Wondering who’s who or what’s what? Here’s a quick rundown of the people, places, and things I talk about often in my notes:
Auntie M is my Aunt who lives in northwest Illinois. She has dementia and still lives at home. She says she “needs a brain” so I share mine with her (some days it’s questionable, though). When I’m in northwest Illinois, I help Auntie M in-person. When I leave for the winter, I help via phone and other modern technologies. I also have a Caregiver service to help with the growing list of tasks.
Bella is my van - aka my cozy little home on wheels. My daughter named her Bella and I added VanGo - making her full name Bella VanGo.
Home is wherever I’m parked for the night… whether it's a campground, hotel, or some other place entirely.
My Old Stomping Grounds is the northwest Illinois area - where I spent the first 52 years of my life before moving into the van.
Nikki is my adult daughter who lives in southeast Florida. She moved there from northwest Illinois. She left the nest in early 2016… plummeting me into the world of empty-nesterhood. I’m a single Mom, she’s an only child.
Northwest Illinois is my old stomping grounds. I grew up here and lived in various towns until I moved into my van at age 52. From mid-April to October/November, I make a campground my home base so I can take care of my routine medical visits, help Auntie M, see family and friends, and enjoy being “back home” for a while.
Southeast Florida is where Nikki moved. She’s the only reason I considered visiting Florida in the first place! For three or four months, I make a campground my home base, allowing me to visit Nikki, explore new places, and hang out in Homestead, Florida City, and the Florida Keys.
Connie 🌸