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.

Morning - I get that 'back at work' feeling every time I'm out. Day 27 for me today of 2018 - completing today will see me on more sober days than not. x

Good luck today sweet and to all other babes...pressed send too soon! I've been having the most crazy and vivid dreams the last few days which then means I've woken up in the middle of them at 6am when the alarm went off...most bizarre. x

Day 57 here!

Ma I have found you the perfect card to send to your 'friend'. Straight to the point I feel.
Twattage13 Hope things settle down soon. Bleeding lots is not fun! Poor you. (How's the spinach eating coming along? Are you getting Popeye style arms complete with anchor tattoos yet?)

Twattage I like the 'more days than not' way of looking at it for Babes who aren't aiming for complete abstinence, or who struggle to get past a particular number of days - 5 lots of three days is, after all, half a month.

Mint, that card has SO many potential recipients!

Morning all. Not good here. WB walked out after massive for with DS. I drank wine last night. A lot. This has thrown me off balance and my life is pretty stressy and tightly wound at the best of times. Not missing him (he is an arse and the fight with DS was utterly his fault and carried on at full volume while DD's friend was in the house ) but annoyed as he is just doing it to fuck my life over in a busy half term when I need to work and have tons of responsibilities. My job takes me away a lot and my kids are useless at looking after themselves. WB acting out of pure spite yet wallowing in self pity. Am furious. Sorry not to namecheck but utterly fucked up this week and having to rearrange everything at speed (plus mad work deadlines etc, DS to get to university open days and stroppy DD to cope with). G'AAAGH!!!!

Hope What a nightmare. Put last nights wine behind you. It doesn't feel like it when you 'need' a drink but it'll be so much easier to sort things out without one. Hope today improves

Sweet I get nervous about going back after holidays too. Sometimes I'm just nervous but then it's not the easiest place to work.

Morning Twattage and everyone else.

Mint I love that card!

Slings How much d'you think it'd cost me to start doing crochet? I haven't got anything at all.

On my way to work. It's daylight!! We left the house in daylight! What a difference half term makes. It's made me feel so much brighter although I also feel like I'm late which I'm not.

sweet 51 days is amazing. well done.
mint That card is perfect. haven't heard back from "friend" since my blistering response to him on Saturday so looks like he got the message. I miss him
hope hang in there. FB2020

baking you could set yourself going for less than £15, I’m out at the moment but I’ll pm you later with a shopping list!

mint love that card, I need multiple copies.

to all having a bad time.

Day 36 of 48 here (I think). Had some wine on Sunday and slept dreadfully. When will I learn?

Morning all. I'm still getting over the flu but nearly there.
I am now doing a few jobs and then resting but unfortunately I am starting to ruminate about stuff which I always do if I have thinking time.
I just go over and over situations in the past and don't move on, drives me crazy. I have decided though that I've got to learn to enjoy just being at home generally. I fill up my time so much that I'm never around (this involves dragging DH and DC with me at weekends).

Sweet yes I get really nervous going back to work, it is always fine in the end it's just the initial feeling. I hope you have a good day.

I love the card Mint. What a find!

Hope sounds like you are dealing with a lot of shite there. Where's WB gone? Is he coming back? Look after yourself today.

Baking yes bloody lovely with daylight, I thought that when I waved the DC off with DH this morning.

Ma sorry you miss your friend, you did the right thing though. He should be supporting you not criticising. Hope everything else is ok?

Slings well done on Day 36

Hello, I’ve lurked for a while now, posted a couple of times but not much. Can I ask if any of you have any tips for getting out of the endless cycle of day ones? I’m just finding it so soul destroying.

Hello Today. You are very welcome here. I'm not the person to really help with endless Day Ones as I didn't drink if I had a hangover so that stopped me.

However, for me to make sure I abstained on my first Friday (when I would always without fail drink). I planned it. I made sure I was having something nice for evening meal, I got some lovely treats for the evening ie chocolates. I bought nice soft drinks - I really like orange cordial and lemonade - definitely not for everyone but people on here have loads of ideas for drinks.

I planned TV so I had something good to watch, I had a bath. Clean sheets on bed, clean PJ's, tidy bedroom, good book, early night.

