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.

checking in - glad to see we have all kissed and made up. i had quite a fall out with MIFLAW once I seem to remember because I felt he was being really dismissive. it's hard enough for all of us strangers to communicate our feelings without inflection, body language, eye contact etc but even harder when we are all tired and grumpy and missing our nemesis Wine Witch.
i ahve drunk an entire bottle of Aldi's spiced cranberry fizz and it was bloody lovely.
DS went to school today - yay!

Lou Scandal is good (the first 3 series anyway) also The Good Wife, Designated Survivor and Orange is the New Black. Happy viewing!

Just popping this little beauty here. She cheered me up at work today. Happy Friday to you all.

Great news about DS demented. Onward and upward. On the not drinking front, I DO NOT recommend the Belvoir fake Shiraz. It tastes like sour cheap squash. Back to the Becks Blue and herbal tea.

Hello Beautiful babe's..... I've only just caught up with you all...just had a long catch up!
Moderation// abstinence// stop for the day// the month// or forever....I'm sure there I room for everything on this bus.
I personally can't moderate... it took me 20 years to realise this fact after much trying and failing.....
twattage - your workload sounds very heavy. You sound very on top of things though and absolutely sound like you've seen the back of problematic wine drinking for good. Well done! You've also found an alternative drink that works for you and doesn't push your buttons in an unhealthy way.
lou ...hope you are still beating the Friday night wine with....it's half past 8....you can do this..... hope your becks blue is hitting the spot.
I've got to my 60th day alcohol free today. Can't quite believe it. The awful cravings have stopped but tonight for some reason I can't stop thinking about all the bloody bottles of wine my husband seems to be stockpiling in the garage...

It's not bothered me for ages. But tonight it is. Not in a craving way. I just keep thinkin it would be so nice to have a glass. Bit I desperately don't want to and I know it would reduce me to a failing ball of misery if I "broke it" now. I've never done this long apart from being pregnant. Xx think I just felt a bit disappointed too because since stopping wine I thought it might have really helped with the weight loss but in total iv managed to lose a total of 3 bloody pound!

So I'm just feeling sorry for myself I suppose xx

Hello all I hope you are all doing ok, I haven't caught up on the full thread yet just had a quick scan through but hope you're all ok. Hope luxury is feeling better now. ma I bet you were pleased to get such a compliment from your Mum did you tell her the reason why?! trust well done for maintaining the gym focus and well done everyone for staying either AF or reduced intake. I'm quite pleased I'm day 12 - well I had a bottle and a half of wine lapse on 2nd Jan but managed 11 out of 12 days. Not lost weight yet though but thinking I've swapped wine for chocolate...

Yorkshire and Lou if you get fed up with Becks Blue I can highly recommend AF Saint Miguel - you can get it in Tescos and it tastes like the real thing.

Cupcakes what did you think of Girlfriends this week, did you watch it? The plot thickens and fab family dynamics for blondie to get her head around I don't think she shoved him over though, do you?

Ma great news about DS

Mint she is just the cutest bring her to me !

Hope every Babe is ok. Friday is a hard one. Distract, distract, distract... I have a slight addiction to cheese and biscuits, love 'em

Mint that is The cutest kitten.

Well done @foreverblessedbee 60 days is brilliant!! Also 3 pounds is ok it's about quarter of a stone and better three pounds off than three on. I understand about the craving, although I'm nowhere near as far on as you. When I crave a drink now I'm kind of scared to have one now because I know I can't just have one. I also know that if i drink lots I'll feel like absolute crap especially since the immunity has worn off now. If you're craving the taste rather than the feeling might an af wine be good for you?

Hello bears and babes. twatbear don't you dare leave me!! Where is bernie? Please come back Bernie even if you have been norty.

Well the lecture went really well and the audience feedback was very positive and the client was happy and has rebooked me for the end of the month (it's lecturing in addition to my salaried position) and I really need the money to try to fix my wreck of a house before I have to sell it later this year (Divorce Mesher order, can't wait to get a new place)

So I was elated, and drank. Very silly. Shared a bottle of wine with a friend in the pub. As my aim is to not drink at home, I am not too upset but I obviously need to check my behaviour.

Re the Great Row which I missed, I thought this thread was for those who wanted to moderate or give up, and that the DRY thread was for hardline abstainers, but I could be very wrong.

It's an emotive subject but we all have to do what is best for us and try to empathise with each other rather than judging or getting cross.

spring I hope you are starting to feel better, please try to be kind to yourself.

sweet how are you now?

Day 12 done here. Actually can't believe it.

Trying.... I currently have diet finger ale in a wine glass. It's OK. Im OK.

