Tuesday, November 3, 2009

This Post Comes With A Warning! Do Not Read Here If You Have A Weak Stomach!

Over this past summer there was much talk here in New York about the Montauk Monster. A carcass had washed up on the shores of Montauk Point, many thought it was the carcass of a dog or a raccoon, but there was speculation that it was the carcass of some type of experimental animal from Plum Island Animal Disease Center, a U.S. federal research facility that studies animal diseases.

Why am I writing about this? Well, this past weekend Ray went with his brother, Donald, and his sister, Susie on their annual visit to Calverton National Cemetery on Long Island where their Dad is buried. After visiting the cemetery they usually drive to the beaches that they used to summer at as kids. While hiking the shore of Long Beach in Smithtown, Long Island they came across this:

WARNING! DON'T LOOK ANY FURTHER IF YOU ARE AT ALL SQUEAMISH!



PICTURE OF A CARCASS IS BELOW!




Okay, you've been warned! If you're still with me here goes!



Susie and Donald think it's the carcass of a dog.





Ray thinks it's the carcass of a raccoon.


I don't know what to think! I only hope it's not any kind of waste from Plum Island!
I seriously have to think about moving out of this state!
(Actually, we have been seriously thinking of moving. Ray is always concentrating on the negatives of living in New York, and I've been mulling over some of the sore points lately, I still feel New York is a major target for a terrorist attack, the value of our home is plummeting, our state has one of the highest income taxes, and the second highest property taxes. Ray will most likely have to work into his eighties in order for us to afford to live here. And a Mercatus study [Mercatus Center at George Mason University did a "Freedom In The Fifty States" study] ranks New York as dead last of all fifty states for personal and economic freedom!. I don't think it will be too long before New York State is much like the carcass that washed up on it's shore!)

But there are also a lot of good things about my home state that I love too. And I will be posting about the good points over the next few months.
Plus, I often think of that couple that studied, explored, and did in-depth investigations to find the most peaceful place on earth to live, and after much research they settled in the Falkland Islands only to have a war break out soon after! I guess you can't run from your destiny.

Okay, enough of the negative, I have some really pretty beach pictures too, but I don't want to put them in the same post with this!
I'll post pretty beach pictures later in the week, and then on Veteran's Day I will post some of the pictures taken at the cemetery.

13 comments:

  1. looking at it's tail and feet, i say it's an opossum.
    dhoff

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  2. It looks like a possum to me, and it's just bloated from having been in the water and being dead, Eileen.

    I think every place has pros and cons, but living near family is the ticket. I've lived away from mine for years, and it is something I truly regret. I have friends who are like family, but I miss the comfort of being in a circle of love that has to accept you whether they want to or not. LOL! ;-)

    XO,

    Sheila :-)

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  3. It was COOL !! Whatever it was ! I have a similar photo of me with a deer carcus, Jake and I had a good time with that, trying to figure out what it was!
    Move here. The houses are much cheaper as are the taxes. Then we could hang out and look for more carcuses in the woods!

    I have binoculars, we'll use sticks to poke at them. And I'll let you take the photos because you have a better camera. We have beaches too. Only about a twenty minute drive.
    And taxedermy. We have that too! Think of the fun we could have!
    Gas is probably cheaper here too. $2.63 a gallon. We could go on all sorts of adventures!
    Please research this, " Land of Lincoln " !!

    Love Di

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  4. HI EILEEN-
    I think it was a dog. And I know someone who works on Plum Island. It is all quite "hush-hush". I think a lot goes on there that is secret and dangerous.
    Anway- I hope you are having a wonderful day.

    Love you
    Gail
    peace.....

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  5. Oh, am I laughing here!

    Sheila, I LOVE how you put that "...I miss the comfort of being in a circle of love that has to accept you whether they want to or not" You are hysterical!
    And you are right! That is the biggest drawback of moving for us (the ONLY drawback for Ray), if we could uproot everyone and have them for neighbors, then I don't think I'd give another thought to staying put.
    Leaving the grandkids is going to be near impossible!

    Diana, thank goodness I did not have a cup of coffee while reading your comment! And, oh my, if that is not the BEST enticement I have had for moving I don't know what is! Taking sticks and poking carcasses with my friend Diana! What could compare to that?! Oh, the fun we would have!
    Forget about cheaper houses and gas prices! Forget about thrift finds like we used to talk about. Beaches AND woods WITH carcasses to be found! Now we're talking treasure!
    You are too much fun!