Obviously though it depends how much you're drinking and whether it's safe to just stop

bakingcupcakes
Oh I hear you on the daylight ! It's great not to be staggering about in the dark trying to gauge where the cow shit is!

Evening all - well there was light in the sky when I got in at 6pm even though the weather has been shit.

I love that card. I was going to say that it could be used to send to my period but a bit like Kaiser Szoze in the film the Usual Suspects, just like that, it was gone!

About to do shower, pjs, tea and bed. Have a client event on tomorrow morning which means I need to get to the office at 7.45, which means leaving at 6.20 :(((. At least no thoughts of beer and am ready for bed now!

Today - I am also not the best person to ask, but I would suggest to spend the day eating rather than drinking? I am one of those people who can quite easily not eat much if I'm drinking, but if I've had a big meal then I may not feel inclined to drink much. Forward planning of some sort is the key.

Day 27 almost done and I'm also almost into more days on the non-drinking side than not (and almost at a month off the booze in 2018 - counting it as 31 days - and we're only in Feb - that's good for me)...

Night night all. x

today maybe you could give a bit more info about your poison and also your volume. It will help with advice. I am conscious suggesting eating may be triggering if you like wine with food - sorry I am so far away from drinking it I forgot! x

Morning all.

Yesterday was a bit intense, I got home and collapsed, but boy was that good sleep!

Hope, is there a silver-lining that he might not come back?

Today welcome to the bus. Day one is often relatively easy because you are focussed, day two/three you are beginning to lift out of the hangover so it can be easier to reward yourself. I've found that as Twattage says, planning and letting yourself eat is key. Keep posting so you are talking to people who understand, not just to yourself (you will be very persuasive that one won't matter!).

Got to dash, I've already been answering emails since 6.30 (one particularly annoying one, I love students but some can be BLOODY ANNOYING - No, I am not available at the one time you have specified you want to see me in the whole week, but look - here are three other hours today and tomorrow when I can, even though you didn't turn up to the time you asked for yesterday).

Thanks for all the useful tips Day one under my belt.

Went to bed early last night as I had an early start yesterday so getting to sleep was easy. Got home from work and rather than crack open the wine I had some sparkling water with elderflower cordial a nice bath then chamomile tea. I’m off today so this evening will be a tough one plan is to clear out my cupboard under the stairs and do a tip run to tire myself out.

jayne I have had many Day 1' s so I am probably not the best person to give advice.
However on someone else's recommendation I downloaded the Sober Diaries by Claire Pooley and have really enjoyed listening to her " journey " .
I have it on audible and I think just listening to her words and her struggles it really has hit home with me , much more so than anything else I have tried and I have tried everything .
I am now on day 3 ==again== and I have absolutely no cravings at all.
It might be worth a try and besides she is quite funny and writes well

Thanks White, will look into that now. Will be easier to listen to an audio as I know from past experience that my concentration isn’t the best when giving something up.
I’ve had many day ones too , just want to break the cycle. Looking into some local fitness classes to join once I’ve got the first week under my belt. Think this week will be just about some gentle self care.

Well done on getting past the 1st day btw

white huge congratulations on day 3. If you like the sober diaries there are also sober podcasts I listen to the bubble hour and mother recovering.

I had a lot of day ones too. Every time I drank I saw it as a failing. This time something has stuck and I'm about 110 days af today. The reality was each time I did sober anything - day, evening out sober success anything I built a bit more of a picture of what a sober life could be for me and I could do it. Stick with it you are doing great.

I read or listened to something sober related every day. Changing my thinking has been so important.

Thank you everyone who came back about also finding telling others hard. sweet you are so right. I'd never judge someone else's sandwich choice!! What has this got to do with anyone else!!!! baking good luck at Easter. When I've been in these situations I've prepared before. Clearly decided what I would say. Even told people before. It's a risky one for me and one I've fallen on before. anitt i love that. Right I need to find my inner toddler. ( going to take notes from my own who says no very well....)

jayne sorry congratulations to you too. Sounds like you have a plan. Running has really helped me so classes sound like a good idea!

Hi all. Can I hop back in? I won't take up much room but I've just been diagnosed with a stomach ulcer so need to go sober!!!