The Brave Babes Battle Bus - New year, old battles, big resolve

[SweetLathyrus]

Hi, I'm SweetLathyrus, Sweet for short, and I've been on and off Gerald the Brave Babes Battle Bus for years, so this time it's me standing in for our wonderful Mouse to invite you on board.

The bus is a place of support, safety and occasional silliness for those of us struggling with our relationship with alcohol. Some of us are sober, some are trying to be, some are moderating and aren't ready to give up alcohol just yet.

So whatever your reason for questioning the whys and WTFs of your drinking, hop on board, make yourselves comfortable and join in.

If you want to see what it's like, here's the link to the last thread, the one that saw us through Christmas.

And if you want to know how it all started, here is the link to JWN's original, inspiring thread.

Join us on our journey, you won't regret it.

Evening all - sounds like everyone is doing super well.

The close of day 10 is approaching for me...I'm already in bed with tea, fizzy water and my laptop. Will be watching a couple of progs, then book, then snooze by 9.30 / 10.

Still no thoughts of beer - hurrah!

In relation to the recycling box - ahem. Down at the coast we have a black box for glass - we never leave it out as the council now only collect it once every 4 weeks. FFS if you're drinking it's overflowing (well it was xmas & NY week) within a few days - the shame!

Up in London everything goes in a clear bag - the amount of times I have put the clanking bag down on our wooden floor above the downstairs neighbours bedroom...terrible.

There hasn't been any clanking for the last 10 days - it's quite a relief!

Anyway, evening to all babes and my fellow bears - bernie and rothbury I hope you are okay. x

🖐Dry

Still taking hours to fall asleep at night but maybe I'm just not tired enough as I'm not back at work yet. I wish my wine belly would go down but no reduction yet. I also keep peering at myself in the mirror trying to convince myself that I have a more youthful glow but I think it's just wishful thinking. At times I find myself wishing I could fast forward to 6 months when I can be all thin and less jowly but I know that the process is part of it. Sorry I sound a bit negative tonight, today has been a bit harder, not sure why but recieved an invite to a hen party in March which will be my first big night out not drinking and already feel a familiar knot of anxiety thinking about it.

Checking in - AF today. Feeling good. Have lost two pounds she says whilst munching a Crunchie which is a brilliant side effect.

Waves to twatbear and berniebear how's it going Bernie?

ma well done on getting into the size 14 trousers. I always find I can easily get into a size 14 or even 12 skirt but the size 14 trousers are a little/lot trickier.

yorkshire what is this fluffy teddy bear bedding of which you speak? I feel myself and the other bears should have sight of this wondrous thing

TMI alert - my wee smells. Is this normal?

Finally - apologies if this article has been linked on previous threads but I thought it was absolutely bloody hilarious, read right to the end..
funny article about quitting drinking

Day 6/7 here (and 3 on the trot). That in itself is something. Normally if I manage 3 AF nights per week (never more than 2 consecutive) that's me being restrained.

I am shattered though, even though I am sleeping much much better (and longer). Don't know if it's the lack of alcohol, or Christmas catching up on me, or the fact that I am back doing the low carb bootcamp or the freezing cold - I have to do playground duty for 45mins, couldn't feel my feet by the end. I just went to bed for 1.5hrs when I came home. Tomorrow I had planned to get back to the gym but I may just rest in the house.

Mrscain I would feel anxious about that too. It just sets everything off whirring doesn't it. Will you tell people in advance do you think?

Fluffy teddy bear bedding - pricks up ears!

I am an all white cotton girl but if there were a bear-related set of pjs, that would be a winner!

Waves to rothbury. x

The teddy bear bedding is a duvet cover and pillow cases made out of that fluffy fleece. Bought it from Tesco but it appears to be out of stock now. I would warn anyone who tracks some down that it's very warm - I had to get up and open the window last night - and it made getting out of bed this morning very difficult!

Evening All, lovely to see you Beaches.

Twattage we have the same black box I think, and a 4 week collection rota (we have two boxes ) and are not far off the South coast.

I've been reading the Mummy was a Secret Drinker blog, can't think why I didn't before. So much of it rings bells for me.

Rothbury you haven't been eating asparagus have you? Or honey? I've found that my wee is much LESS smelly when I'm AF.

No

Been eating a lot of eggs. I thought it might be the toxins coming out?

I'm going with the eggs! They can smell bad...

sweet yep - I live on the south coast when not in town...we have to take the box to the bottle bank as it's always full (and we don't even live there F/T). Hangs head in shame at the fact I think it was emptied twice over xmas.

