What did women like in 2020?

 

I asked a few of my women friends who I know to be discerning readers, and who are well known in the mystery community, if they would share some of their favorite reads of 2020. 

But not just mysteries.

We decided not to limit the books in any way.  Just some favorites we'd like to share with others.

And, with that we ended up with a wonderfully fun mix of fiction, non-fiction, children's books, crime fiction, romance, fantasy, photo books, young adult, etc etc etc.  

Nor did we stick with books published in 2020 which made it fun to see some old classics along with a few books to look forward to in 2021.

Most of you who read Meanderings and Muses know some, if not all, these women.  And what an amazing group they are; readers, book advocates, librarians, teachers, reviewers, publicists, webmasters, bloggers who support authors - male AND female - and the world of books.    

You might run into any of them at any time at a book convention (when we're all able to actually start attending book conventions again).  

Consider this list of holiday recommendations our gift to you.

Marlyn K. Beebe is a librarian, blogger, and book reviewer who lives in Southern California with her husband, and Puck (the jungle panther)

Asebedo, Miranda.  A Constellation of Roses 

Darke, Minnie.  The Lost Love Song 

 Fader, Molly.  The Bitter and Sweet of Cherry Season 

 Harbison, Beth.   The Cookbook Club: a novel of food and friendship 

 Fogelson, Aliza.  The Lending Library 

 Nugent, Suzanne.  Brunch and Other Obligations 

 Roberts, Nora.  The Awakening (The Dragon Heart Legacy #1)

 Verant, Samantha.  The Secret French Recipes of Sophie Valroux 

 Wiggs, Susan. The Lost and Found Bookshop

 Zimmerman, Vicky.  Miss Cecily’s Recipes for Exceptional Ladies 

 Sarah EC Byrne lives in Canberra, Australia. Police have ruled her out as a Person of Interest

The Nancys – RWR McDonald 

The Wife and the Widow – Christian White  

Weather – Jenny Offill  

Invisible Women – Caroline Criado Perez 

Goodnight, Beautiful – Aimee Molloy 

Strangers At The Gate – Catriona McPherson 

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine – Gail Honeyman

See What You Made Me Do – Jess Hill 

488 Rules for Life – Kitty Flanagan 

Worst Case Scenario – Helen Fitzgerald 

Slow Horses (the whole series) – Mick Herron

Little Eyes – Samanta Schweblin

Eight Lives – Susan Hurley

Troubled Blood – Robert Galbraith

Lollyscramble – Tony Martin

Interior Chinatown – Charles Yu

If I Had Two Wings – Randall Kenan

A Thousand Ships – Natalie Haynes

The Index of Self-Destructive Acts – Christopher Beha

The Mermaid of Black Conch – Monique Roffey

  Jen Forbus is a former English teacher and 

blogger who currently works for a small education publisher, shoots sports photography for a local newspaper and reviews children's books for Shelf Awareness. Her reading this year has been driven by current events and

 her review assignments for Shelf. 

Favorite adult books: 

How to Be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi

White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide

 by Carol Anderson

UnTrumping America: A Plan to Make America a 

Democracy Again by Dan Pfeiffer

Favorite YA/MG books:

Strongman: The Rise of Five Dictators and the Fall of

 Democracy by Kenneth C. Davis

In the Shadow of the Moon: America, Russia, and the 

Hidden History of the Space Race by 

Amy Cherrix (this doesn't come out until 2021)

Favorite picture books:

The Cat Man of Aleppo by Irene Latham

The Voice that Won the Vote: How One Woman's

 Words Made History by Elisa Boxer

Every Color of Light: A Book about the Sky 

by Hiroshi Osada/Ryôji Arai

 

    M'Lou Greene  - "My grandmother taught me to read at age 3, and I've never stopped!" 

Jess Lourey, Unspeakable Things

Jodi Daynard, A Transcontinental Affair

Attica Locke, Heaven, My Home

Charlaine Harris, A Longer Fall

Keith Snyder, The Night Men

Laura McHugh, Arrowood

Karen Dionne, The Wicked Sister

Amy Sue Nathan, The Last Bathing Beauty

Carl Hiaasen, Squeeze Me

Kate Sekules, Mend! A Refashioning Manual and Manifesto

Aubrey Hamilton is a former librarian who works in IT during the day and reads mysteries at night.