    Diane, I thought it looked a little like Speedy!

    Love to you all!, Eileen

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  6. Gail, we must have been commenting at the same time!

    YES, I think some very weird 'hush-hush' stuff does go on there! It's creepy!
    And you actually know someone who works there!
    Thanks for the validation.

    Love to you!, Eileen

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  7. Oh I am SOOOOOO gonna let hubby read this post! As you may know, we have been considering moving to the US for some time now. Georgia has always been the state of preference..... but just last week MrGee asked "What about New York ? yikes I also thought about terrorist attacks!

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  8. "...looked a little like speedy."
    Wishful thinking, Eileen?
    dhoff

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  9. Hello Eileen!
    My you have been busy while I've been gone...
    I won't be including this post in my info on New York...yucky...I would much rather see the pretty beach pictures :) I loved your Halloween pictures and your vacation pictures...What a beautiful visit you had...LOVED the hotel...I wish I could have been stowed away in a bag :)
    Loved the giraffes too!!
    I've missed you.....
    I loved all the cards you sent me. I appreciate your friendship so much!! You are a sweetheart :)
    Love you...
    Jerelene

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  10. Hi Eileen...
    I was fascinated by the carcass. I was waiting for the photo after you (or whoever was in charge) turned it over and took photos of the other side.
    I would have wanted to have done more studies on it.
    OK...Let's put in a word for South Georgia...we're just an hour and a half (maybe a little more) from the Atlantic Ocean...have the largest hunk of granite in the world (in Atanta)...buzzards pretty much take care of carcasses that (use to be chickens that try to cross the road)....and then....there's Jackie!
    (And I live close to Marcy!!)
    Seriously....our town (small as it is right now) is a small town/community...and it growing rapidly. We can still get out of our cars and take photos of cotton fields and not get accosted...talk to strangers while taking photos of a soybean field....and some southerners even eat possums (gag!) Don't 'spect to see anything like that on my table when you come for supper when you move near here....I will have fried chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, corn. biscuits, homemade syrup...and a lemon meringue (or whatever kind of pie you want.)
    I love your blog......would be worried about living in or around any large city during this time...(who would have ever thought it)....and I extend a warm and 'suthurn' hospitable invitation for you to consider south Georgia...or North Florida. Would you be my neighbor?
    Love you,
    Jackie

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  11. Wow Eileen your photo is just plain ugly! I won't be joining you and Diana looking for more carcasses to poke...even Jackie would have turned it over for a closer look, maybe the three of you are part witch!

    Village Witches...Hokie, Pokie and Jokie!

    Luv and Smiles,
    Wanda

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  12. Hi Eileen, wow what a picture, I kind of think it is a dog but what do I know? I can't imagine anyone living in New York ever wanting to leave but one thing I do know is that one can be happy wherever one is...it's our choice!
    I loved your response to Rebecca's post, the hymn you spoke of, Be Thee Not Afraid, I had it played at both my husband and son's funeral, I love that hymn....Hugs to Jayden and Mia....:-)

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  13. Fifi, come back when I post all the GOOD about New York! It's not a horrible place to live. I've just been having weird feelings lately.

    Diane, I am NOT the Speedy-hater, that would probably be Ray!

    Jerelene, SO GOOD to have you back! 'Hope you are well on the road to recovery now! And I was happy to see that you posted too!

    Jackie, I was not even there, it was Ray with his brother and sister, and I'm surprised they didn't think to turn it over!
    I love the way Susie looks like she's sort of 'presenting' it to us! Like she's a model on The Price Is Right or something!
    I think Georgia would be one of Ray's choices, but I don't know if I could take the heat! Although, you do make it sound very inviting!

    Wanda, PERFECT! I am HOKIE! Jackie the poker is POKIE, and of course, Diana is JOKIE! LOVE IT!

    Bernie, I agree that attitude is everything, and I sometimes think that not sticking things out is sort of like not trusting God. It's hard to know what to do.
    And I love that song too, and we had it played at my Mom's Funeral Mass, she was always so afraid at the end of her life with the Alzheimer's Disease, and we just thought it was so appropriate for a Funeral, but especially so for her.
    And I just feel like it's so true for so many situations in our lives.
    (Even my nutty fears right now!)

    Thanks, everyone, for visiting!
    Love to you all!, Eileen

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