Rockford is having his gallbladder removed today, and he had to check in at 5:30 this morning. It was 18 degrees when we left the house, and there was a light dusting of snow on the ground.

Rockford and I watched the local morning news while we were in the pre-op room. They read comments from Facebook and a BuzzFeed post from July. On air. Hard-hitting news.

It’s 7:30 now, and they just wheeled him back to the operating room. I’m in the waiting room, camped out next to an outlet. Unfortunately, I’m also very close to the very loud TV. Lots of CNN for me this morning.

7:41am. There’s a group of about six people here for the same patient. Most of them are talking about Ferguson — they’re concerned — but one of them is talking on her phone and laughing riotously.

7:44am. She’s on a new phone call now. More laughter.

7:53am. Rockford’s surgeon has started the procedure. The nurse called from the OR to tell me. Is that weird?

Things I learned between 7:56 and 8:03am

8:06am. I’d like to add this Luke’s Diner sweatshirt to my sweatshirt collection.

8:08am. 18 of these 21 pictures guaranteed to make you laugh every time actually did make me laugh.

8:09am. This time would be better used reading “John Adams” than reading dumb stuff on BuzzFeed.

8:12am. That girl over there decided not to go out for basketball this year.

8:13am. OK, I’m going to go read a book now. Really.

8:24am. It’s hard to concentrate on “John Adams” with the nerves and the CNN and the laughing family in here with me. Speaking of CNN: How about we don’t show Viagra commercials at 8:24 in the morning?

8:28am. I think I may have fallen asleep for a minute there.

8:35am. A new large family has joined us in the waiting room. One of them looks like my cousin Tim and has a creepy laugh. I’m surprised that there’s so much laughter in a hospital waiting room. It’s been a right jolly spot this morning.

8:37am. The girl who isn’t playing basketball has Beefaroni and a burrito in her backpack.

8:47am. Rockford is out of surgery and in recovery, where he’ll be for about an hour. A new family has joined us. They turned down the TV. I like their show of initiative.

A conversation with the surgeon
He: “Problems caused by the gallbladder stop immediately when the gallbladder is removed, so if he’s still having pain …”
Me: “You’ll put the gallbladder back in?”
He: