The new ‘third place’

Just as I was leaving Cardiff I wrote about the loss of my ‘third’ place. It used to be Starbucks. It used to be th glorious Roath Park. They were retreats from city living. Somewhere to go to at the end of a day for a bit of relaxation. R&R as the new-model-Saachi’s would have us believe. Okay, I know Roath Park is no Central Park, but let’s be honest, Cardiff is no NYC. But it was nice. It was mine.

But here’s a run-down of today’s activities:

• Sarah goes to Church
• We go to a farm-shop for fruit, veg and dairy products
• A walk of a few miles across the common and up country lanes

So I’m embracing life in the country. The strange thing is there’s always been a part of me that’s wanted to live the trendy-twenty-something-new-media-type-flat-living-mocha-drinking lifestyle. I wanted to catch the tube to work. I wanted to spend lunchtimes in museums (preferably the New York Met, but you can’t have everything). I wanted to buy newspapers on street corners. The thing is, I don’t think I’d fit in. I hate the pollution. I like the natural environment. I like driving my car fast (ie above 5 miles an hour). I like the colour green.

So here I am in the countryside, with my new ‘third places’, and enjoying it. But I can still say I live in Bristol when I want to…