Connie Sue 🌿

Meet the Regulars!

Here’s a little background about the people, places, and things that show up regularly in my stories…

Auntie M

My aunt lives in northwest Illinois. She has mild dementia.

When we were growing up, my brother called her Auntie M a time or two. It’s always stuck with me so I decided to use the nickname here on the blog.

I promised Auntie M I’d help her stay in her home as long as possible - which is why I spend most of the northwest Illinois camping season at a campground about 5 minutes away.

When I’m in northwest Illinois, I take her to appointments and help with things I need to physically be present for.

When I’m traveling, I handle everything remotely.

For peace of mind (and much needed help), I have a Caregiver service that does in-home visits several days a week.

Bella

Bella is a 2015 Ford Transit cargo van that I converted to a mini RV-camper van. My self-conversion is simple and cozy - and I started calling her my cozy little home on wheels.

She was brand-spanking new when I bought her in May of 2015. My plan was to build her out, learn the ropes, take early retirement in 3 years, and hit the road full-time.

But in August 2015, my solid plan crumbled when my job of 30 years was eliminated. My daughter Nikki was also making plans to leave the nest.

Two months later, I chose to jump head first into van life… in a partially converted van, totally unprepared.

I told Nikki she couldn’t leave home to start her adult life until she named the van. It took her a whole 0.3 seconds to name the van Bella.

Campground shuffle

The shuffle is a pet peeve I deal with every time I’m at a campground and need to go somewhere. Having my vehicle also be my home has its pros and cons. The shuffle is my biggest con because I have to…

• Put everything away in the van - so it doesn’t fly around when I’m driving
• Pull in the leveling blocks
• Unplug from the electric pedestal
• Take my window coverings off
• And make sure I’m ready to roll safely down the road

And then, when I get back to the campground I have to do the campground shuffle in reverse.

Over the years, I’ve simplified the shuffle as much as possible but it’s always been a pain in the ole rump.

Home

Home is wherever my cozy little home on wheels is parked… whether it’s a campground, hotel, or somewhere else.

My hometown area is a different story, though. Northwest Illinois (Freeport, Lena, Stockton, and Warren) is where I lived from the day I was born until the day I hit the road in October 2015.

MCS

MCS is short for Multiple Chemical Sensitivity. Sometimes it’s called Environmental Sensitivities or whatever the naming powers-that-be are calling it these days. As for me, I call it MCS.

It’s a complicated, life-altering condition but the short version is: Everyday products and pollutants can cause mild to severe allergic-type reactions in my body.

It's not a true allergy - it's just the simplest way to describe how my body reacts.

Avoiding triggers and managing reactions has become second nature. Most of the time, my reactions are only moderately annoying but it can become incapacitating if I don’t pay attention to what my body is telling me. Thankfully, my worst reaction (anaphylaxis) only happened once.

MCS naturally comes up in my stories because I need to consider it with everything I do... but I refuse to let it become my identity. It's simply the road map I use to navigate a world that wasn't built for me.

Misael

Misael is my daughter Nikki’s partner, my honorary son-in-law, who’s lived his entire life in southeast Florida.

Nikki and Misael met in an online multi-player game. They were friends for a couple years or so and, in late 2011, she told me they were officially a couple.

Watching them date long-distance via modern technology was new territory for me… but it was fun watching their relationship blossom.

I felt like a Mother-In-Law the first time he asked me for advice because he wanted to get Nikki just the right gift. That pretty much sealed the deal for me 💕

Nikki

Nikki is my adult daughter. She was 2 years old when I became a single-parent. From that point on, we kinda figured life out together.

When I hit the road in 2015, Nikki traveled with me for several months before she left the nest in early 2016.

She moved from northwest Illinois to southeast Florida where she lives today, with Misael.

Nikki is the reason I spend my winter months in Florida.