Monday Meanderings - February 9th

First Meandering ...

I'm working on a ghost story, believe it or not. I don't do horror, so it's not going to be too scary. It involves a castle. Now I really a want to go back to Ireland. That place gives Yanks a whole new feel for what's "old".

For example. This is a picture I took during my Ireland trip a few years ago. This is the outside of Ross Errilly Friary. It was abandoned only a few years after Columbus "discovered" America.

Abandoned.

Yeah, those Irish built things to last.








Here's a shot from the inside.












Second Meandering ...

Got to attend a book signing by Michael Jensen and David Powers King for Woven (I'll be reviewing it on Friday).

It was a hard week last week. I look really tired. lol

I'm standing next to the awesome Michelle Argyle who is not only a wonderful author but designs my book covers (as Melissa Williams) as well.

Third Meandering ...

We've been doing some house hunting again. My brother-in-law is visiting for a genealogy conference he and hubby are attending this week (while I'm at LTUE). Later this summer BIL and SIL will be moving here, and we're looking at possible retirement houses. A nice duplex would be lovely, but so often they're just rentals. 

It's frustrating. Everything is so dang expensive. I love this place, but that is one drawback.

Fourth Meandering ...

Out of curiosity, how's your weather been? Ours has been breaking records for warmth. I complained not long ago about wishing it was April. Um, that's just about what we've been getting here.

A to Z - Ireland

Nearly a year ago, I went to Ireland with a friend. One of my favorite places was the little town of Cong. This is where they filmed the movie The Quiet Man, and there's even a little museum there.

I took lots of fun pictures because a future book is going to be situated here. It made it an interesting experience, as I wandered around, trying to imagine different things for my book.

Following are some pictures. Did I mention I loved this place?

Cong Abbey

Time for lunch--and the food was SO yummy!

I had to take a picture of this. Like some people have a place on their trucks for rifles? This guy has a fishing pole.

Have you ever had a chance to visit the Emerald Isle? If so, what was your favorite place? If you haven't been so lucky, where have you had a chance to visit?

And the winner is . . .

The winner

of

Twitterpated

by

 Melanie Jacobson 

is

ilima

Since tomorrow is St. Patrick's Day, the day when anyone in the U.S. can pretend to be Irish (I am, and my two older children are even more so, since they get it from both sides of the family), I thought I'd post a couple of pictures from my trip to Ireland last April. 

This is at the Poulnabrone Dolmen--a portal tomb in County Clare. It's older than Stone Henge.

The Cliffs of Moher

Even their asphalt is green. lol This is in Connemara where they have world famous marble.

Kylemore Abbey - they have beautiful gardens there but we got there a few minutes too late.

The is from the town of Cong, where they filmed a bunch of stuff for The Quiet Man. There're also amazing ruins of an abbey there. They have a gorgeous recreation area where we took a hike.

Cong Abbey

This is the Ross Errilly Friary--they abandoned this place in the 1600s. For an American, where something is old when it's 150-200 years old, this is mind boggling.

We also made it to Dublin and visited St. Patrick's Cathedral and Christ Church, toured Dublinia and tons of other stuff and generally had too much fun.

Now that I've bored you with my travelogue, I have to say that I loved my visit. I SO have to go back. Really. And I have a great excuse. One of my future books is going to take place there, so I'll need to refresh my memory. Right?

Have any of you visited a real location for research for a book? 

Grammar Friday - Fewer vs Less

Here's your quiz question for the day:

You should invite (less, fewer) girls to the party.

In this sentence, which is correct? Less or fewer?

Does it help to think about how they do it in the grocery store? Surely we can count on the people ordering/designing/making the signs to know what's right. Right?

Ummm ...

  Actually, no, you can't count on them to know what they're doing. I see and hear less used incorrectly all the time. And I personally think the people who made that mistake with these signs--and have perpetuated the error--are training people to think less is the correct word. You hear it enough times incorrectly, your brain will reject something different, even if the different is the right way to use the word.

And who better than Delta Airlines to provide me with a prime example in a frequent flyer email I received while writing this post?

Please note that when I was in Ireland in April, their signs said fewer. The Irish get it.

So the rule? It's pretty simple.

Less is used for quantities

The amount of money in my savings account is less than it was last month.

Fewer is used for individual units, numbers

You will need to make fewer mistakes in your report.

Hint:    Less = singular
           Fewer = plural