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 all - thank you for the lovely messages.

Got 9 hours sleep on and off but am nervous about client work today as haven't finished presentation, still feel tired. My anxiety dream kicked in around 2am where I leap out of bed saying 'fuck' or 'shit' and thinking I should be up and doing something in the night.

Just going to have to struggle through in the cold weather today.

spanna - I know we're not a dry thread but I upset someone before so I am trying not to come on and say 'I've been to the pub' etc as it doesn't present well. IYKNWIM!

Day 30 dawns of 2018...xxx

little - I had been struggling with Sunday as one of my main days that I drank when not in control. I have managed not to drink on a pre-work Sunday every week this year...it feels so much better if you can do it. xxx

Morning,

Twattage - sorry to hear about your dad, hope you managed to get some rest. Post when like as far as I’m concerned. I’m new here and it’s early days for me so not read through all the posts but that’s what I thought this thread was for, to share and get support.

First dry weekend under my belt.
My appetite is back with a vengeance and had lots of trips to the toilet last night so not the best nights sleep.
Found a lovely new cordial by Robinson’s ‘crushed lime and mint’. Probably the reason for my constant peeing.

I’ve noticed this weekend I’ve been kinder to myself. When I’ve had a drink I would overthink a ton of shit and blame myself.

Off to drag two teenagers out of bed for there 1st day back after half term.

Morning all. Not posted for a couple of weeks but have just read back through some of the last threads.
Twattage glad your dad is on the mend.
Jayne well done on first alcohol free weekend. It’s a great feeling.
Hope I hope things are looking better today.
Baking I feel your pain re work issues. I’m a perfectionist and hate the thought of making mistakes at work but just have to remember that nobody is perfect. Hope you are ok.
Buttonz I hope you are coping. I had a stupid Friday a few weeks ago and thought it would be so easy to have another drink to cope with it. However I came on here and got support and it definitely was the best idea to NOT have a drink and face up to the feelings of disappointment with myself then move on. I hope you are coping. Keep posting. It really does help.
I am just off to take my dog for a long “fresh” walk then shopping as no work today. Had a bit of a lazy week last week but am back in the zone now. Spin class tonight! And looking forward to holiday in 2 weeks!
Hi to everybody else and hope you all have a good day

Hello All.

Sorry, really busy at work so I'm struggling to keep posting, but I'm still here and keeping an eye out in case we need a new thread.

Hi, I’m new, can I have a seat? I’m on day 2, been to the GP this afternoon and finally admitted to someone that I have a problem. GP has referred me, booked in a blood test & upped my antidepressants.
Am off to the cinema tonight to watch The Greatest Showman, glad to have something to look forward to as feeling quite fragile - but very determined! Enough is enough.

Waves from a slightly snowy but freezing Scotland.
Things can only get better, right? Well no, that's a lie. Things are getting even worse. I've had an attachment of earnings after I'd already agreed a repayment plan and the amount they are taking is leaving me even more in the shit.
I am constantly gob smacked as to how I've not had a drink yet.
I'm exhausted and an dreading the coming weeks shite weather, -15 is going to be a struggle getting to work! Especially as Stagecoach seem to run to their own madeup timetable. Anything from 10-50 mins late it seems.

Ooh hello doggy all manner of animals welcome here. We have and I think there is an otter somewhere.

Be really kind to yourself - you may feel a bit odd when ADs first upped, and need lots of sleep At least we can't drink when we're sleeping

mint do you have enough for food and stuff? We used payplan years back to help manage repayments and they were very helpful.

Oh mint darling I'm worried about you.

Hi everyone, sorry I've been rubbish at posting lately but I do read.

ma did my future husband get back ok?

I will catch up soon, stay safe in this awful weather

Sending a big hug mint - cold and skint :(. Stay safe and strong.

Evening rothbury .

Hello ma, sweet, lux, jayne, little, trust.

I am in the 'position' in bed with pjs, rooibus, cat and Law & Order SVU catch-up. Not had too bad a day all things considered - started off wobbly at work but managed to escape at 4pm.

End of day 30 2018 for me. Night night. xxx

Hello Twat - glad you are OK. You have a lot on your plate.

Am due to go into London tomorrow but am secretly hoping to get snowed in so I can snooze on the sofa work from home.

Evening fellow - I was secretly hoping the same - that I could stay at home.

I've agreed with my team we'll take a call at 6am on whether it is snowy or not. Unfortunately I have a 4-5pm meeting so I can't escape tomorrow if I am on-site. I had another person start today so I am now up to a global team of 8 reporting into me...so yes a lot on my plate.

