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.

Heloise, I am embarrassed by how much it is , sounds like you are practising good self-care.

I'm doing a meditation class this evening, then it'll be pjs, hot chocolate and bed.

ma stay strong, look out of your window and see the bus parked outside, we’re all here. (Close the curtains if you don’t want to see us!)

sweet my DJ stats are terrifying. I keep looking at them in amazement. 23 days, 12 bottles of wine a week, £237 saved.

Terrifying but also fabulous, Slings, you should feel s good about those AF days

According to my app I have saved £172 in January. All of which I have spent on a personal trainer. Hence fitting into my jeans.

Sweet and Slings well done on your stats!

I am sniggering here at the thought of Ma crawling along the bedroom floor trying to shut the curtains discreetly to block out the embarrassing site of a bus parked on her lawn, strewn with sweet wrappers and filled with women squabbling over Opal Fruits and occasionally jumping up and down and waving pom poms in the direction of her house and shouting sweary threats at her DH Seriously though Ma, hope you are OK. Not nice to go home to an atmosphere but you are not the one in the wrong. WB caused it, remember that. Or just stay at your friend's house if you can a bit longer?

MsHoolies laughing at the PC PC (see what I did there?) Joke doesn't work as well if you have a Mac obviously. You are sounding much brighter today. Remember, tomorrow is a new month, new start!

Heloise you WILL get into those jeans. I have gone from a 14 to a 10. So do-able! I will keep on aiming for the 8, though worried I might end up with a face like Madonna when she lost all that weight and ended up looking like the crypt keeper. Honestly, though, if I can manage it anyone can. Been trying for years and then something just clicked. (well, my left knee did actually, which is not good. But also something in my mindset, which was.)

Just made a big vegetarian chilli which is in the oven and off to the gym again in a bit. Have a lovely evening everyone xxx

Oh dear - I was only missing for a couple of days.

msHoolie I am so sorry you have been going through such hell. I am sure your DC will forgive you , especially when they see you making progress.

ma I know you have indicated previously that you weren't on the best of terms with DH. Is this the nail in the coffin? From what I have read, I don't think you need anyone or anything to prop you up. You will be just fine as you are

Hello to newbies. Now we have an otter to join the bears How splendid?

I am sulking big time because my Sky Box appears to have broken which is a Big Problem.

I drank on Monday night as scheduled, just half a bottle of wine with DD. All fine, got home late last night and haven't felt like drinking at home at all. Have some Becks Blue on standby.

hope that image made me laugh. I have come home tonight. The elephant in the room is so large i could hardly get in the door. I'm scared to start the conversation as it will all come pouring out and dd1 and ds are here. I have emptied the remaining shared bank account, other than what is needed for a few direct debits. Looks like its going to cost ME to change things into my name but the mortgage people are going to call me on Monday.
I had to tell my lovely boss because I was clearly off my game today and he responded with a lovely email and the offer to stay with him and his wife if I needed a bolt hole. All above board as he lives on a farm steading with tons of room AND a small cottage to let, which is interesting. The atmosphere in this house is horrendous....

ma You really are in my thoughts. I’m not in the best place to give advice but please know that I am thinking about you and have faith that you will come out of the other side of this. It won’t be easy but you can do it. You have a whole army of Babes rooting for you. I am a total insomniac at the moment so, if you want to post in the middle of the night, I will almost certainly be there even if I can’t do much more than hand hold.

Glad you have such a lovely boss. So do I and it makes a huge difference when you’re going through a hard time.

ma its awful and I know feels impossible but you will get through. You must in fact, 6k now on a card, i know through grim experience where it can go.
I remember only too well dreading going home too.

When you are next in the Queens fave town let me know ☺

Well what a long bloody month this has been. I'm glad to see the back of it.
To cheer you all up, this was my afternoon at work.

Hello, sorry I’ve been quiet! Day 33 and January done

I’ll catch up on all your news tonight

Big Hey and lots of Hugs all round for some of THE strongest, determined, most courageous women ploughing through the mire right now.... bloody hell 2018 you are giving us a rough start!!

ma... fantastic about your boss being understanding, try sound lovely. Maybe an angel in disguise if he also has a property to rent too.... you are doing amazingly well not to drink and keep that hard earn clarity of thought which will get you through this next big phase of your life. Transformation is never easy- change can be so painful .... but look at the caterpillar morphing into the butterfly. He has to let go of all he is and trust completely in his gut that he is doing the right thing....little fellow can't get much more serious than basically hunkering down, totally letting go of the idea that he is going to be a caterpillar anymore and building a fortress around himself and basically burying himself alive in a cocoon.....that guy has got to have some BUG FAITH in his gut feeling hat somehow enough is enough and that this is he right decision for him. He doesn't know he's going to turn into one of the most esqustite creatures and undergo such a transformation that friends won't even recognise him.....caterpillars transforming into butterflies? Innocuous and vulnerable at best, crawling along in life just accepting whatever on the next little leaf. If they stay a caterpillar - BOOM - soon they be snapped up by a greedy bird or stamped on from above.....but a butterfly? Wings!! Beauty! Freedom! Wings...Flying.....new perspectives......
But just remember the courage and exhaustion gone into that.......
And we, my lovely collective bus babe's, are oh! SO much more than caterpillars.......
#busbabesgotthis is what I'm trying to say.
ma hope the evening has not exploded yet for you.... hope you are feeling stronger than ever. Allow the pain to ck e and go but remember miss, you have got this sorted. Just a process to go through now. Decisions are so difficult but you sound like once you have made the decision it will just be a matter of untangling all the practical stuff.

