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 - thank you for all the comments. This is such a lovely thread :).

Am feeling a bit better now as things are mainly resolved at work. Basically someone on the permanent side of the programme has been telling lies about me and also accusing me of unethical behaviour. None of which I have done and there is no evidence for it.

The person has been called and advised if they try to escalate it further (which they were threatening to do) then they will only damage themselves. Fortunately I am very well regarded on the programme and everyone is pleased with me in the senior team.

Am feeling a bit achey but the chest is better. Have taken a couple of day nurse, we will jump in the car in a mo and then I'll go straight to bed (with yesterday's DiP) and a tea when we get there.

Good luck with this evening wine avoidance people - stay strong!

xxx

Day 19 done. cold and snowy and the end of a busy week. SO wanted a glass of red wine tonight. Getting bored with this now. WW telling me that 3 weeks is good, time to "treat" myself....

Twattage, it's crappy that you had to put up with it in the first place (work), but RESULT! Enjoy DiP.

She's a cunning one, that WW. It's a bit dull now, Ma, but the 'reward' whispers are just he way of getting back in because you have been ignoring you.

I have to admit, I'm sitting here gritting my teeth against WW for very similar reasons. But I really want to keep feeling better. I want to do more than cope with my job, and if I have a drink I may well have to murder DS.

Oy!! Wine Witch! Bog off and leave Ma alone.

Wine's not a treat Ma. It's a trap. She just wants you feeling like crap in the morning. Tell yourself you can have one tomorrow if you still feel the same way then brush your teeth and get to bed.

Hmmm. Autocorrect just changed "crap" to the name of my first husband. Coincidence?

thanks for the back up. Am in bed with a hot water bottle and cup of spiced chai. DD has been out in the dark building a snowman. she is 27! but it has cheered her up and she has now gone to the shop to buy me some chocolate. Small wonder I'm not losing weight! this is the tallest, thinnest snowman ever..but nice to see her smiling.

That is an awesome snowman. I wish we had snow, just for the weekend, then it could bog off.

Putting on PJs and making fruit tea. That is Friday done for me.

it's a very tall snowman. Dd is standing up and she is 5 10"!
Well done on surviving Friday.

Wow! Amazing snowman ma !!!

twatbear Is it a toxic client/business partner or is it one or two utter bastards? sounds like you have got the better of one of the fuckers anyway, well done.

I just got in after a couple of glasses of champagne with my brother - because - I AM A GREAT AUNT!!!!

As you know, my aim is not to drink at home. I very rarely go out (twice or thrice a month) and this is of course a very special occasion. First DN to have a child so my first great nephew.

I was very good - we shared a bottle and then I have come home and the kettle is on.

No drinking tomorrow as am taxi service for DS17 and his party lifestyle.

Feeling positive and happy. The BG man came and fixed the boiler under the terms of the service agreement, so by the time I got home from wetting the baby's head, the house had warmed up nicely.

Evening rothbury bear - it is 2 individuals not the whole client situation. Well done on the moderation :).

I think I definitely need a holiday - not had a day off in 6 months other than the bit between xmas and ny.

Off to bed now 18/20 days completed since 30 December. 10 beers drunk in total in 20 days. If I look at in perspective I am doing well.

Night night all. xxx

Wow - very hard tonight....nearly caved but lots of quality street and a Thai later and now in bed reading with a cup of tea.

This addiction thing is really hard but I liken it to quitting cigarettes, and say to myself that I wouldn't reward myself for quitting smoking with a cigarette, so why would I reward myself with a drink for quitting the drink...madness

Well done ma and sweet for successfully telling the WW to 'fuck the fuck off!" (Yes I am still reading the old threads and channeling jwn)

Rothbury congratulations on becoming a great auntie! I have two great nephews, the first turned one at Christmas, and the other must be about 9 months old now - they're very cute, but what i'd really like is a granddaughter - I resist telling DS and DIL that though!

I wish I could stick to just having a couple when I go out, but am coming to the conclusion that I need to stop completely. Had a bit of a feeling that a drink would be 'nice' this evening - but it passed - and I know it wouldn't be a drink. It would be a lot of drink. And I would feel suit tomorrow. So - day 19 here.

When I've done dry Jan in the past I've been desperate to get to the end so I can get pissed again. This time I'm thinking it would be better to keep sober. I plan to start addressing my appalling eating habits in Feb.

