Claire
Master Chef
OK, for some: Cleaning your house isn't a third place, it is both the first and second place. That is to say, both your home (the first place) and your job.
Maybe it is because of my life (a military brat), but I always find a place to hang out when I move to a new community. I happen to like bars (and trust me, I haven't been able to drink for a few weeks, and yes, my friends and bartender have always been supportive). If my circumstances changed, I'd probably hang out at the library. I'm not a big coffee drinker, because I have what I refer to as "the shakes" and caffein makes it worse. I also love to walk, which is a non-starter right now (hip surgery).
I have met many interesting people in bars, funny as that may sound. When we were on the road, my husband and I met many fascinating people, and learned much about the local economy from them. In Washington and Oregon, we learned a lot about the local hard times that people were going through when the logging industry went south. We met many people who helped us through hard times. My husband I both really saw another side of
America in those years. One time we ran into a man at a brew pub in colorado, and it turned out that he was the first gynocologist in Colorado springs. One of my favorites was a puppeteer in Sand Antonio. Yes, I guess some make small talk. I usually ask people about their lives. Not just hi and goodbbye.
Maybe it is because of my life (a military brat), but I always find a place to hang out when I move to a new community. I happen to like bars (and trust me, I haven't been able to drink for a few weeks, and yes, my friends and bartender have always been supportive). If my circumstances changed, I'd probably hang out at the library. I'm not a big coffee drinker, because I have what I refer to as "the shakes" and caffein makes it worse. I also love to walk, which is a non-starter right now (hip surgery).
I have met many interesting people in bars, funny as that may sound. When we were on the road, my husband and I met many fascinating people, and learned much about the local economy from them. In Washington and Oregon, we learned a lot about the local hard times that people were going through when the logging industry went south. We met many people who helped us through hard times. My husband I both really saw another side of
America in those years. One time we ran into a man at a brew pub in colorado, and it turned out that he was the first gynocologist in Colorado springs. One of my favorites was a puppeteer in Sand Antonio. Yes, I guess some make small talk. I usually ask people about their lives. Not just hi and goodbbye.
, but back to my 3-rd place in life. I do not mind if she goes out with girlfriends, but she is been doing that less and less. Also, our lives are so busy; we simply do not have enough time to go out. House, work, Friday and Saturday we volunteer at the kitchen of our synagogue, cooking for 50-60 people on average, some time more sometime less, that is 2 days out of regular schedule to do all the home chores, take care of kids etc. When weather is nice we go on dates, which is our deck, though it's been so hot and humid this summer we have not had a chance to do that. Looks like it might start cooling down a bit so after kids are in beds there will be date time for us. I wish there were more time for play time, maybe when we are older and kids are out of home, so far we really can’t afford the extracurricular activities neither physically nor financially. Before kids we used to go to Miami for couple of weeks a year. I love that place, miss it too. 