We are all in the bus waving and shining torches at your house

mshoolie wow sounds like quite a plan. I'm glad you are home and not in hospital any more. Do you have anyone with you? Sending you strength and courage for whatever tomorrow bring's.

Hello to everyone else... have read all...not being rude but lots of names to remember! Waves to all the bears and our lovely otter - we are becoming quite a menagerie! mint are you a vet or a farmer? I'm a farmers daughter so lambs in tubs not unfamiliar to me

lookingforhope well jell on your personal trainer and weightless!!! Well done!!!!! I must be the only woman out there to have kicked alcohol and not list a significant amount of weight! Sods law!! I think I have consumed my body weight in sugar in January though so hardly suprising .... marg when is your half marathon? My next one is not until may. Hope you enjoy every minute. This will only be my second d one as I'm still fairly new to running....watch the seasoned professionals with awe and wonder!!

Lookingforhope that was a lovely little encouragement you posted. Sometimes I feel so invisible in the real world...sad as it sounds, I read something like that and think maybe I do matter. X

Ha ha just reread - bees.typo.of.the.day - now that should be a thing surely it was supposed to say BIG faith not bug faith..but I suppose it was apt.....

(((Tumbleweed.......(()).......((()).....
I'll get my coat ... xxxxxxx

It's been ages since I posted but I'm still lurking/reading along. I completed DJ yesterday which I'm a bit amazed at. I didn't really think I would but I'm a bit at a loss about what to do now.

I'm considerably less anxious and I love it but I'm missing the boing part. I'm knackered by 10pm every night and not that lively when DS wakes me around 5.30am. I'm not sleeping badly as such. I don't know. Maybe I'm expecting too much.

I've also done 3 weeks without nicotine. It's the easiest it's ever been. Normally I have a low level craving for the real thing when I'm vaping but since giving that up I have fleeting thoughts. I'm scared if I start drinking the craving will come back. Logically I should just be AF but forever's a long time.

Welcome Otter you'll find lots of support here.

Rothbury A broken Sky box isn't good. We had a broken TV (we only have one) and it was like the world had ended when DS realised there'd be no Netflix, no fireman Sam, no youtube, no dvds etc!

Ma You've already had some amazing advice/support over the last few pages. Nothing I can say will top that but the impression I get is that you're effectively carrying DH and you shouldn't have to do that. A marriage is meant to be a partnership. I hope you're doing ok.

Sorry not to name check everyone. I need to post more frequently.

foreverblessedbee
I haven't lost any weight either and I'm on Day 38. Goddam these sugar cravings!
ma
Are you ok? Have a think about the farm cottage maybe. A fresh start in a peaceful setting.
Mshoolie
Whenever we get kittens in I think of you. Hang on in there.

Sorry not to name check everyone. This bus is moving so fast now. I do read all your posts and cheer you on every day.

love the bug faith and the analogy of the caterpillars.
had a meme thingy once on my FB which was a caterpillar and it said something like, come in your wings are ready.
Thank you all for thse support and the PMS and bloody well done to all who have done dry january or drier january.

Morning All,

sorry, I'll catch up on specifics later, need to get SweetDog out for his morning constitutional.

February has started bright and sunny, makes me feel hopeful, and meditation yesterday evening helped towards the best sleep in ages.

Morning,

I didn't lose any weight either. Hence the calorie counting.
My niece (daughter of my late sister who we lost 8 years ago to breast cancer), met my other sister and I for lunch on Saturday. It was lovely to see her, and she brought us both wine & flowers, which was really kind and thoughtful, so I just said thank you.

Now there is a nice bottle of red in the cupboard. I am ignoring it, but am acutely aware of it and slightly worried it might trip me up at some point. I can't think of anyone suitable to give it to. I sort of thought maybe I'll keep it for when I need a gift, or for guests...but maybe I should just get rid of it (i.e. down the sink)....what do you all think??

Sweet Dog was a git this morning! Not a relaxing walking, he was on scent trails the whole time, and in danger of the red mist descending! And SO muddy!

Anyway, Flowers, it's such a 'go-to' gift isn't it? If I drank red wine (which I can't) it would have to go (says the woman who spent most of January with a mini bottle of champagne on the coffee table , but I couldn't just pour it away.

My weight hasn't shifted either, but in the last three days, the scale has begun to move in the right direction.

Mint, what a cute lamb, but I just know it will grow up to be like the mean spooky one that just stares at me on my walk to work

Baking, a drink and a cig are probably habitually linked, so doing both at once may have been the reason it has been easier.

Anyway, work to do, catch you all later.

SweetLathyrus
Have you ever seen the film Black Sheep, you'll never look at a Sheep in the same way again!!!!!