Cool, Grey and Drippy

It's not a mist, and the small droplets fall very irregularly - Mom used to say that it was spitting rain, and that's what it seems like.  I just finished walking Rosie, the door to the back yard is open (in case Aiko or Yoshi would care to stroll outside), and I have water heating to cook my pasta while the marinara sauce and home-made meatballs are simmering.  I've taken the munchkins out twice, and spent 3 hours at home with Lovey and Nedi.  It's not quite noon, and I am completely wiped out.  I guess that after I eat, I'll nap so I can stay awake to see the Broncos - Raiders game tonight. 
  Books, glorious books!  I  just returned four to the library; I'm about half-way through a collection of short stories by James Lee Burke.  Then I'll try a new author, whose latest book is a novel about William Wallace.  If I like that one, I'll try reading the trilogy about Romano-Arthurian Britain.  But then I have that box of 8 new mysteries sitting just inside the closet door - I'll have to pick and choose which one to read first...  one of a series?  a new stand alone? a new author?  It will be fun just opening the box and looking at the new titles. 
   Thanks to Joel, Nancy, Max, Rosie and Remy, I placed a large new evergreen wreath on my apartment door earlier.  And I moved the single big jingle bell inside, to hang on the door knob.  Nedi had to investigate it first - and he was quite startled when the bell rang.  Then he went back and swatted it again.  I hope he doesn't make the neighbors crazy ringing the jingle bells on our door while I'm away.
  And Jim and I saw one of the coyotes yesterday; it was a few minutes past 10, and suddenly Mona went ballistic and hopped the fence, barking like mad.  She gave chase to the coyote across the neighbors' yard, and then returned to us (since both Jim and I were calling her).  This coyote looked a bit scraggly.  I'm pretty sure it was the one in the munchkins' back yard last night, too.  (At night I go out with a flash light  and determine that the yard is safe before I let the Shih Tzus out...)