Can't help you then, Rothbury. Keep an eye nostril on it.

I found Fevertree Clementine and Cinnamon tonic in the supermarket today. It's really nice and grown-up, and very satisfying, I only needed a glass. But unfortunately, I think its a seasonal special edition.

Talk me down. Just cooked tea, and the fridge has wine and beer in it. I WANT IT. Trying hard to enjoy squash. Tell me encouraging things.

Cravings will only last about 10 mins, Cafe. Distract yourself, ask someone else to open the fridge so you don't have to? It will pass. And you will feel better tomorrow.

Why is there wine and beer in your fridge? Throw it away.

You do not need this cafe and nobody ever woke up feeling disappointed that they didn't drink the night before.

You can do it.

Do you have something non-alcoholic that is more 'grown up', ginger beer or tonic water have more of a kick to them.

Brush your teeth, it will make everything taste horrible for just long enough for the itch to pass.

cafe have a bath. I'm squeaky bloody clean at the moment as it takes up a chunk of the evening. Wanted to crack tonight as in quick succession had tearful call from elderly mother who really isn't well and is being fucked around by her building society - boy, are they in for a call tomorrow!!! - , call from the school that DS is truanting from lessons and wandering about the school when he should be in class - his arse has been well and truly kicked, and DH being a total WB and spending money on beer and not even trying to support me in cutting down both money and booze! Phew, crappy evening but still on the herb tea and double figures tomorrow.
also, i think dd2's partner is going to propose to her next week when they are in New York. Oh God. Very mixed feelings on that one
waves to beaches and the three bears and all the Babes

I hope you got through it Cafe, and anyone else struggling tonight.

Night, night, Babes. Double figures for lots of us tomorrow, I think that deserves a treat. Post what your little treat or luxury is going to be/is and think about how many treats you can get for the cost of a glass of wine. x

Thanks all - craving passed and I cleaned my hob. I am sober and in my bed 😊.
I’m glad to be on the bus.

Well done cafe

Rosegold yes I will tell the people I am going with and I'm pretty sure they will be fine about it. I will also use what Catherine Grey calls in her book the trap door technique, in that if you need to get out of a situation where you're struggling especially in the early days of socialising to just go without explaining to people so that you don't get pressured in to staying too long. I'll explain to the bride to be that if I do this I'm not being rude. They'll probably all be too pissed to notice anyway.

I'm looking forward to the wedding as its a full on Indian wedding which will be different and will less emphasis on getting sloshed (she says hopefully)

*with not will

Good for you Cafe and hats off to those of you doing this with actual alcohol in the house.

Hello! Can I please join in?
I'm new here but been reading this thread on and off for many months. I love the way everyone is so supportive and care about each other, you are all amazing and it's thanks to your inspiring posts that I am here at last!
I had my last drink on 28 Dec 2017 following many years of drinking a lot, every single day. I'm talking bottle and half of wine and up to half a dozen vodka and cokes every afternoon/evening. I was prescribed Chlordiazepoxide reducing regime by my gp as my life had become such a dreadful existence. I had been struggling to care for my elderly mum, who sadly passed peacefully 2 months ago.
I read Jason Vale during my first 2 days detox and thought wow, this is going to be easy! And it kind of has been up to here. Starting to struggle now and I don't know why. I was so euphoric and at times still get a good feeling that i've not had a drink, but often feel so low and almost like my mind is on auto pilot, like a zombie.
I dream about drinking every damn night so although I think I 'got it' when I read the book, obviously my subconscience has other ideas! Would be so grateful for any advice please!

Hi all,

Sheepishly climbing back on board. I knew there was no chance of a dry January this time round (moved last week after an extremely long/frustrating/stressful wait) so have been hiding, but am aiming for a much dryerJanuary than December was. So far have managed a grand total of one af day (last night), but have managed to cut down quite a lot in the last few days since the move (we won't mention the days before the move...). Hopefully the new start can help me form new habits- I've managed to put down the wine tonight after half a bottle and am having a herb tea. If I can keep up the momentum to at least stay at this level of drinking I would be more than happy for now.

There's far too much for me to catch up on so won't name check, but will make an effort to keep up from now on!

Well done cafe. And ma that is a very full and stressful day. Hope tomorrow is a better one.

Mrscain that is a good idea, I will bank that one for the future.

Rothbury me! Me too! And I'm the most hydrated I've been for several decades! Curiouser and curiouser!