Death at the Medical Board by Josephine Bell 

Dead Woman Walking by Sharon Bolton 

To Wake the Dead by John Dickson Carr 

The Boy from the Woods by Harlan Coben 

The Shadow Broker by Trace Conger 

The Harassed Hero by Ernest Dudley 

A Murder of Crows by Margaret Duffy 

Lesser Evils by Joe Flanagan 

Death of an American Beauty by Mariah Fredericks 

Summertime, All the Cats Are Bored by Philippe Georget 

The Country House Burglar by Michael Gilbert 

The Reckless Oath We Made by Bryn Greenwood 

The Man in the White Linen Suit by David Handler 

Dead Man's Mistress by David Housewright 

The Elephant of Surprise by Joe Lansdale 

The Blues Don't Care by Paul Marks 

The Last House Guest by Megan Miranda 

The Right Sort of Man by Allison Montclair 

The Ringmaster by Vanda Symon 

Crush by Phoef Sutton 

  Lesa Holstine, a book lover since she was a year old, is an award-winning librarian and book reviewer who blogs at https://lesasbookcritiques.com. 

Unspeakable Things by Jess Lourey

The Boy from the Woods by Harlan Coben

Carousels of Paris by Kaye Wilkinson Barley & Donald Barley

The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler

Beach Read by Emily Henry

Hide Away by Jason Pinter

The Mountains Wild by Sarah Stewart Taylor

Next to Last Stand by Craig Johnson

The Thursday Murder Club by Richar Osman

Paris is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay

All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny

The Awakening by Nora Roberts

The Twelve Dates of Christmas by Jenny Bayless

And, two to watch for in 2021 that I already read -

Tricky by Josh Stallings (Jan)

The Windsor Knot by SJ Bennett (March)

Maddee James, Mistress of xuni.com, loves dogs, books, color, photography, her kids… not in that order. 

1. Untamed, Glennon Doyle

2. A Bitter Feast, Deborah Crombie

3. Maisie Dobbs, Jacqueline Winspear

4. We Are All the Same in the Dark, Julia Heaberlin

5. Every Now and Then, Lesley Kagen

6. Rules for Being Dead, Kim Powers

7. Every Soul a Star, Wendy Mass

8. The Broken Girls, Simone St. James

9. Breaking Point, John Rhodes

10. The Last of the Moon Girls, Barbara Davis

11. The Glory Was I Had Such Friends, Amy Silverstein

12. The Summer List, Amy Mason Doan

Patti Cheney Lang - Reader, wife, librarian, coloring aficionado, both nerd & geek, friend, daughter, sister, aunt, feminist, transplanted Michigander.

Mystery:

Three Hours In Paris by Cara Black

The Plot Is Murder by V.M. Burns

The Gold Pawn by L.A. Chandlar

Dead West by Matt Goldman

Absence of Mercy by S.M. Goodwin

A Royal Affair by Allison Montclair

The Hollows by Jess Montgomery

Blame the Dead by Ed Ruggero

Winter Counts by David Heska Wanbli Weiden

Fantasy:

Master Class by Christina Dalcher

Science Fiction:

The Fated Sky by Mary Robinette Kowal

The Relentless Moon by Mary Robinette Kowal

Fiction:

The Bookshop on the Corner by Jenny Colgan

Christmas at the Island Hotel by Jenny Colgan

On the Corner of Hope and Main by Beverly Jenkins

Romance:

Paris Is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay

Forever and a Duke  by Grace Burrowes 

The Tourist Attraction by Sarah Morgenthaler

Nonfiction:

My Life as a Villainess by Laura Lippman

Can't Slow Down: How 1984 Became Pop's Blockbuster Year by Michaelangelo Matos

Dru Ann Love is an award-winning mystery blogger at https://drusbookmusing.com/

A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones

Erin Mitchell is a reader who is lucky enough to get to work for authors and publishers.

Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger

Still Knife Painting by Cheryl Hollon

First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan

Scot on the Rocks by Catriona McPherson Out on January 1, 2021

The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard

Never Far Away by Michael Koryta  Out on February 9, 2021

Another Kind of Eden by James Lee Burke Out on August 17, 2021

Bloodline by Jess Lourey Out on January 1, 2021

Invisible Girl by Lisa Jewell

A Time for Mercy by John Grisham

Inherit the Shoes by EJ Copperman

Kathy Boone Reel  is a book blogger who reviews mystery/crime novels, with an occasional exception, at her blog The Reading Room, but she has been on a bit of a hiatus and now getting back to her passion with a Favorite 2020 Reads, to be posted in the next week.

Turn to Stone by James Ziskin
The Lucky One by Lori Rader-Day
The Lantern Men by Elly Griffiths
Hid from Our Eyes by Julia Spencer-Fleming
The Dutch House by Ann Patchett
Death of a Mermaid by Lesley Thomson
Rules for Being Dead by Kim Powers
The Sun Down Motel by Simone St. James
Riviera Gold by Laurie R. King
Exit Strategy by Jen Danna
The First to Lie by Hank Phillippi Ryan
The Last Mrs. Summers by Rhys Bowen
Key Lime Crime by Lucy Burdette
Scot on the Rocks by Catriona McPherson

The Nothing Man by Catherine Ryan Howard

Murder in Retribution by Anne Cleeland
Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier
All the Devils are Here by Louise Penny
Mortmain Hall by Martin Edwards
One by One by Ruth Ware
And Now She’s Gone by Rachel Howzell Hall
Til Death by Annette Dashofy

LJ Roberts has been a reader and professional reviewer of mysteries since 2004. 

• Box, C.J. (2020) – Long Range
• DePoy, Phillip (2019) – Sidewalk Saint
• Disher, Gary (2019) – Peace
• Eskens, Allen (2019) – Northing More Dangerous
• Finch, Charles (2020) – The Last Passenger
• Fredrickson, Jack (2020) – The Black Cage
• Gardner, Ashley (2019) – Death at Brighton Pavilion
• Johnson, Craig (2020) – Next to Last Stand
• Harris, C.S. (2020) – Who Speaks for the Dead
• Leon, Donna (2020) – Trace Elements
• Lovesey, Peter (2020) – The Finisher
• Penny, Louise (2020) – All the Devils Are Here
• Robb, J.D. (2020) – Shadows in Death
• Robotham, Michael (2020) – When She Was Good
• Siegel, Sheldon M.(2020) – The Dreamer
• Stabenow, Dana (2020) – No Fixed Line
• Thomas, Will (2020) – Lethal Pursuit
• Tuti, Ilaria (2020) – Painted in Blood (aka, The Sleeping Nymph)
• Westerson, Jeri (2020) – Spiteful Bones

Maryglenn McCombs Warnock has worked in the book publishing world for over 25 years. She lives in Nashville.

Hanging Falls by Margaret Mizushima 

And here's my contribution - - - 

All the Devils Are Here by Louise Penny

Perestroika in Paris by Jane Smiley

The Awakening by Nora Roberts

The Ladies of the Secret Circus by Constance Sayers

A Time for Mercy by John Grisham

The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V. E. Schwab

The Velvet Hours by Alyson Richman

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines by Pamela Terry

The Last Correspondent by Soraya M. Lane 

The Wizard's Butler by Nathan Lowell

Pale Morning Light with Violet Swan by Deborah Reed

Magic Lessons by Alice Hoffman 

Paris is Always a Good Idea by Jenn McKinlay 

The Lions of Fifth Avenue by Fiona Davis 

28 Summers by Elin Hilderbrand 

South of the Buttonwood Tree by Heather Webber

Happy Reading!

A Different Kind of Christmas

 

Christmas traditions within families change over the years.

This year brings us yet another change.  And it's not a change that is completely by choice.

This year it will be me, Donald and Annabelle.

Home alone in Meat Camp.  Not that that is a bad thing - not at all.  But it is different.  

A pandemic Christmas, for us, means no traveling to be with family.

Packages have been shipped.  Packages have been received.

Tree is up and decorated.

A few Christmas sit-abouts scattered through the house.

Christmas linens and china pulled out of the closet.

The next big decision . . . 

What are we going to eat??

After much discussion, decisions made and decisions changed . . . 

Turkey and dressing and all the sides?