Hi Babes, Day 19 here. Got through it by the skin of my teeth & had my first ever glass of AF wine. Not the nicest drink I've ever tried but it got me through ( still trying to work out how I managed to walk home without turning back for real wine).
Ma I know what you mean; I found the first fortnight quite easy this year, but this week's been getting increasingly harder day on day. KOKO.

Feel like 'shit' not 'suit' - doh!

I caved. I just needed something for me.
It's ok.
I think.

Morning, I am awake at this ridiculous hour (little one was up but now fast asleep again). Not been on here much as had another 2 blips so that’s 3 in total. Think I’m officially on Day 5 but mangaged to do 17 our 20 days AF. X

Morning all babes and bears - I'm awake early. Day 19/21.

Going to grab some coffee shortly and then think about packing when it gets light. I left all my summer stuff down at the coast as it wasn't worth taking back to London in September, so I need to leave a bit of time for 'things I've forgotten to pack' first time round. Hopefully by tomorrow PM I won't have forgotten them!

Feeling much better today on all fronts. x

Morning All.

Congratulations on the new GN, Rothbury, and on getting home and drinking tea, not just carrying on drinking (what I would have done .

Lou, that's brilliant, of course you wouldn't reward yourself with a cigarette, why do it with wine? I'm keeping that one.

Flowers, I think I'm the same. An open bottle is an empty bottle. At the moment, I'm ok, but at some point, I think I'm going to face to properly face up to the fact that moderation is never going to work for me.

Well Done, Anne*, I tried Belvoir AF Chardonnay - too sweet, I managed a small glass with fizzy water, but it was more like fizzy apple juice.

Ginger, was it your ex? Why is the thing that is just for you a thing that you know isn't great? Aren't you worth more than that? I know you were planning to drink today anyway, perhaps that bargain with yourself allowed the defences to drop. Plan tonight carefully, so that Sunday is easier.

Another good sleep, but I have put on a pound this morning (damn you cheese puffs ) So this morning I have a total conditioning class followed by a pilates class, and SweetDog will have to do with a road walk, it's just too wet and windy to go over the fields.

Ma I'm loving DD's snowman. Like Sweet I want snow but just for an afternoon when I'm not busy!

Congratulations on becoming a great aunt Rothbury and hooray for the fixed boiler!

Lou Did you used to smoke? I've been in the process of 'quitting' for 15 months. It's not been that successful because I keep 'rewarding' myself with cigarettes after doing a few weeks of vaping or cold turkey. This last week is the easiest 7 days cold turkey I've done but I don't quite get how I'm meant to make it forever and not feel cheated. Same as drinking in a way.

Twattage Glad you're feeling more positive. It's difficult not to get stressed with work when it's such a big part of your life especially when people are trying to make it awkward. They're probably pissed because you're doing a good job.

Oh good God. Apparently I'm the only smoker who rewards the good work of not smoking with a bit of smoking!

I should say, I've prepared a thread for when we're on pg 40 but not published yet. I will be out until about 11.30, so I hope we don't need it before then.

I completed day 19 yesterday. It was a bit of a miracle really as I did drive myself to meet friends. I got lost 3 times, it was dark and sleeting and I was stressed. I almost rewarded myself with a stop at the garage on the way home but didn't. I'm so close to 3 weeks now. The not drinking at the meal was surprisingly fine - it would've looked odd if I had tbh as no one else was. As a group of friends they don't drink much unlike my current work colleagues!

Sweet It may last until 11.30. I've run out of things to say now anyway so that'll save some space!

Sorry to skim through and not name check. Happy birthday mouse and ma. Also ma I love the ring. It's amazing.
And your sobriety is inspirational.
To whoever is reading back old threads I come in August 2011 and it's not pretty.
I can't actually go back and re read. It's painful. But it was indeed my rock bottom and I haven't drank since.
KOKO

whatever 17/20 is excellent. well done.
twattage am envious of your holiday - enjoy
ginger don't let one slip stop your motivation. Back on it today.
strawberry have you really been on here that long? I remember your story well, so worried about you at the time. and, babe, look at you now!
quiet day planned here enjoying the absence of dh while it lasts.
Off to London tomorrow - BIG meeting on Monday. gulp