After a long and slow approach, the storm arrived here last night. It poured, torrents of rain that overran the gutters, soaked the plants, flooded the courtyard and finally, finally, made it feel like winter.

Walt has a raincoat (which he actually likes) but the wild puppy goes out au naturel. Her learning curve about rain and puddles and dripping eaves, which make her bark and leap and run in crazed circles, is kind of hilarious. The chilly wet wears her out in half the time, and no one is complaining about that.

Next week the puppy gets her 16-week vaccinations, which ends this challenging period of house arrest. Walks! Hikes! Doggie daycare! Walt and I are counting the days, but the kids here are kind of sad, and see Teddy's entry into the wider world as the end of a delightful era.

Meanwhile, here's the Malibu pier this morning, a moment of sun between storm cells.