Ham and all the sides?

Beef tenderloin?

Prime rib?

What to do, what to do.

Finally!

A decision made and written in stone.

Christmas Eve dinner will be lasagna.

I make a mean lasagna.

I love making a big pot of sauce and I love the whole construction of layering (and layering again) the thickest, cheesiest, soupiest lasagna in the history of lasagna.  

It ain't pretty.

It does not stand up showing off its layers as lasagna should.

But, damn, it's good.

And it'll be even better the second time on Christmas night.

We should know their names

Nancy Pelosi: "The 126 Republican Members that signed onto this lawsuit brought dishonor to the House. Instead of upholding their oath to support and defend the Constitution, they chose to subvert the Constitution and undermine public trust in our sacred democratic institutions."

That they chose to support trump in an unwinnable, frivolous lawsuit is one thing.  (This after he already lost 50 <or was it 51? I've lost count>).  


That they chose to stand against democracy is another.


We should know, AND REMEMBER, their names.


First, the attorneys general who joined Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton: Eric Schmitt, Missouri; Steve Marshall, Alabama; Leslie Rutledge, Arkansas; Ashley Moody, Florida; Curtis Hill, Indiana; Derek Schmidt, Kansas; Jeff Landry, Louisiana; Lynn Fitch, Mississippi; Tim Fox, Montana; Doug Peterson, Nebraska; Wayne Stenehjem, North Dakota; Mike Hunter, Oklahoma; Alan Wilson, South Carolina; Jason Ravnsborg, South Dakota; Herbert H. Slatery III, Tennessee; Sean Reyes, Utah; Patrick Morrisey, West Virginia.


Second, the House members, including McCarthy, Whip Steve Scalise (La.); Jim Jordan (Ohio), ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee; Kevin Brady (Tex.), ranking member of the Ways and Means Committee; Rep. Gary Palmer (Ala.), head of the Republican Policy Committee; and Mike Johnson (La.).


The rest, listed in order of their home state: 

Alabama (Robert B. Aderholt, Mo Brooks, Bradley Byrne), 

Arizona (Andy Biggs, Debbie Lesko), 

Arkansas (Eric A. “Rick” Crawford, Bruce Westerman), 

California (Ken Calvert, Doug LaMalfa, Tom McClintock), 

Colorado (Ken Buck, Doug Lamborn), 

Florida (Gus M. Bilirakis, Mario Diaz-Balart, Neal Dunn, Matt Gaetz, Bill Posey, John Rutherford, Ross Spano, Michael Waltz, Daniel Webster, Ted Yoho), 

Georgia (Rick Allen, Earl L. “Buddy” Carter, Douglas A. Collins, Drew Ferguson, Jody Hice, Barry Loudermilk, Austin Scott), 

Idaho (Russ Fulcher, Mike Simpson), 

Illinois (Mike Bost, Darin LaHood), 

Indiana (Jim Baird, Jim Banks, Trey Hollingsworth, Greg Pence, Jackie Walorski), 

Iowa (Steve King), 

Kansas (Ron Estes, Roger Marshall), 

Louisiana (Ralph Abraham, Clay Higgins).

Maryland (Andy Harris), 

Michigan (Jack Bergman, Bill Huizenga, John Moolenaar, Tim Walberg), 

Minnesota (Tom Emmer, Jim Hagedorn, Pete Stauber), 

Mississippi (Michael Guest, Trent Kelly, Steven M. Palazzo), 

Missouri (Sam Graves, Billy Long, Vicky Hartzler, Blaine Luetkemeyer, Jason T. Smith, Ann Wagner), 

Montana (Greg Gianforte), 

Nebraska (Jeff Fortenberry, Adrian Smith), 

New Jersey (Gregory Steube, Jeff Van Drew),

New York (Elise Stefanik, Lee Zeldin), 

North Carolina (Dan Bishop, Ted Budd, Virginia Foxx, Richard Hudson, Greg Murphy, David Rouzer, Mark Walker), 

Ohio (Bob Gibbs, Bill Johnson, Robert E. Latta, Brad Wenstrup), 

Oklahoma (Kevin Hern, Markwayne Mullin).

