Monday chat?

Ooh, the body farm - totally cool!

Busy Monday here.

I've officially named my neighbors the "A. Cracks". They were starting work on their siding yesterday (same ones who were drinking...I mean doing...the roof a couple weeks ago. Not only is the husband fond of wearing his pants so low his bare butt is highly visible, but yesterday I saw more of the wife's rear than I needed. None of it was pretty.

I didn't see a Monday chat, either, Julie -- just a couple posts tagged on to the end of Doug's Sunday chat. 

Okay, I need more information about what a body farm is.  And why does one need extra shoes and wipes for the dogs?  I'm imagining you guys trudging through something that looks like rows of cornstalks, but instead they're bodies/corpses.  I know that's not what it is is, but all the zombie stuff that floods entertainment media these days put that image in my head!!

I love your friend's comment about the heat.  We had that freakish day last week of 90 degrees, and I wasted no time complaining about it.  DH gets so annoyed because I generally spend lots of time whining about the rain and grey skies this time of year, so he doesn't get why I was complaining.  What can I say?  When it comes to weather, I'm easy to please:  sunny skies, temps about 75.  I'm not asking for much!  

I have a TON to do at work today, but I slept like crap, so I feel sluggish and somewhat queasy.  The rain hitting the windows is also making me want to take a nap.  Just one of those times I wish I drank coffee.

I saw the news coverage of the fires in OK and thought of GingerP.  I don't know what part of the state she lives in, but hopefully nowhere near that area.

From Kate's earlier post -- I love the idea of the scent box to help the dogs "meet" indirectly.  Can't wait to hear more when RonnieO arrives!

Tina, I was typing when you posted --- ugh, what a horrible image that is.  Plumbers butt on the husband AND the wife?  Oy.  The body farm image is almost more tolerable!

Julie, way cool to be visiting the body farm for SAR training.  I hope Abby doesn't roll in the dead people.  

Tina, the neighbors sound lovely.  Not.  I never can understand why people think it's ok to subject the rest of us to their butt cracks.  

It's getting hotter and hotter here.  I just don't handle the heat like I used to.  Thank goodness for air conditioning.

Here you go, Tracy. http://behindthecrime.wordpress.com/about/the-body-farm/

I'm a die-hard Patricia Cornwell fan, so learned years ago about body farms. I find the forensics so fascinating. What a great learning tool for SAR dogs.

Oooh, that link looks interesting, Tina!  I'll spend more time checking it out at home.  

One of my friends has recommended Patricia Cornwell's books to me (I love mysteries), but I've not read one yet.  I need to add her to my list.

Oh, me too Tina. That's how I knew also what the body farm is.  Basically, the FBI has these as training and research facilities and they let bodies decomp in various settings.  Abbie will be in her glory!!  I learned about scent cones in another authors books....the writer who does the Eve Duncan books and many others.

Today was far too long, considering that last week was so tough.  But, at least I had a great dinner and an extensive nights sleep!

Thanks for posting that link! We are going to the WCU one where they allow cadaver dog training. The great thing is that we usually train on very small specimens and while the scent pools get pretty large from very small pieces, a whole body is a totally different story. It can be completely overwhelming to a dog. So, it's great that they allow this training at the facility. That way, when they come across a whole body on a real search, they have been there, done that so to speak. Plus they have cadavers from chemo patients and people that have OD'd on drugs, etc. which adds a whole new level of scents on a subject. I just hope that I can handle it :)  I'm told that handlers get to walk through first, so we get our own jitters out of the way without the dogs being present. Probably a good idea.

Tina, the neighbors at least are providing entertainment lol

Tracy, GingerP is in Arkansas which I mistakenly abbreviated as AK last week. lol  Maybe my mistake rubbed off on you.  I haven't seen anything on the wildfires in OK.  I'm sure it will be on the news tonight.

I guess that Malaysian airline that went down is old news.  Except to the families wanting answers.  I haven't seen much about it lately.  

One of my nieces saw the meteor that lit up the sky in Canada the other day. She described it as awesome and scary.  She's in upstate NY.  I know I got that abbreviation right.

Patricia Cornwell's book The Body Farm is where I first read about them.  What you'll be doing makes more sense, Julie, than what I was picturing.  lol  

@JackieG

Tracy, GingerP is in Arkansas which I mistakenly abbreviated as AK last week. lol  Maybe my mistake rubbed off on you.  

Anyway, I guess the fire started when a controlled burn went awry, but the dry weather and winds made it spread very rapidly.  It was on the 8am news here, so maybe by this evening, things are under control.

I can't imagine being a loved one of one of the Malaysian airline passengers.  How awful would it be to not really know what happened to someone?  Even if the chances are 99% that the plane went down in the ocean with no survivors, you'd still want an actual explanation of what really happened.  So sad.

Got my main project done today, so that's a relief.  Hopefully I can get better rest tonight, but I'll be nervous about Ruby's dental in the morning, so I may toss and turn.  DH is taking the morning off so he can drop her off at the vet about 8am.  She is MUCH calmer in his vehicle than mine (she rides with him more).  Also, she's used to eating breakfast as soon as he gets up (about 5:15am), so he thought if we slept in a little later, she wouldn't have to wonder why no one is feeding her for 3 hours!  She will not be happy about that.

Sending good thoughts for Ruby's dental.

A month or so ago we rearranged the house so that the kids are now sharing a room instead of Aaron being in our room.  We're working on redoing it to really make it *theirs*.  One of the things we are planning is that all the furniture is going to get painted white so that 1) it kind of looks like it goes together, even though its all come from a hodge podge of sources and 2) it will look good no matter what color Hannah picks for the walls (which I think she is leaning toward a bright green or bright orange).  We had gotten an old wood dresser from the neighbors for them, which had seen better days. This weekend we sanded it down, painted it, and replaced the hardware.  I am so excited at how good it looks!  We still have to paint the mirror (ran out of time) but then I'll post the before and after pics, it is awesome :D

Jewelee that body farm sounds like it will be a great experience!

 "I just hope that I can handle it :)  I'm told that handlers get to walk through first, so we get our own jitters out of the way without the dogs being present. Probably a good idea"

 It does sound a little gruesome but I'm sure you'll do fine Julie. I worked as a pathology assistant to help pay for college.  I felt weak in the knees when the first autopsy began but was fine by the time it was finished, and was fine for subsequent ones.  It sounds very cool as Jackie said; hope the training goes well.

 Tracy, I'll be thinking of Rubie and sending good thoughts. I hope you sleep well tonight.

Julie, that sounds totally cool. What a great training opportunity. I can't imagine how I'd handle the "farm," but I am sure you and Abbie will do well. I, too, love Patricia Cornwell's Kay Scarpetta mysteries and learned about body farms from the books. Glenda, I need to check out the Eve Duncan books, too. They sound good.

Good thoughts for Ruby's dental appt.

Can't wait for the before/after pics of the "new" bureau. It sounds like it was a total success!

I agree about the airliner--it's "gone" from the news--I just can't imagine how the families are left without answers.

I saw some pictures of the fires--I sure hope everyone is safe. I hope we hear from GingerP soon.

Tina, it sounds like your neighbors are providing such a lovely view--not!

I planted leeks and beets this weekend and started to turn the potato bed. The potatoes should have gone in this weekend, too, but I ran out of time and energy!