Cheshire - top 10 .

I did not grow up in Cheshire. As a kid I was here once to see a CIAC tournament hoop game and more specifically see the Cheshire High giant play, John Budris. A long, long time ago. Regardless, I arrived nearly twenty years ago around the time of a six-year run of dominance for CHS football. Since then a lot has happened, it is probably larger, definitely has more ethnic balance and is more buttoned-up. The deer and wild turkey population became bountiful. Cheshire is, and always will be, suburbia that was once mostly farmland. Below is a list of 10 things that define Cheshire, good, bad or indifferent. The order is unimportant but if I forgot something, feel free to comment.

• 10.Location, location, location- the only town in the state bordered by six towns. Depending on where you live, it is within shouting distance to cities (New Haven, Waterbury, Meriden, Hartford) in which to work or shop. Roadways are not that great, 91 and 95 are accessible, but not quickly. Same goes for 84.
• 9. Bedding Capital of Connecticut- still quite a few farms in town, most of which grow for wholesale. If a Robin is the state bird, I suppose the mum would be the town flower. On the retail side there are numerous places to get affordable plants, in particular, Tower Farms offers a great array.
• 8. Drugs- actually DRUG STORES, no shortage of choices. CVS and Rite Aid, Stop and Shop (two locations), on and on. Why so many?  I long for the days of crumby old Richlin (in the Pier 1 location) where you could buy department store stuff.
• 7. Ma and Pa stores. It's good to see that the big box stores of America have for the most part avoided Cheshire and some longtime businesses in town still exist. The Notch is still a gathering place as much as it is a place for breakfast,lunch or, for the real regulars, a hand of cards, cribbage or whatever. Hines is a fine hardware store, each and every employee does what is hard to find in retail these days- THEY HELP, and with a smile. Blackies, the hot dog stand, is a Connecticut gem. The menu is, I would guess, pretty much unchanged as well as the '50's cabinish decor. Not real complicated, but fast and with a real counter with somewhat wobbly, swivel stools. If you order, say three hot dogs, the waitress just yells to the dog man/woman THREE. Lastly, poised in these days the lousiest of locations (next to McDonald's and overlooking a gas station)is Claudes, wonderful rich and creamy ice cream and affiliated creations. A tad on the pricey side but it does not stop a herd of loyal customers. Simply put, these represent three chunks of Americana. R.I.P- the Waverly
• 6. Prisons. Yes there are several prisons in Cheshire. Hopefully they bring in a semblance of income to the town. Triple homicides, racial profiling allegations and police chief tragedies aren't exactly key points to emphasize for real estate brokers.
• 5. Traffic on Route 10- unbearable, ridiculous and unmanageable. If you live in town, or even work here and live in a surrounding town, you know the pitfall. Back roads can be used but can be out of the way. Beware of using Mountain Road, this is ticket quota bonanza. 25 MPH and the Cheshire P.D does enforce. Just yesterday, weekend midday is probably the worst, I was in gridlock around the high school heading toward town center. Traffic was roughly backed up from McDonald's to the Academy and I was keeping a two-car distance when I hear a beeping. Some gal in a cruddy cream colored Mini-Cooper is giving me the hand motion to move. Her mouth is moving and I don't think it was sweet nothings. So I  slowly crept along, now there was about a three car distance in front of me, traffic still crawling and Miss Personality is still tapping her horn. As I climbed the hill toward 7-11 an oncoming car was attempting to do the impossible: cut across traffic to a side street. I kindly acquiesced, that's when I think she may have seen red, or if armed done something irrational. Finally, about all of ten minutes later I approached the light near the Academy which was about to change to red and in a blur she passed me, arms flailing. Pretty much on two wheels she swerved down the road past the library. She could have broadsided a car or a person or two. Too bad there wasn't a cop there. Bottom line- route 10 is clogged -DEAL WITH IT. Either that or buy a helicopter.
• 4. The Bubble. AKA the multi-million dollar folly known as the town pool. Granted, Cheshire has award winning, college scholarship beneficial, championship ridden history. They did most of this while using Cheshire Academy or playing "away." The bubble has been replaced, is membership up? I dont know but I can tell you family membership costs are over $200 a year compared to Wallingford (seasonal use only ) which is something like $40. The practicality of the pool is in question, costs , the public inclination to use their own pool are two of the reasons.
• 3. Cheshire Academy. Gives that part of town an Ivy League feel. In think they are good neighbours. The question is: Do any kids from Cheshire actually attend the school?  A free scholarship or two to residents seems kind of gratuitous, don't you think?
• 2. Churches - houses of faith, call them what you will. Regardless, most avenues imaginable can be found here. It is a photographers heaven- from the Congregational to the Episcopal and St, Thomas Beckett are but a few. Maybe a calendar, there are probably twelve, with the proceeds going to world hunger (or any worthy agreeable cause). I guess we are, in general,  a town of worshippers.
• 1. Ram Mania- Connecticut magazine commonly rates Cheshire highly - if it was Consumers Report we'd have a RECOMMENDED. Schooling is taken seriously, just check the impressive list of Cheshire graduates and college choices in June (in the Cheshire Herald). It's not just about school , that would be boring. There is no extra when it comes to extracurriculars in Cheshire. Most kids are involved in multiple activities. Sports, band, clubs all good avenues and in most cases flourishing. Parents are involved, sometimes over-involved in the entire scheme. Regardless, the kids are more socially acclimated, healthier and wealthier in spirit and mind because of outside of the classroom activities. Catch an alumni gathering and maybe, just maybe they may be talking about an old Math class. Probably and more than likely it be about the on-the-field trials and tribulations, the big debate, or the day six band instruments went missing and the marchers played "air."