Brave Babes Battle Bus: Next Stop Fabulous February

[SweetLathyrus]

Hi, I'm SweetLathyrus, Sweet for short, and I've been on and off Gerald the Brave Babes Battle Bus since 2014. Over the years, lots of us have maintained the thread, most of all the lovely Mouse, who has been here since the early days, and still scurries onboard when she can.

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. Driers and Triers, all welcome.

2018 has been a busy year so far, lots of new travellers as well as old faces; if you want to read back on the journey through Dry or Dryer January so far, here's the link to the last thread

And in case 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.

great posts from you old timers and welcome to new babe heloise
it's very comforting to hear from people who seem so together now, that their lives pre-AF were like mine. A bottle or half bottle every night, poor sleep, fat and puffy, waking up sluggish and fuzzy headed, two paracetamol for breakfast, the endless internal dialogue promising myself I will give up....on Monday.
an yet, it's so hard to give all that up!!
I'm still counting and like others, worried what will happen when I have a drink. poor DD has been waiting patiently for the end of Janaury so we can crack open the champagne to celebrate her engagement. I want to be able to have champagne now and again, enjoy a glass of wine with a meal etc. But I don't know if I will be able to

Tricky one Ma you could have a glass with DD, fiancé, family and then knock it on the head from then on and do another month (keep no wine in house etc) or you could say to DD, I've managed to do dry Jan and I think I'd like to keep going and do another month (or 100 day challenge) would it be ok if I have a glass with AF heinikan for the toast. More champs for you and I just want to keep the momentum going, I'm losing weight, feeling better, as reasons.

Agree with Spanna about AF bubbles or beer in the glass.

Day 10 here. I will be having a drink at a function next weekend but my aim now is to alternate one alcoholic drink with one AF. I've never done this before but I'm determined that new me is having it in moderation so I can enjoy a night out.

NK congrats on Day 10. I didn't say AF bubbles, every one I've tried is rank!!! Nasty sweet yuck would rather drink fat coke

I've never tried it Spanna. Note to self: definitely don't purchase. Lol

NK everything's worth a try 😁 I can't drink Becks Blue anymore think I over did it early on. Not tried AF Heineken but I love AF San Miguel

I need to try these other AF beers, only tried Becks Blue. Haven't seen any others in Tesco tbh.

sweet your description of yourself spending evenings topping up your glass on the sofa sounds just like me

TMI warning

If I overdid it I would also have dreadful diarrhea from the early hours onwards. I would be mainlining Imodium in a bid to get to work, trying not to remember the many packs of it we found in my DF flat after he died of alcoholic liver poisoning.

And yet I still want to moderate. It's that picture of me with my lovely friends, all raising a glass. Or me on holiday in a gorgeous pavement cafe, sipping my wine in the sunshine. GAH!

I am getting a bit concerned about my sleeping. I slept 12 hours last night and could probably do that every night. I go to bed between 9 and 10 and am still struggling to get up at 6.15 which is my normal time. Luckily my work diary has had some later starts this week so I have got away with the ten hour sleeps but I need to re set this somehow. Has anyone else had this megasleep issue?

Rothbury your body is probably just in recovery and healing itself. Do you think you will drink in moderation or do you need to stop completely.

I could go weeks without having anything. It wouldn't bother me. But when I go out I don't seem to have a lightbulb where I say enough is enough. So I need to manage this. I haven't done anything bad or wrong (yet) but I want to remember nights out and conversations.

Hello NK My plan has always been to only drink outside the home. As I only go out about twice a month, and was previously drinking about 360 days of the year, this would be a massive moderation for me.

I am in my fifties now and my tolerance to alcohol has dropped, so I don't really drink loads at any one time any more. Even on a Big NIght Out I would not drink more than a bottle of wine.

I want to see if I can do this and stick to it. If I can't, then yes, total abstinence will have to be the way forward as I do not want to go back to how I was.

I am seeing DD20 tomorrow night and we will probably share a bottle of wine. If I can do that every now and then and not want to carry on drinking the next night when I am home alone, that would be great.

Sorry, I should have explained - when drinking at home I would have a glass of wine, and then have vodka and diet coke, which I would top up. No idea really how much I was drinking

rothbury I hope DD(20) refers to her age and not that she is your 20th child!

Have made DS pancakes for breakfast and was allowed a hug and a kiss. It's tough, being 16 and all grown up and all that stuff.

Back from BEST DOG WALK EVER!!!!!