Pennsylvania (John Joyce, Frederick B. Keller, Mike Kelly, Dan Meuser, Scott Perry, Guy Reschenthaler, Glenn Thompson), 

South Carolina (Jeff Duncan, Ralph Norman, Tom Rice, William Timmons, Joe Wilson), 

Tennessee (Tim Burchett, Scott DesJarlais, Charles J. “Chuck” Fleischmann, Mark Green, David Kustoff, John Rose), 

Texas (Jodey Arrington, Brian Babin, Michael C. Burgess, Michael Cloud, K. Michael Conaway, Dan Crenshaw, Bill Flores, Louie Gohmert, Lance Gooden, Kenny Marchant, Randy Weber, Roger Williams, Ron Wright), 

Virginia (Ben Cline, H. Morgan Griffith, Rob Wittman, Ron Wright), 

Washington (Cathy McMorris Rodgers, Dan Newhouse), 

West Virginia (Carol Miller, Alex Mooney), Wisconsin (Tom Tiffany).

Here's a fact that is being ignored and denied by these people.

Joe Biden won. In a fair election.

Simple as that.

December Newsletter - Merry Christmas!

 

Popping in to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas, the Happiest of Holidays and a Joyous, Peaceful, Healthy and Prosperous New Year! We thank you all for your friendship and for your support. 2020 has been a tough one.  Let's lift our glasses in a wish for a less stressful 2021; one where we will find joy and mend some fences. “Christmas Bells” by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow I heard the bells on Christmas Day Their old, familiar carols play, And wild and sweet The words repeat Of peace on earth, good-will to men! Kaye and Don and Annabelle   Ho! Ho! Ho! xox info@kayewilkinsonbarley.com

Grumpy.

Yes. 

I'm pretty grumpy today and making no apologies.

People make me nuts.

If you're a person who still thinks this virus is a hoax you're a fool.

If you're a person who refuses to wear a mask you're an asshole.

If you're a person who wants my vote revoked and/or overturned because your guy trump lost the election you're pitiful.  He lost - get over it.

If you really think this latest ploy to overturn the election has a chance in hell you're, at the very least, stupid and uneducated, and delusional.

In the meantime, here's a few photos from a drive Donald and I took around our neighborhood.  And it reminded me that life is, in fact, good.

And will start getting immediately better on January 20th.

Christmas Shopping in France

Like many of you who are missing being able to travel this year, I've been doing a lot of "armchair" traveling.

Back in September I put together a list of blogs having to do with "all things Parisian."

Several of these bloggers have put together wonderful Christmas shopping lists for French items for gifting those on your Christmas list, or for yourself.

I thought I'd share some of my favorites with you.

Don't miss Landen Kerr's list of 32 Gifts for Francophiles (especially the Fantasy Gifts - ooh la la!).

How very cool to have a bench in Jardin des Tuileries engraved with your name!

Landen also has a fun piece about French Christmas Ornaments available on line.

David Lebovitz has a comprehensive gift guide bringing France right to your front door.  From food and wine of all sorts, on-line cooking classes, tools and dishes for your kitchen, home accessories (including some from antiques shops or brocantes, and the best French skin care products.

Lost in Cheeseland's French inspired gift guide includes books, foodie gifts, paper goods, and experiences.

French inspired Gifts from HiP Paris include books, soaps, Parisian watercolors, clothing, and gift boxes.

Rebecca Plotnick is a talented photographer who sells her prints at her Every Day Parisian blog, along with her shop at Etsy.  I have a few of her Paris prints and hope to have more to add to my Wall of Paris photos.  She also has a fun Francophile Gift Guide.  Do check it out!

Messy Nessy, the author of the must-have book, Don't Be a Tourist of Pari (along with her new Don't be a Tourist in New York City), gives us her own unique gift guide.

Paris for Dreamers shares her Ten Ways to Parisfy Your Life gift guide.   What do I have to have from this list?  Oh my.  A few Parisian miniatures from J. Carlton. 

Salut From Paris has a full Paris themed gift guide featuring 75 fun gifts including tea, candles, art, suggestions for books, wine, travel guides, etc etc etc

There are more Paris blogs included in my Armchair Travel piece.  Each have something special to offer, so do take a look when you have that wanderlust urge. 

