Brave Babes Battle Bus: Sunshine, Roses and Mocktails All Round

[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.

Summer offers all kinds of challenges for those of us trying to change our relationship to alcohol, pub gardens, summer holidays, school holidays, and apparently there's a big football tournament too. If you want to read where the bus has been so far this year 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

The Bus is a bit of a Mumsnet institution, but it has an open door policy, no cliques, no judgement, and the welcome is always warm. So hop on and join us.

Shhh, morning.

We don't have visitors for Christmas this year - too much work coming in over the vacation, but yes I've done drunk Christmas, and it all sounds horribly familiar, Alias (which do you prefer, Alias or Joey?). Footners are grim, but such fun!

Beaches, how did your day go?

Small hope you're starting your day after more deep sleep and with no headache, you too Trust.

Another long one for me today, most of my classes are timetabled for late afternoon this year, which I find difficult because I'm usually beginning to flag, I prefer 9am. But we'll see whether I have more stamina after this AF stretch.

Catch you later, Babes.

Morning all.
Thanks Sweet I had a good sleep. Yes I am like you re the afternoons. Find it very difficult to focus after 4pm do tend to leave the more humdrum tasks till that time. What is this footner thing??
I have yoga at lunchtime today so looking forward to that.
Just off to make myself a cuppa then a nice walk to the station. It looks like it’s going to be a lovely day today
Have a good day Babes

Trust, footner is a foot exfoliating sock. You sit with your feet in a plastic bag that has a mild acid in it, then five-seven days later, like magic, you shed your skin like a snake and are left with baby soft tootsies! If you remember slathering your arms in pva glue at school then peeling it off when it dried, its a bit like than! We had a lovely drive to work this morning, part of the route is over the downs, so we were in bright sunlight with the mist settled in to the dips, and trees looking like rock formations at sea .

Test!

YAY! 3 days I've been trying to post those photos up for sweet and the rest of you lovely lot.
This is where I spent the weekend to get some space away from it all.

Beautiful Mint awe inspiring scenery.

Day 10 for me today, I feel a bit cheated because I only made 6hrs 57 mins last night, not my isuual af 8 but as a few of you had said, when I did wake in the night it was not an anxiety fuelled half hour but more of a serene quiet time. I will take that.

Have a good day all x

Hi all. Just checking in. Good to see lots of familiar faces here still.

I have a footner and am just waiting for the weather to get colder before I use it so that I can wear socks to cover up all the lovely peeling

Last time I posted, someone (sorry can't remember who) mentioned about a hypnotherapy app which I have downloaded as I wanted something to relax to and it never hurts to have a lovely little reinforcement message.

Anyway, it's Mark Bowden and he does loads of other ones as well so I just wanted to recommend in case that's something anyone else would be interested in. It costs £10 but, hey, that's just a couple of bottles of wine right?

gorgeous pics, Mint - and fab that you made time for yourself. So necessary.

Faire lovely to see you. Thanks for th hypnotherapy suggestion. Waves to Trust and Sweet and all other babes, lurkers or otherwise.

Funny old day. Not good, not bad, just plain. Maybe this is the new normal - I need to acclimatise as I’m feeling a bit antsy with it.

Potters off to locate footner ..

... and Beaches and Joey. Sorry - I appear to be unable to count more than two babes at once. Waves to you too!

Evening.

Mint that looks glorious. I thought they were stock photos before I read your post, especially the one with the boat.

Beaches well done on double figures.

Faire, that moment when you take off your socks and the peelings fall out !

Small it's just 'a day' I tell ds, something boring is good. It the opposite of the Chinese curse 'May you live in interesting times!'

I've been really boing-y today, some of it to do with having six straight hours of lecturing - only doable if you treat it as a performance and let the adrenaline pull you through.

I've been really pleased to be AF today, really into it as a positive choice.

Hello faire how are you doing? I will check out that hypnotherapy app. I use a great one before sleep for relaxation.

sweet I guess I prefer joey, but don’t really mind.

For those who don’t know about a footner, just google some images! (Not for the faint-hearted, or if you have a hangover... it’s SO satisfying though)

I'm flattered any of you think of me as an inspiration. I'm really not! I think after 15 years of regular daily drinking I just got one on me this time. This is the longest dry spell I've had, even in pregnancy I'm ashamed to say I only cut down a lot whilst knowing I should be abstaining.

Sweet I think I feel slightly ashamed of telling people I don't drink but I don't really know why. That's why I feel the need to tell people it's temporary too. I don't ever want a public loss of control through drink again at the same time though.. I finished killing eve tonight. It was very good. What other dramas are you watching? I've got a lot on series record that I'm saving/waiting to binge watch.

I had never heard of a footner until tonight. It sounds oddly satisfying! I may need to get one!

Mint I always love your pictures -they're like postcards although SweetDog's walk one's look lovely too.

I've got a new phone and typing on it isn't quite as quick as with my old so apologies if there's loads of typos! I hate new phones and I'm always super paranoid about breaking them.

Trust I think you asked about what's different since being AF. I sleep better, I'm less anxious but this is a disappointment as I was hoping for a cure and it's not happened. My skin is much, much better. I haven't had any bad eczema flares since stopping. I get small patches now and again but nothing large scale. I think I'm more content to be on my own company too. I think I drank out of loneliness a lot of the time but weirdly I'm less lonely without it even though I'm still mainly on my own after DS goes to bed at 7.

