Daring Stories from Grandpa Hill’s Childhood!
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The Fan and The Finger – Childhood Story
When Grandpa was a seven year old boy in 1964 he visited his Aunt Charlotte and Uncle Bob in Cheboygan Michigan. Upstairs in a hot room a fan was spinning trying to cool the room and boys were playing and the fan was interesting. As Don was considering putting his fingers into the fan, perhaps…
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Grandpa Burns Down His Fort – Childhood Story
In the winter of 1968 Grandpa Don and his friend Bill Lecuru in Rochester Michigan, built a fort of sticks and newspaper in the woods near Bill’s house. Grandpa was 14 and the fort was not warm enough for the two boys to stay warm so a very small fire was needed, inside of the…
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Grandpa Gets a “U” in 2nd Grade
A counselor was recently asking Donald (Grandpa Hill) some probing question about his childhood. She was trying to understand Grandpa and help him understand himself and feel better about the world he lived in. Donald, as Grandpa Hill recalls his answers to the lady that was trying to help him and shares his answer with…
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Great Michigan Bicycle Trip – PART 4
This last episode of Grandpa Hill’s adventure trip is told by Grandpa Hill. It truly happened to him. There and back, the trip was nearly 500 miles. This last episode starts on Day 6 and is full of adventure and fun. The day starts with spirits high, leaving MARION. Eggs are stolen from a hen…
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The Great Michigan Bike Trip Part 3
Part 3: Day 4, Day 5, Day 6. Stuck in Marion Michigan. Grandpa Hill and his friends leave Wilson State Park, where their neighbors had taken them after their highly unlikely and very fortuitous chance meeting the day before. They headed out of the park on what would come to be known as the “disaster…
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The Great Michigan Bike Trip – Part 2
Comment below! And share with your friends! On The Great Michigan Bicycle Trip PART 2, Day 2 and 3, Grandpa Hill has a much better time than day one of this 500 mile adventure across Michigan by four teenage boys. In Day 1 the Lapeer County sheriff deputy was called to question him and he…
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The Great Michigan Bike Trip
COMMENT BELOW – Share what you thought of this episode! Grandpa Hill was 16 years old and drawn to adventure. The adventure in this story is a 500 mile long bicycle trip in the early 1970’s. Four boys leave Rochester Michigan on their 10 speed bicycles. Not one of the boys had ever been even…
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Sparky the Dog & Devil’s Night
This story isn’t really about Devil’s night, a night of tricks and pranks. It is a story about an unfortunate—or rather fortunate—course of events that led to Sparky becoming the dog of Grandpa Hill’s family, way back when he was a just a boy of 11 years old. It was 1967 on a foggy Devil’s…
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The Money Tree
“Money Doesn’t Grow on Trees” Grandpa Hill (Don)’s Dad said… as it turns out money does sometimes grow on trees. Donald was a teenager in the 1970’s, and his Dad was explaining the folly of a purchase. Don replied oh yes it does grow on trees! “Look right there!” Right out side the living room…
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Turtle Soup
This story is about Grandpa Hill and his grandfather, Grandpa Bonse. “Donny Boy” got turtle soup for his birthday and learned to consider carefully what he really wanted in his life. In this case he was very excited to get a special meal that he was sure was the best ever. Grandpa Bonse had to…
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Grandpa’s First Boat
Once upon a time there were two little boys in the back of their father’s aluminum flat bottomed fishing boat, two big boys took turns at the front, but the two little boys got bigger. As the four boys grew, one moved away, and, the little boys were crowded and heavy in the back of…
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Grandpa Mangles His Bike
In the spring of 1973, Rochester Michigan, Grandpa Hill found freedom, fun, and adventure on his light and fast 10 speed bicycle. He had saved up for this bike and it met all of his needs and then some. Grandpa had plans of pedaling his bike on many long rides packed with adventure. In this…
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Indian Tree
Grandpa Hill as a small boy in the 1960’s, near Northport Michigan, would cross Route 22, and, head up into the Pines to explore, and play. He had a very active imagination in those woods and everywhere else too for that matter. This episode is about one special tree the “Indian Tree” at the Northeast…
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Food and Vacation Fun at Grandma Bonse’s
Every year Grandpa went, with his family, to visit his Grandma and Grandpa Bonse in Northport Michigan. He remembers the great food especially his grandma’s raisin bread. Yum! Grandpa had adventures every year! A pine forest deep and dark and quiet, and the steep grassy hills behind the barn, set the “stage” for his vacation…
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Brandy Pony is Sold
Grandpa Hill, decided in 1973 in the summer to sell his Brandy. He had received Brandy for his 13th birthday. As horse and rider Grandpa and Brandy had been through a lot together. Grandpa had learned to be responsible, to be a caregiver, and he learned how to ride well enough to stay on Brandy.…
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Brandy Pony’s Geometry (Part 2)
Grandpa Use Geometry to master his troublesome pony. Brandy has been holding his breath while Grandpa puts on the saddle. As result of 2 pi R Brandy gains three inches of looseness on Grandpa, so Grandpa goes flying when Brandy stops for clovers. The solution: Grandpa waits for Brandy to relax, then he cinches up…
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Brandy Pony (Part 1)
Grandpa gets a pony for his Birthday, Brandy. Brandy, as it turns out, is a thoroughly stubborn animal who fights Grandpa every step of the way. Hours of watching and reading westerns couldn’t prepare him for this bucking bronco. It doesn’t help matters that Grandpa knows neither head or hoof about caring for horses, much…
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How to Lose Teeth Fast
Losing My Two Front Teeth is a story for Grandpa Hill’s 8 children, 22 grand children, and all children. Four of his grandchildren are ready for bed, listening to Grandpa Hill recall the fun time when he had his teeth and played in the clean sheets that his mother had washed and hung to dry.Losing…
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First Time Trout Fishing
In Trout Fishing for The First Time Grandpa Hill spends his last day of his first vacation away from home trout fishing. Way back in the 1970’s Grandpa Hill fished at a pond in Northport Michigan. The pond was completely full of brook trout! More trout than Grandpa had ever seen all in one place…
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Sledding in the Summer?
Can Grandpa really go sledding in the summer? According to his true story he sure can. Listen as he relates what fun he had with his family sledding on the hills at his Grandma and Grandpa’s place near Northport Michigan in the early 1960’s, IN THE SUMMER! Gorf doesn’t want to go sledding until he…
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Pipe Fishing
Grandpa goes fishing in the unlikeliest of places. A pipe. Fishing without a fishing pole? Fishing without bait? How do you do that? This unique fun and challenging adventure, was also Grandpa’s Grandma’s way to afford pickled herring (suckerfish). Marshmallow the raccoon is quite excited and sees the value of play while working, and, of…
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We Made Lake Livernois!
Grandpa Hill tells the story of Lake Livernois to three of his 22 grandchildren. Grandpa and his brother Gerry make a lake! The story recounts how his seemingly harmless excitement at dam building, had a sobering not-to-be-repeated impact on his neighbors. A police car, fire truck, and a dump truck all come to make things right. Through…
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Pebbles and Blood
Some fun isn’t worth the price. As well as he can remember Grandpa tells this personal experience story of his first bike wreck of his childhood. He learned about listening to his mom, wearing his shirt and shoes when pedaling, using the right sized bike, and restitution. Credits: Produced by David RichmanExecutively Produced by Grandpa…