And don't forget - if it's books you have in mind, there's always my Paris Reading List for you.  

AND - Donald and I think Carousels of Paris might make a nice Christmas gift also.  

Bon shopping!!!

 

 Useful Knowledge

By Gertrude Stein

There ain’t no answer…
There never was an answer
There will never be an answer
That’s the answer

You are always the same age inside

One does not get better
But different and older
And that is always a pleasure

One must dare to be happy

 On this Thanksgiving Eve, I do give thanks.

I do feel grateful for oh so much.

But I can also feel angry.

It IS possible to have conflicting feelings.

It's a normal human reaction to so many things we're all living through right now.

In the past two days I've learned about an employee in a local restaurant who has died from COVID. Her place of employment was madly anti-mask.

I've learned about a relative of a friend who, at the age of 92, is hospitalized and alone with COVID. This after being diagnosed twice with, not COVID, but pneumonia, and then with COVID.

I've learned of a local merchant who is hospitalized and in his seventh week of COVID. We pray he'll make it.

Donald and I have just come back from a ride into town.

We picked up pizza (takeout).

We picked up groceries (curbside).

We picked up the mail from our post office box (after hours because the employees there - as sweet as they all are - refuse to wear masks).

We stopped by the ABC store where there's a sign on the door which says "No Mask, No Service." Pffffft. Sad then that there are so many people shopping for their holiday cheer who can't read.

We drove by one of the fitness centers, parking lot full, to see a woman huffing away on the treadmill with no mask.

Drove by one of the nail salons to see some people masked, some not.

I'm gonna tell you - I am SICK AND TIRED of people saying to me and to Donald "It's easier for you guys."

Why?

Why is it any easier for US to wear a mask than it is for anyone else?

Oh - I get it.

Because we're retired and don't have to go to work every day we don't need to worry about putting on a mask.

Well.

Here's the thing.

We worked hard for a whole lotta years to reach this age of retirement.

Retirement plans did not include staying at home all day every day to keep ourselves, and others, safe during a global pandemic.

But we're doing our share.

Doing what's right.

So yeah - I AM PISSED at those who aren't.

If some more people would do their fair share it would make it a whole lot easier for ALL of us.

I'd love to be sitting in a restaurant right now with my husband having a nice meal celebrating my birthday which is tomorrow. But we don't feel comfortable doing that.

I'd love to pop into our little Boone Mall to browse around and visit with some of the folks I know who work there - or at least did back before last March. That's how long it's been since I was there. But I don't feel comfortable doing that.

I'd love to go see Ellie Miller, give her a hug, catch up with how she is and get my hair cut and colored. But I don't feel comfortable doing that.

I'd love to visit Top Nails and have a manicure and a pedicure. But I don't feel comfortable doing that.

We would have loved our annual trip to the beach this year, but stayed home because it didn't feel comfortable.

Travel is something we're both missing. A lot.

And here we are. Thanksgiving Eve, and I'm weary.

But Michael Flynn is now free as a bird.

Pardoned by the person responsible for turning masks into a political joke instead of trying to keep people safe.

I am grateful as all fuck that donald trump will soon be out of the white house and I pray REALLY hard he'll be spending a long long time in prison where he deserves to be.

Grateful. Weary. Sad. Angry.

I'm a veritable human hodge-podge of emotion just hoping for a little normal in my life.

Happy Birthday, Annabelle!

 

Annabelle turns 4 today

Sick to death of stupid selfish people

 

I'm getting pretty damned tired of doing the right thing when so many people refuse to.

If you can't (or just won't) stay home, WEAR A MASK!

It's not a political statement, it's just stupidity and pure selfishness not to.

If you're counting on God to keep you safe, try to remember God helps those who help themselves.

Also how 'bout that Love Thy Neighbor thing.  Can we have some of that?

I want life to go back to normal.  You maskless wonders are fucking it up for everybody.

Dreams do come true

Today is the day I finally got to see the new version of Carousels of Paris and hold it in my hands. 

THIS is the book I dreamed of. 

THIS is the book I wish everyone who has  already bought the book in its earlier version could have. 

 I am SO proud of this book I can't stop the tears.

Dreams do come true.  Even if, sometimes, they take a little detour.

Don't give up!