

sneaks in and bags seat behind driver

I'll be here as always....

lugs Barrie the squid on board and furtively stashes Opal Fruits before any other Babes arrive

Takes a back seat, sniffs around for opal fruits......

Grabs smock of smug and wraps it round Elf, Rupert, Guggs, Buddha and myself. Good job it's a big smock and we're all skinny goddesses.

Okay, I have drank tonight, but so, so, so want to quit this mess that drinking makes me, can I join please

You all sound like you have been here ages, do you let new peeps in, indeed it x

Yes we do, I'm pretty new Babycow

Of course babycow. We have new Babes boarding all the time. Sone just pop n and out. Some,like me, stay here for ever. You are very welcome.
faire good to see you but we can all see your knickers!

Morning boing!
Well done to the fabulous budda but I think you need to tell us a little more about your sober year- any big challenges? Anything which really helped? Bet you feel great.

Just to prove what a badass I am, I'll share my new favourite tipple with you- 0% beer topped up with lemonade. Oh yes shandypants indeed.

Had a few wobbles but very glad that I got through them. Welcome to new babes,make sure that ma shares the green opal fruits with you and please keep posting : )

Old thread is filled up, so hopefully everyone old, new, regular or lurker can joon us here.

May I sneak on please?

Background: I've noticed my drinking has been getting steadily out of hand. The last few weeks of the summer holidays I realised it was pretty much a bottle of red a night. So I have stopped. Completely. I started strong but I'm now 15 days in and beginning to wobble. I definitely need a few experienced passengers to help me keep going.

Welcome Babycow just post whenever you want to - no judgy pants on here

Merlin 15 Days is awesome - well done you When you have a wobble check yourself and think about whether you're hungry, thirsty, tired - my advice is distract, distract, distract. If you used to do something one way with wine involved, do it another way without. Much of our drinking is habit and routine - change it! Keep going Babe, you'll really start to feel and see the benefits soon.

Ma good to see you lovely, how was your first week, did you enjoy it?

Mouse my darling, thank you for setting up the new thread. I hope you get to your consultant soon x

Guggs boing, boing, boing keep going honey

You all look gorgeous in the Smock of Smug

Elf so good to hear from you, such a success - Well Done Babe

Lovely sunny day here today who knows how long that will last
worked yesterday, got some problems at work, I hate work politics, frankly don't want to get involved but seem to be being drawn in
Feeling a bit meh - I realised recently that I'm not being invited to some of my friends nights out, more than likely because they're all going to get hammered and I'm sober. I think they're uncomfortable drinking around me when I'm not Admittedly when they get to the point of very drunk, I do tend to leave, once the repetitive conversations start etc It's a bit weird being excluded when I used to be right in the centre of it and leading everyone else astray.
Perhaps they do see me as being boring - at least I am the 'real' me who's not running away from my feelings and emotions - blimey this is hard work sometimes.
Onward, have a good Sunday everyone

Thank you for the encouraging words, spanna, just what I needed. Yep, it's all about habit breaking for me. This is going to be a looong journey!

Merlin if you can put the money aside that you would have spent on wine - buy yourself some treats with it - a treatment, get your nails done, buy a bestseller, save it for a weekend away, a day out somewhere you've never been - the possibilities are endless

Morning all, welcome Babycow and Merlin you're in the right place, lots of support and strategies here.

Hope everyone is Ok this fine morning?
Merlin I agree with Spanna lots of lovely treats to look forward to is helpful. It's shocking the amount of money we can spend on booze then we say we can't afford a new lippy/pair of shoes.

Can I hop on the bus please?
I need to cut down my drinking as over the past year the amount I drink has crept up.
A tough year has contributed to reaching for a glass of wine at the end of the day to relax and it needs to stop.
DD1 has been ill and this impacted on our lives as a family greatly. She seems to be turning a corner and the stress is relieving.
DH issues and we're working through them. He crossed a few boundaries, no affair but lying about certain situations. All on the up now.
Sorry for sharing on my first post but has helped to see it written down!

Guggenheim - a shandy is my new favourite too. Really refreshing.

Looking forward to the ride!

Struggling since yesterday when I heard my Ds's relationship may be unsalvageable. Definitely drank more wine last night (on holiday) I know I react to emotional scenarios by reaching for the bottle (used to be food). As PP said it's the habit which is hard to break. I love DIL and, especially, DGC so as she comes from a different country this is going to be hard if it comes to that.

Hello everyone!

Thanks for the new thread. I'm going to join in more from now on.

My story so far. I was drinking over a bottle of wine a night previously. I had no wine in August which I am pretty chuffed with. Still not had any AF days yet BUT I have signed up for Sober October!

I'm on the hunt for AF drinks recs as I have a big party during October and need to prep myself in advance.

Only had wine three times this month and have pretty much halved my unit intake I think.

Feeling quite positive and reading everyone's posts really helps.

Love to all the Babes! 😚

Hi everyone, I joined towards the end of the last thread.

I've set myself a goal to not drink at home in September, then I'm going to try and do sober October. I had 3 AF days this week which is a big improvement.

I also have some tentative good health news. I have been suffering from high blood pressure and it has gone down quite a bit this week since I have cut down the booze. It may be also because I am feeling less stressed since I decided to take control of the drinking. Fingers crossed!

Thanks mouse a lovely opening to the new thread, and i am feeling very cozy in the smock of smug thank you margie. To all the newbies I only joined in August and have had so much support it has really honestly pulled me through the tough times.

I love having money to spend on treats now it makes it all feel worth it, I truly feel like I'm living my life, for anyone who is 2 weeks in this is the part I have found the toughest so far, be kind to yourself, lovely bath, chocolate etc it will soon past and most importantly keep posting.

Hops on to grab a lift home from work and waves tiredly at everyone

Guess who's got an interview tomorrow...
Whispers...Me, thats who, for my favourite job in the world

Will catch up with you all when I get home.

Good luck tomorrow Mint! Got fingers and toes crossed for you!

Ruby, well done on your progress, amazing stuff in a short time and the blood pressure news is fantastic.

Chesterfield, sounds like you're taking all the right steps towards Sober October, well done you!

Welcome Babycow, Merlin and 6oclock, just writing your first posts is a great step in the right direction! Everyone on the bus has or is addressing their drinking and I have had so much amazing support here.

Spanna, I'm so sorry your colleagues are leaving you out. You are not boring, people who repeat themselves over and over again because they're pissed out of their brains, now they're boring. Chin up buttercup, you are a wonderful babe, adored by all on this bus, especially me because you are my hero. Fact.

Day 23 done and dusted here. It actually feels weird to me that I still don't want to drink, I feel so confident this time although I'm wary that a mad craving might hit at any time.

I watched this short video yesterday - wish these girls were Spanna's co-workers as they definitely understand what being AF is all about: www.bbc.com/news/av/health-41201382/you-re-not-giving-anything-up-you-re-only-gaining