Like I say for some tea son just having a bit of a pity party in my head. I've really tried with my eating this last week, have run 29 miles since 1st Jan, no wine since 13th Jan, and I've only lost 3 pound .....was just beginning to wonder if it's all worth it and why am I bothering kind of thing..
Anyway.....still got 1 Small Boy very much awake and am up early in the morning for the Long Slow Run......and I can never sleep the night before because I get so anxious about needing to wake up so early ( we meet at 5.45)...then most times my youngest is up in the night again so sleep is fairly elusive here...
Big Well Done to all who got to the end of their day feeling satisfied that they did their best xxxx love to you all xx

Oh and I can't type either I have the most bizarre typos in every post I ever make but am actually very literate in real life

Ladies I am off to bed...caught up with DiP, two cups of rooibos, super tired.

forever - I can have a heavy workload - usually it's fine, it was just a combination of things yesterday unfortunately. I'm a consultant and I run my own business. I tend to work for a client for around 12 months then take 3 months off (or 4 in the case of last summer - hence my escalating beer consumption). In this case the contract is a good deal longer - about 18 months. I will be taking most of 2019 off though so it's all good!

Amazing work on 60 days :).

rothbury - I knew you would be fabulous. No issue that you had wine afterwards: you were out. As long as you don't feel it was problematic then it's fine.

And yes bernie - there's a missing bear. Please come back...

Night night all...x

Spanna I watched Girlfriends last night. I thought the reveal at her birthday party was really hurtful. I sort of got the son's reasons but still. I don't think the other one pushed her husband over either.

Glad DS went to school Ma Makes you feel like you're not talking to yourself anyway!

Ruby (think it was you who said) I totally get the school gate anxiety. DS started full days (only 2 a week) this week at the local primary. I hate waiting at the gates. They all know each other and I don't know how/if I want to be included. Plus I think DS shows us up a bit sometimes (because he doesn't care what anyone thinks and I do) I worry I'm being judged.

Hope everyone's doing ok. I'm on day 12. I'm ok. Trying to think of something nice we can do this weekend (that's not eating) to distract me. I wish I'd bought the Becks Blue now. I haven't vaped today either (no liquid left) and I'm really missing it.

Stay strong everyone.

diet finger ale.....
g'night all.

To all you lovely people who are here day in day out, supporting those of us who get scared, anxious and overwhelmed by what we are striving to achieve, a sober life.

Here for those who wobble or fall, reach breaking point and feel utterly hopeless and useless.

When our aching, frazzled minds go mad with haunting images of a bitter past ruturn.

When alcohol ruled our desperate lives then dragged us into retched oblivion.
You have always been here, calming, empathising and uplifting words for us all.

And that is what matters so much.

To all you amazing brave babes, I salute you

I made it through today because of you all. I wish I could hug each and everyone of you on this big, beautiful bus!
Thank you from my heart.xxx

springissprung...we are all here for each other my honey....the but for the grace of God I always think... there is no judgement here. We are all paddling in the same huge sea even if our boats are sometimes a slightly different shape. We all know what it feels like to be in need of support...and the best support comes from someone who has stood in those same desperate shoes . Xxx

Ps... sometimes the definition of being Brave is saying to yourself "this is hard. I don't feel like I've cracked it yet. I've still got huge challanges ahead. But I have tried my best. Tomorrow I will wake up, get up, and try my best all over again" xxxxxxxx

Pps reading through my prev posts....diet Ginger ale obviously not finger ale Ma!!!! And last drink was 13th Nov not Jan... lol I think I need some sleep..... xxxxxx well done everyone. Bloody massive big twatting Well Done.

Night all xxx

You lovely, mad, brave lot!

Rothbury, all better now thank you. We'll done even you on rocking the lecture.

Night all.

Hey babes am just checking in to keep myself accountable - Day 8 for me today.

I found a new af drink, a grapefruit frizzante from Walmart’s finest range. Absolutely loaded with sugar but it was really really good.

Am reading along and love all the support, determination and sharing. Of course there will be some sticky spots, we are all feeling a bit raw and fragile as we find ourselves without our usual crutch. Saywhen your cliff analogy was just brilliant. Well done on your 70 days

I am looking forward to a deep sleep and a hangover free Saturday morning. Have a good weekend all you brave babes

No sleep here again on day 12. Totally blocked nose, cough and snoring drinker partner. Fucker. Also no fags for 12 days either. Longest I've given up them for 8 years. Oh he's grinding teeth now, joy. I'm going to give in and make a cup of valerian sleep tea and read downstairs. A book not twitter. Honest.

Hello out there to all other awake-ees. (Don't use the I word)

Top tip: there's an app called twilight where you can reduce the glare of the screen.

Hi
Been following your inspiring thread for some time, usually sat here nodding sagely while sipping a glass of red thinking I really must do something about my 1+ bottle of wine a night habit. Well I've been dry for 12 days now and it's been ok and I'm sure I could stay dry if I forced the issue but what I really want is to MODERATE and drink like a normal person would, you know, nice glass of wine with a meal out, long G&T on a summer's afternoon - but just the one. Have any of you managed to reset to "normality" after years of boozing or is it fizzy pop all the way for me now. I'm more scared of trying to moderate than total abstinence to be honest but that's my aim.