morning walk.

I don't generally get up in the mornings and walk. I wish I did.

But I did this past Monday morning, the day after one of the rainiest days I've experienced living in Los Angeles.

Why? Well this morning I had a new walking companion, and I wanted her to see my beautiful Toluca Lake neighborhood (and I was hoping she would take a little poop).

Her name is Isabel Archer, and I kind of got her on a whim. Not a whim--an impulse. I had been thinking about getting a dog, and Sunday I saw her photo on the Baldwin Park Animal Shelter site. I just fell in love at first site. I asked a friend who works rescuing dogs about her, and she said since she was in a high-kill shelter, if I was interested, I'd better act fast.

For some reason I took this to mean--get in your car on a day when it's raining so hard you can't see the road in front of you and go bring her home...a new puppy. Even though you have nothing at home for a new puppy.

But she just stared at me from her cell in the shelter, dead in the eyes, with a look that said, "get me the hell out of here." I walked up and down the rows of dogs--all of them asleep--and kept coming back to her. Then I said, "let's go."

Now I've had her a total of four days, and I'm thinking this is one of the best things I've ever done. Seriously, she is rad.