Longer standing Babes will remember that SweetDog is a bit of a git - more a self-employed Cocker rather than a Working one. His recall was so bad he could only be walked on a long training lead, which is tiring and boring (and other dog owners can be so damn judgey). Anyway, after six months of gun dog training (bloody hell those women are scary!), and lots of reinforcement, we have started walking places I know are safe without a lead, today I ventured along a new bit of river that I know is rather exciting, critters in the reed beds etc. He behaved beautifully, ignored the ducks, the squirrels, even a deer. I am over the moon.

Ma, you have done so well. You have done your longest AF run. You can still celebrate with your daughter without champagne. You know from bitter experience (as do I), how difficult it is to get back out of the sidecar.

Similarly, NK1, alternating is a lovely idea, but remember, alcohol lowers your inhibitions, once you've had one, you're more likely to say "Oh go on, I'll have another" and alternating becomes one in three, becomes, "Oh bugger I forgot to have anything non-alcoholic"

Rothbury, be careful it's not a 'test run' that leads to the Fuck It button.

Sorry, I know you're all brilliant, strong, independent, women who can and should make your own decisions, but listen to those interior voices, then test what they are saying about what you'll do against prior experience.

Roth my problem was not having an 'off' button especially on a night out with friends I had to come to the conclusion that I'm not a normal drinker and I failed at moderating again and again! Eventually came to conclusion that total abstinence was the only way for me, hard as its been it was the only way for me. We're all different. I agree about your sleep it's more than likely that you are exhausted and your body is readjusting, hopefully it will all be back to normal soon have a lovely time with your DD x

Ma doesn't he do the kissing you on the top of head thing to demonstrate he's bigger than you that my DS does (patronising little git - mine, not yours) ?

Sweet yay great that sweet dog behaved impeccably, give yourself a pat on the back, that's down to your hard work and perseverance

Sweet yay great that sweet dog behaved impeccably, give yourself a pat on the back, that's down to your hard work and perseverance

Oh ffs MN app playing up!!!

Oh my....... spanna...your reply just made me cry.... thank you for your kindness...for your kind words. Thank you xxxxxxx that's all I can say right now. My heart is grateful for the kindness of you all.

Hello everyone,
Not much to report from me but I'm always reading your words and you are such a wonderful inspirational bunch - I salute everyone of you no matter where you are on the road to beating the booze.

Ma I was still in a relationship this time last year and seemingly 'stuck' it's amazing how things can change, keep on moving towards your vision.

I am very worried indeed about MissHoolie, if you are out there be so good to hear from you.

I am busy and boingy and a bit 'Snow-Whitey' again after a few ups and downs (Snow-Whitey for the newbies is when you are happy and randomly burst into song while wanting to skip down the street high-fiving strangers!). I've had a few social evenings and stuck to minimal quantities of weak lager or not bothered at all so I'm fine with that.

Have a good day all.

Hi all, please can I jump aboard? I have had a problematic relationship with alcohol since my late teens (20 years ). I have had various sober or moderation attempts since then that haven't worked, including a stint in AA during my early twenties. However, I feel like the penny might finally be dropping. I am 21 days sober today and am trying to equip myself with as many tools as I can to keep it up. I've been reading sober memoirs and tracking progress on my phone. Previous attempts have always felt like something I ought to do but this time feels like I want it. The weekends are the worst for me because these days I rarely have much on a work night. However, I know from experience that moderation doesn't work for me. I want to be the best I can for my two DS and I know that has to be totally AF. I had bed headaches for the first couple of weeks but am now feeling pretty good and my skin is so soft!

Big welcome Club just join right in and well done on 21 days - that's fab!

sweet he pats me on top of the head when he lumbers past and calls me midget.

lux you are very much in my thoughts because you managed to do what I want to and end a dead relationship. it's the logistics which defeat me, plus the huge upheaval and the effect on the dcs. I'm worried it will tip dd1 (MH issues) over the edge. she still lives with us and is utterly dependent at the moment. Oh, god, what to do??

Thanks Lux.

Sorry to hear about your problems Ma. I hope you are getting all the support you need for your DD.

Welcome Club your username made me smile you're in the right place post whenever you wish, no judgement on here 21 Days is awesome well done

Lux I love it when you're all Snow White I can see the birds flying around you from here

I love spotify currently listening to Men at Work 'who can it be now?' Venus thank you for reminding me of them!!! Oh yes going onto Portugal 'Feel it still' off to dance round the kitchen......

I think today was officially rock bottom. I got picked up by an ambulance because I was lying on a pavement crying.
I met the paramedic from heaven. He spoke to me for hours. He was about half my age but he was a total inspiration. He made me believe I can do this.