It’s Monday, so you will get to hear one of my favorite tunes.
We were up at 5:30 am this fine morning as we needed to be at the surgeon’s office at 8:00 am to get a little cancer removed from my neck. We wanted it done so it would have time to heal before the trip. We made it just about on time. MAry watched as the doctor took the scapel to my neck.
Did You Know? A scalpel, lancet, or bistoury is a small and extremely sharp bladed instrument used for surgery, anatomical dissection, podiatry and various handicrafts. A lancet is a double-edged scalpel.
Scalpel blades are usually made of hardened and tempered steel, stainless steel, or high carbon steel; in addition, titanium, ceramic, diamond and even obsidian knives are not uncommon. For example, when performing surgery under MRI guidance, steel blades are unusable (the blades would be drawn to the magnets and would also cause image artifacts). Historically, the preferred material for surgical scalpels was silver. Some manufacturers also offer scalpel blades with a zirconium nitride–coated edge to improve sharpness and edge retention. Others manufacture blades that are polymer-coated to enhance lubricity during a cut.
Scalpels may be single-use, disposable, or reusable. Re-usable scalpels can have permanently attached blades that can be sharpened or, more commonly, removable single-use blades. Disposable scalpels usually have a plastic handle with an extensible blade (like a utility knife) and are used once; then, the entire instrument is discarded. Scalpel blades are usually individually packed in sterile pouches but are also offered non-sterile.
After the procedure, we went to H&H Nursery in Lakewood, which has interesting plants. Mary found a purple jalapeno, a rootbeer plant, and several other interesting plants, including borage. Rootbeer is a perennial herbaceous plant with heart-shaped velvety leaves. The leaves can reach up to 30 centimeters (12 in) or more in size. The complex flavor is not so easily described; it has been compared to eucalyptus, licorice, sassafras, anise, nutmeg, mint, tarragon, and black pepper. The flavor is stronger in the young stems and veins.
After walking around, we were hungry, so we stopped on Katella at the Gourmet Pie & Bakery Company. I took Mary here years ago, and they still have amazing food, and we got there without lines arriving about 10:30 am.
It was omlete time, and we had an Irish Coffee since we are in training for our upcoming trip to Ireland!
After breakfast, we went to Mary’s seamstress to pick up her mother’s dress, which was being altered. I suggested to Mary that if she grew another two inches taller, the dress would not require a hem.
We stopped by home to take our treasures out of the trunk, and as I moved the two-wheeled wheelbarrow down the side of the house, I felt I was being stared at! Sure enough, our trained security lizard had spotted me and was about to call the cops. I had to remind him that I lived there but he was not too sure. He does have an IQ deficit.
One last stop; Home Depot. We needed sand for the carrots and Daikon radishes, plus a new adaptor for the tower watering system.
Finally, we are home! Time to get down and dirty, with emphasis on dirty!
Purple jalapeños are smaller than traditional green/red jalapenos and have a pointed, cone-like shape. The plants are also more compact and less productive than most jalapeños. However, the plants are beautiful, often showcasing all three colors simultaneously during the growing season.