Waking the Dead

We signed up to the University of Dundee's online course, "Identifying the Dead", almost a year ago.

Clare has been at it now for three weeks (about 4 hours a week).

Yesterday she was learning about the kinds of marks different cutting implements leave on bone. Saws cut a narrow trench with 'W' cross-section due to blade offset; knives make a 'V'.

The exercise asked her to decide in which room in our house she should cut up her significant other.

We debated this.

I said the garden would be a disaster: body fluids and bits of debris would soak into the earth and could never be cleared up: it would be a gift to the forensic science team. Clare pointed out, more proximately, that it was also overlooked by neighbours.

She settled on the kitchen. Flat table-top for cutting, no carpets to aid mopping afterwards.

I guess next week she'll learn how best to dispose of my remains.