There are going to be lots of days like this

Today was a waiting day. Waiting for the genetics results, waiting for the procedure I'm having tomorrow. Waiting for a surgery date to be set. Waiting.

In the meantime, I did a bit of housework, and Bravest and I went to a local furniture emporium and bought me a reclining armchair, since I've been instructed to sit around with my legs up as much as possible. I also contacted Bose customer service about getting our old and semi-functional home theater system replaced. Those people are amazing-- they're giving us a new system to replace one bought in 2004, for about a third of its retail cost.

So I will have a reclining chair and something that can play DVDs on our big TV, AND make great sounds for Bravest (who deserves great sounds as much as I deserve to see cute Japanese schoolgirls beat up space aliens while operating giant robots).

And I contacted a landscaper about doing some of the work that I won't be doing this summer, like mowing and hacking down the thicket behind the garage.

But all of this has a very "meantime" feeling about it. It needs to get done, it will conduce to my comfort and recovery, etc. Still, I feel like life is a waiting room where no one's updated the magazines in a while.

And speaking of waiting rooms, Monday I had an echocardiogram. (Clearly, I don't have heart disease or they would have called me by now.) For this, I went to the Carl and Ruth Shapiro Center for Cardiovascular Care, a huge new building across from Brigham & Women's Hospital in Boston.

For those not familiar with the details of the Bernie Madoff scandal, the Shapiros were major investors with Mr. Madoff. A month before the crash, they gave him a huge loan on nothing but his say-so. Their daughter married a fellow who was one of his major "feeders". And the saddest thing is, they used nearly every penny they got from their "investment" with him to build hospitals and laboratories, endow symphonies, help build museum wings, etc.  The Shapiro Center is one of the last things they built. The Madoff Ponzi scheme fell apart while it was under construction. The Shapiro foundation lost more than $150 million, they themselves lost an undisclosed amount, and a trusted friendship of more than 50 years -- a friendship that seemed to be nothing but good -- was shown to have had no real foundation at all.

It feels very odd to be receiving care in this building, to be planning a stay in the Shapiro Pavilion (huge rooms) if there's space available when I have surgery.  And because of the waiting, and because of the places where I seem to be waiting the most, this bit of Psalm 62 seemed particularly appropriate this Sunday.

For God alone my soul in silence waits; *
truly, my hope is in him.

He alone is my rock and my salvation, *
my stronghold, so that I shall not be shaken.

In God is my safety and my honor; *
God is my strong rock and my refuge.

Put your trust in him always, O people, *
pour out your hearts before him, for God is our refuge.

Those of high degree are but a fleeting breath, *
even those of low estate cannot be trusted.

On the scales they are lighter than a breath, *
all of them together.

Put no trust in extortion; in robbery take no empty pride; *
though wealth increase, set not your heart upon it.

God has spoken once, twice have I heard it, *
that power belongs to God.

Steadfast love is yours, O Lord, *
for you repay everyone according to his deeds.

* For those who don't church much, the * marks a long pause when reading or chanting. When reading responsively by half-verses, it marks the changeover from one group to another, or from the leader to the congregation.