The Brave Babes Battle Bus - Braving The Wine Witch & Her Alcohol Free Autumn

[Mouseface]

Hello

I’m Mouse one of the Brave Babes who ride on this wonderful Bus, called Gerald, along with all the Opal Fruits wrappers and of course Barry The squid.

We all have a wise variety of life experiences and experiences with alcohol too. We’re not admirers of hang overs and we certainly don’t do judgey pants!

We’re here to ride along with you, when life is pants but also when it’s not as well and you my want to celebrate that bit too much!

So find a seat and come take a ride. I’ll link the previous and also the very first link and the reason we’re all here.

*Mouse

Just back from Pilates. I've been pretty consistent through the autumn, going to classes, so I'm hoping that if I can shift the padding, there is a svelte bod under there all ready and waiting .

I'll be in the sidecar for the weekend (that's pretty lame isn't it, actually planning not to stop?).

Hello all, I've been reading your posts for the last few days whilst readying myself for Dry January but have decided to start a couple of days early 😀. What a brilliant bunch of girls you all are.

I Currently drink 1.5 bottles of wine a night, every night and am now a fat bloated mess! Did Dry Jan about four years ago and stayed af until mid March - I can categorically say it was the best I felt in years. It was helped by joining a forum like this and chatting every night when I went to bed early to avoid the kitchen 😀 so I'm looking forward to getting to know everyone well.

There is also a Dry January Facebook page (a closed group) which is invaluable too if anyone is interested. I'm installing as much "back up" as possible including Netflix and Amazon Prime. Lots of early nights ahead.
Today is day 1 and my ds, dog and I are heading to the beach for a windy walk.
Does anyone have any good ideas for af drinks/mixes I can get?

Good luck everyone and thanks for the lift on the bus 👍

Hi, just read through the thread plucking up the courage to write something. 36 hours before I attempt Dry January again (managed 13 days last year and only had two or three alcohol-free days since). I need to make it happen this time; I feel so sick of relying on alcohol to get me through each day, promising that I’ll stop and then giving in and buying another bottle. Seeing all your posts has given me some hope that we might support each other and it might work better for me than trying it alone.

welcome bernie and original.
Move along the bus please, plenty of room at the back...

Hi Bernie, Original, welcome. Sit yourselves down, tell us as much or as little as you want to and hold on tight!

My cupboard is now stocked with Fentimen's Rose Lemonad, FeverTree Ginger Beer and San Pellargrino Blood Orange. I'll also be on the Tea Pigs super fruit tea. Planning is key, and making sure reaching for a soft drink is the easy option will help - avoid the wine aisle at all costs!

Im dreading Friday and saturday nights to be fair and when i do a sunday roast i drink red while cooking. Being bored makes me drink....like when we have the dsc's round it makes me stressed and i want to drink....

Original, JWN's original thread is what inspired me. Be brave and stick with the bus.

Lastname those habits are really tough, you just have to be very present, practice a kind of mindful drinking; focus on the thought - reaching for a glass of wine? What did you really want? Where you thirsty, bored or just not thinking? What a minute. Reassess what your mind and body are telling you.

Thank you dementedma
How's everyone doing?
I'm feeling a bit sad today as the only way to get through this for me is to turn into a recluse - for now anyway. I feel sad that I'm missing out on seeing people and parties - but know I can't be in those environments and not drink

Lula I don't have anything comforting to say about the social life - there will inevitably be some places and people that are not good for you to begin with, (I think the gorgeous Spanna can tell you some of her experiences on this), but it's not forever.

I'm currently holding the contents of my Xmas Stocking for when the sugar cravings kick in, in the first few days (vegetarian Percy Pig anyone?).

Some babes will have a soft drink but put it in a wine glass to have that "feel" of having a glass of something. I find that doesn't work for me as it just highlights that it's not wine, so I switch to hot drinks. Current favourite is a spiced Christmas Chai, or I have hot chocolate. I'm not a great socialiser, it's boredom drinking at home that is my challenge. The evenings seem very long without it. Good tip from sweet to have something sugary to snack on as your body will crave the sugar in alcohol.

Just comforted i guess, cooking, drinking wine, while listening to my favourite music....pure escapism...

Boredom is the main trigger for me lastname and a lot of the distraction techniques mentioned e.g read a book, have a bath, do a jigsaw, are all things I would normally do with a glass of wine in hand. I try and minimalise the time I have to be AF. So, if I get home at 6pm I know that I only have to do 3 hours AF before the cravings start to wear off, or I go to bed early with a book. I can do 3 hours. it's not a whole day, it's 3 hours.

Hi all - would it be possible for me to join this group? It's my first ever post on MN (although I am long-time lurker).

A bit of background - I hit rock-bottom on the wine in 2013 and haven't touched a drop of it (or any hard spirits / liquors etc) since 19 April 2013.

I didn't drink at all for the best part of a year but then moved abroad for a job by myself, at which point I decided to see if I could moderate on beer (Heineken / Peroni - 5% stuff and no more) in order to have a social life and make friends.

I successfully moderated for over 3 years (I follow WW so I allowed myself beer within my points at the weekend but no more) until this summer, when I took 3 months off work. That led to me getting into a bad habit of drinking every day as we were in holiday mode, and I've struggled to break the cycle now I'm back at work. I started off ok in September and then my job got stressful and there have been too many evenings on the beer.

My aim for 2018 is to stop drinking completely when not on holiday and whilst I'm working. I want to keep a really clear head, sleep well and be productive, and break this bad habit. I also have put on a few pounds in the last few months due to drinking too much so I want to shift it and finally get the last stone off for goal.

I hope to be checking in for the full year if you'll have me. I've been completely alcohol free before and it feels amazing, so I know I can do it again.

I did have a look at Club Soda earlier this week on FB but I found it a bit too hardcore and this looks like a more gentle and supportive group.

Im very tearful and irritable now as i'm on day 4 AF after drinking 5 nights in a row due to xmas stuff.

All i want to do is go to bed and sleep.

DP has purchased me some lovely stuff from Lakelands. When we were shopping there though all i could see was things you add to gin and mulled wine etc....its alm a reminder!! Xx

*all

Hi Twattage, it's so easy to slip back, isn't it? But you do know how great sobriety can be!

The bus is certainly supportive, and always gentle for the folks that need it, but also a little silly, and little lot crude. You couldn't have picked a better place for a first post

The mulled wine will have been remaindered soon Last, unfortunately alcohol is so much part of our culture, it is difficult to avoid. But it will begin to get better, promise. So what lovely gadgets have you got from Lakeland?

(I have got the right shop haven't I?)

welcome twattage. you sound like you have mastered this before so you know you can do it again. You will be able to help those of us who struggle to be AF for even a day me
lastname 4 days is excellent. Can you go to bed if that's what you need to do? Plead a headache or something if needs be.

Hi SweetLathyrus - thank you for the welcome.

Yes I do know what it's like - I can certainly say that knocking the wine on the head is the one of the best things I've done in life. I am both silly and also crude so I am amongst my people then!

Crude? On this bus? Never!!!!
(Are you talking about my triangle again?)

Hi dementedma - ha! It has been quite some time now since I have had a day alcohol free (I think November possibly).

But yes I did it before (actually the first time round I did it entirely by myself for the entire year). The reason I am posting is that I am in a different place now - last time I was at rock bottom, this time I know I can a) moderate and b) will never go back to wine or spirits.

I feel it may be tougher as I enjoy a cold bottle of beer - unlike wine I have an off button with it! Bad habits need to be broken though.

For those of you struggling with wine - I can absolutely promise that the other side is infinitely better. Certainly for me as soon as I had one glass, the genie was out of the bottle and I would be on for 1-2 bottles before I passed out. I don't want to be back there ever.

You have a triangle Ma?

Same here, Twattage, can't do one glass, I have to see the bottom of the bottle.

Dixie Chicks in concert on Sky Arts, I've found what I'm doing for the next hour or so.

We got loads of nee baking stuff as dp knows i love a bake sesh when im low. Pasta maker & new chopping boards.

Fyi if anyone wants a fun cook book Chrissy Teigans is hilarious (she has aldo admitted to over doing the wine and she has had to give it up) The food is really yummy and comforting. I guess it will make cooking in the kitchen more fun.

Im also going to do an Epsom soak tonight, was going to do an epsom drink but i cant bear the taste of it tonight.

And the book ill be going to bed with is called "the butchering art" its amazing. All about historical medicine xx

So glad ive discovered this thread. You all are making thiseasier for me xx

Nee = new!!