Anyway, I think I should post this before I bore everyone to tears. I also want to read the works message that's just come through. Lord knows why it's been sent out now.

Morning all
Sweet thanks for the info re footner. Sounds awful but good if you know what I mean. Is there a particular brand that is good?
Mint love the photos. They look like postcards.
Hi Baking it sounds like you are getting lots of positives from being AF. Re dramas I have heard good things about Strangers so am going to have a look. I’ve tried watching quite a few different ones lately but if they don’t grab me in the first episode then I bail out. Shallow I know but life is too short particularly when there are so many to choose from!!
Small I know what you mean about plain days. A kind of “is this what it’s going to be like from now on?” But I think some days are just like that. Also just compare the morning feeling of waking up and being AF to the hangover feeling. That for me makes me feel happy (and proud) and a bit boing!!
Hi to Faire Joey and Beaches and all other Babes. I feel a good day coming on

Morning All.

First chance I've had to get in front of a screen.

Trust Footner is the brand, I get them from Amazon, there are other brands, but I've never tried them. And I'm with you on bailing out on dramas - I'm resisting Black Earth Rising at the moment, and I never managed to get into Broadchurch (heresy I know). Trust about the Getty's is fab - each episode has a different director and style, so if you're a style junky (or cinematography nerd like DH), its heaven. No Offence is brilliant but sometimes confusing.

Baking, nothing sent at nearly 11.30 pm is urgent!

Anyway, need to get on, so I will be back to NC and catch up this evening.

I googled footner here and on the Canadian amazon it amounts to more than £20. Is that about right? I hesitated at spending that but the pva glue peeling brought back some satisfying memories

So, it’s Friday which despite being a day like any other give the wine witch something to shout about. I am going to cover my ears and ignore the cow bag.

Hope all babes are having a good day xx

Beaches, in the uk I would pay between around £11.99 per pack which treats both feet or £19.98 for two (to use six weeks apart), so £20 sounds a bit steep, but it does get rid of hard skin, so I suppose it depends how much of an issue it is for you. Or, you could ask yourself how much you're saving on wine?

Friday wine is just habit. We need to reframe it. Find other ways to treat ourselves. Give ourselves the gift of hangover-free Saturday.

I've had a long, tough first week of teaching, I could not have got to the end of a 5pm Friday lecture feeling fresh and happy a month ago. My becks blue Is in the fridge, it'll soon be dark enough to put my pjs on and I know I'll sleep well tonight.

Oh that Friday feeling! I’m struggling a wee bit; I was going to allow myself a couple of glasses of wine last night, but had a migraine the last few days and thought I’d better not. Felt very strong and smug... mainly thinking I’d have them tonight instead.

But I still can’t shake off this migraine! (Luckily not as bad as some people who throw up etc, it’s just a persistent pain) There’s a little voice in my head going “but alcohol will make you relax, and relaxation will help !”

I’m going to have a shower and an early night instead. I wouldn’t even enjoy it anyway.

I hope you feel better tomorrow, Joey. Look at it this way, you added a couple of extra af days to your count.

I know, logically it shouldn’t matter waiting 1 more day! Last night wasn’t too bad, I definitely felt quite smug about being AF... but tonight, actually it’s not just about the wine but also I’m a bit fed up of this migraine and wondering why I can’t shake it off. My husband suggested it was a brain tumour, and I swear he was smirking

Are you in your pjs yet?

Morning All.

Oh, Joey having it go on for so long is rubbish. I have only had migraines twice (both in the last year. The first went on for about five days, not always excruciating pain, but visual disturbance and nausea - I ended up in Eye A&E incase it was acute glaucoma, which is how it came to be diagnosed as migraine. I would get it checked out if you're still suffering by Monday, you may need a change of medication?

Anyway my pjs were on by 7.30! I had a good night, but now I'm back to work (open day), but really feeling good. I'm still seeing physical improvements in my skin and my body shape, and my DJ app says I have saved almost £200 for the month .

I best be off to walk SweetDog, enjoy your Saturday, Babes, however you spend it.

Happy Saturday to all. I would like to say I am refreshed and boingy after an 8 hour sleep but instead I am pre period bloated and elasticated waist track pants are my only friend. I am doing some home study today so no need to try and squeeze into jeans - silver linings!

Some of you probably know this already but here in Canada, marijuana is about to be leagalized. Mid October and we will be able to go to the liquor store and select our grass of choice I haven’t got stoned for years but there is part of me that really wants to. Is that any better/worse than drinking wine? Perhaps that depends on frequency and amounts. As long as there are non smoking options as I gave up nicotine about 10 years ago. Maybe I won’t even like it all these years later... it still boggles my mind that it will be a legal choice. What do you babes think about it?

Back from work and in pjs already , Beaches I've just released myself from 'impress prospective students and parents' dress code so I can now breath out!

I don't know how I feel about marijuana, I haven't had any in years, since I last went to Amsterdam about ten years ago in fact (yes I am a tourist cliche!). I think legalisation is probably the right approach, but these days I don't think I'd partake, I'm getting to like being clear-headed and in control.

checking in. do I see faire and beaches and joey?
how lovely to see familiar names. i will read back and see whats been happening.
I'm going to be doing Sober October(with the caveat that I can have a drink at weekends if I want to).
I need to get well and healthy.

Good to see you Ma, how was Cyprus?

HOT! and I'm not talking about the soldiers. Well, maybe a bit.
The following week I was on Orkney. I know which island I prefer....