Most of us have been new members of a group at one time or another. It’s an awkward period as we try to get to know the old members and they try to get to know us. Full acceptance doesn’t come until the members know we are similar to them and can contribute to the group’s efforts. In Steve’s case, not only was he new to the group, he had a separate mission that did not contribute to the group’s efforts. In addition, his presence was forced onto the group. Getting acceptance required conscious effort on his part and a little bit of luck. Isn’t that like the rest of life?

And along the way he learned how to take blood from a crocodile and live to tell about it. His story is in Outside In, listed under the Stories of Life and Love section.

The soft blooms above are of Pittosporum tobira. It hails from Japan and has a bloom fragrance reminiscent of orange blossoms with an edge. They turn yellow as they senesce. The book says they can grow to fifteen feet but mine are over twenty, providing a pervasive aroma to the yard in blooming season.

This website is about my published stories. As you can see, I have sorted them into three groups: Stories About Friends, Stories Just for Fun, and Stories of Life and Love. These stories are the building blocks of the site. So I guess that means that right now this site is under construction. Ideally, it will always be under construction, because I will be adding stories from time to time. So come back to visit every so often and check out my building skills.