Daddy seems to be okay at the moment. He's gone with my mummy to stay in a local hotel for the night just to have a chill out and be pampered.

xxx

It's snowing hard

i deliberately bought wine tonight for the first time this year. had half a bottle. I'm being sucked back into it because of this shit with dh. In January I didn't touch a single drop....but I can't get that back again.

no snow here as yet

Hi all. Not had time to post recently but been reading.
Was my first day back today after the flu and I had a headache by 12. It will get better.

I am still moderating my drinking, it's been nearly a year since I decided to sort my shit out and I'm still on the journey. However I am definitely a more well rounded person than I was. I now face things rather than burying my head in a bottle.

Night all

X-posted Ma. Sorry you're having such a hard time. Try and get some sleep you must be exhausted with all the stuff going on.

Morning - day 31 dawns and there is zero snow ;) so in I go. I can't quite believe I'll have been sober a month of 2018 this evening. It feels excellent.

ma big hug - try to chuck it away if you can. It will not improve anything.

sequins - I am interested in your moderation strategy!

x

Morning,

Well done on day 31 twat, it’s a week for me today. It’s flown by I feel so much better.

Posting on here has been a huge help. Sending my love to all those who are struggling.

Hard to believe it was me only a few weeks ago I never thought I would manage a whole week. Looking forward to week two now.

Morning all.
No drinking for me for the next 18 days till I go on holiday then I may have a few in moderation. I did the whole of Dry January then most of Feb (4 nights out with meals so drinks in moderation but one mad boozy one with no meal which has proved to me I just can’t do it any more so I hope to have learnt my lesson. Don’t know why but if I have a meal with drink then I don’t seem to want to carry on so I will stick to that as my strategy if I do drink on holiday)
A light dusting of snow here so far but that does not stop The train company from cancelling half the trains into London so I imagine it is going to be carnage at the station! Will leave it a bit later to make the attempt to go in. Zumba class tonight!
Have a good day everybody and hope you don’t get stuck in the snow!

Morning All.

Mint I'm so sorry for you. Is DP still sticking his head in the sand?

Twattage, Rothbury I was hoping for a snow day too, but it's bright and clear here - lots of flurries yesterday, but nothing sticking.

Ma, I know the wine feels like an answer, it's easy, but don't let H take all that AF progress away from you.

Sequins, you need to take it easy, I went back after a week, and really struggled to catch up and keep up. My job is shit for that. If I worked on a production-line, they wouldn't put the widgets to one side for when I got back and expect me to fit those as well as my usual quota. But that's what I've been trying to do this week, I'm expecting a bollocking from the boss this afternoon, but there we go, that's the world we live in. (No wonder we drink).

Morning all.

Sweet good luck with the boss today. Don't let the bastards get you down! In fact, same to Mint Ma Hope. ...and everyone else for that matter.
Well done on week one Jayne and good luck for this week
Light dusting of snow here this morning. Think I am going to go swimming this morning. I shall take my uber sexy woolly hat for when I get out

Booze helps nothing. It only makes things worse. Today, I will not be drinking.

Morning all. It's snowing here and I'm sat on a train but it's not moving. Not a good sign
Hope you don't get a bollocking Sweet what's that all about? I hate that I have to catch up on all the work, you are correct in needing to take it easy. I still don't feel well really but I can't lie about forever sounds nice though

Twat I've had to change my mindset really. I was quite chaotic and quite loved the madness of drowning my sorrows in loads of wine. I am/was a binge drinker so would hold all my stress in and then get hammered, suffering for a couple of days afterwards. Anyway a few times I have made a complete idiot of myself and so I decided enough was enough. I stopped for a while.
Now I don't drink to drown sorrows. I actually don't really drink now. I will sometimes have a shandy at the weekend but that's often it. However I will drink if I go out but not much. It's much more than the drinking tbh. It's a way of life l have decided to concentrate on me. I do yoga, I eat well. I watch good TV, I read, I don't try and meet people who don't give a shit. I try not to feel sorry for myself. I also don't feel like I am missing out and that's important for me. I felt like alcohol was the boss but not anymore. I do feel like it's a journey though and as if I am rebuilding myself. I lost the real me somewhere (about 20 years ago)

Anyway train gave up so I'm now waiting for another. Going to be a long day.

sequins I could relate to a lot of your post. I think I want to be where you are (in terms of where your head is at)

Heavy snow here - no buses, very few trains, so I am on the sofa watching lovely Carol the BBC weather lady with a blankie over my knees.

Will work from home but was supposed to be in London today so that's a most excellent swerve.

I'm at home too Rothbury working. No blankie though!