In other news, Bentley is adjusting beautifully. To be honest, I’ve been super surprised by the ease of transition given that he’d previously been living outdoors for a year. The first day we brought him home (last Tuesday night), he had some spraying issues but just that first day. No other potty problems since, no destruction, no anxiety. We haven’t left him alone for extended periods– just a few hours here and there. He does this weird thing that I’d characterize as “self-soothing.” Yeah, do I run in yuppie circles or what? He just whimpers for a few seconds and then stops. Yes, we watch on cameras everywhere.

The downside to Bentley is that he is def XXL. A LOT of dog with tons of fur that is quite unmanageable and is literally floating around everywhere in my house now. It’s a tough situation for someone trying to keep her home “Airbnb ready.” Sigh, a compromise we have decided to make. Also, Mr. B is not neutered, so I gotta get that scheduled and done. But he is so very gentle and so eager to please. And I mean, not to throw Rems and Martin under the bus, but Mr. B is smart. Like at the level where if you don’t set boundaries and stay consistent with the training, he could potentially organize a coup de tat and take over control of the Houseboat. Just sayin’.

I think J really enjoys having a big protector breed. Bentley is really so big (70 lbs.) that I can’t imagine people will want to fuck with us anytime we’re out with him. Also, he is very systematic about patrolling the yard and keeping the rodents away. Critters have been hollowing out the oranges on Bubbey’s trees, so finally, we’ll get to enjoy the fruit.

What else. Many years later, I finally made the switch back to Verizon. I know, Bubs will tell you I dragged ass on it for an inordinate amount of time for no real good reason. I have to agree. As much as I admired the rebellious image/branding of T-Mobile, that shit just did not offer enough coverage. There were also some shady experiences with the company. So I’m back on Verizon. I made sure to return the cell booster to the store this time (and get a receipt and the rep’s name), so I wouldn’t be charged $410 for supposedly NOT shipping it back.

I started making calls again yesterday. While I was on my deathbed (with a sore throat and crap voice), I missed a number of calls. No messages were left, but using reverse lookups and callerID, I determined that at least one came from my farming postcards, which I mail out the first week of every month. So I call the lady. She answers and I introduce myself, saying who I am and that I saw she called. She was so. rude. Yeah, I’m no longer interested bc you didn’t answer the phone. Um, I’m sorry, but I was sick with the flu all last week. Yeah, well I’ve moved on to other agents. Oh well, have you signed an agreement? No. Oh, then I’d be happy to answer your questions…. the conversation went on but she was just so pissy that I didn’t answer my phone at the exact time that she called. I mean, nevermind that I was very ill. I could have been in the bathroom, meeting with a client, doing any number of things… and mind you, she couldn’t even be bothered to leave a message. But me losing her business was MY FAULT bc I was lazy. That’s seriously what she was insinuating. She then said she was at work and very busy. I offered to call her back at a more suitable time. I’d be happy to meet in person, as I also live in MV… she basically hung up. And this was so upsetting to me. I mean, sure, we all have shit days. We all get into bad moods. But Jesus. The attitude, the apparent disrespect… I am honestly astonished by the number of adults living in this world who behave and interact like children. And yet, I am supposed to build a thicker skin, give the benefit of the doubt. Maybe she’s just rough on the edges, as people like to say. She has a home to sell, and I at least want to interview for the role of selling her home. I wrote her a card and I’m going to follow up.

On the up side, I called a guy I’ve been in touch with since summer. Originally, he said he’d be keen to meet in the new year to discuss working together to find his family a home. He was very pleasant and spoke openly. But they are bowing out of the market. It’s just still too high and too competitive. Honestly, I don’t think the market is going to change anytime soon (like in the next year), but I have to respect people and their choices. This is def not the market for people who are wishy washy or uncertain. You gotta decide and then go full speed ahead. We’ll see what other interesting characters I encounter this week as I get back to business.