Grandpa Hill's True Stories

Category: Childhood

Daring accounts of what really happened to Grandpa when he was a kid, way back in the 1960s.

  • Winter Sailing in the Yard

    Winter Sailing in the Yard

    Grandpa as a boy in Rochester Michigan in the winter went sailing. He made the sail for his Red Flyer and it was better than his brother Eugene’s. The sailing was fast on that windy day on the icy yard.
    Grandpa’s speed, his fun, and the use of Mom’s new pillowcases got his mother very excited.

    Semloh, a wise frog that knows many things, including Grandpa, explains what happened that day. He explains to his friend Gorf (also a frog) and Marshmallow a hungry Racoon just exactly why Grandpa made restitution and why it did not hurt Grandpa to do so. Hopefully Semloh’s message and Grandpa’s True Story isare shared and shared and shared so that children everywhere and their parents will think laugh and live abundantly.

    Story teller: Donald Hill. Produced by: David Richman. Grandchildren in the audience: Annette, Breandan, Eoghan. Music: Michael Steele. Art Amy Steele.

  • The Fan and The Finger – Childhood Story

    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 to slow or stop it, his cousin John held up his finger that wasn’t!  A few months earlier part of his pinky finger was lost by putting it into the very same fan that Don was exploring.  Since then Don has considered fans to be spinning knives for cooling or clearing the air.  Not as toys!   

    His message to his children, his grandchildren and all children is the same.  Fans chop and mutilate fingers when they are misused.

    Please share this podcast with your friends and relatives.  It will make a difference. 

    Produced by Grandpa Hill. Grandchildren Lawrence and Kyla helped with the introduction. Grandchildren in the audience, it was vacation I don’t remember. Art Amy Steele. Pickin music, Michael Steele.

  • Grandpa Burns Down His Fort – Childhood Story

    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 fort.  Like a teepee. 

    Don was not thinking about how strong the draft would be.  Shortly after they were starting to get heat off the fire sparks went up and lit the newspaper on the inside of the fort.  Within a couple of seconds it was clear that they had to get out of the fort, through the fire.  A few seconds after the boys scramble out the entire fort is a roaring blaze.

    Gorf and Marshmallow discuss how serious, and dangerous and dumb and stupid it was to have a fire inside of a small fort constructed of sticks and paper.  They review how there are lots of ways we can learn to do things right.  One way is to make mistakes and learn not to do that in the future.  Another way is to listen to other peoples stories, and learn from their success and their mistakes.

    Grandpa Hill hope’s you listen and share Grandpa Hill’s True Stories with your friends and family.  Then sit back, think about the story, talk about it, share your own stories, then laugh, and live!  

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Grandchildren in the audience: Breandan

    Music: Michael Steele

    Art: Amy Steele

  • The Healing Power of a Grape Leaf

    The Healing Power of a Grape Leaf

    Grandpa is taking his daughter Amy across the fields of western Wisconsin in 1990.   The two of them had come out of the woods away from the rest of the group.  The Romo’s children, and their mom, Mrs Teresa Romo and Don and his four children had spent the late morning hours foraging for medicinal herbs and wild foods. 

    They had experienced seeing baby raccoons in an old tree stump.  They had gotten a few mosquito bites and now the push was to get back to the farm house.  Little did they know that off of the beaten path there would be an old fence line and there would be bees!  Bumblebees!

    As they were crossing the last fence line, Amy disturbs a modest nest of bumblebees.  She gets stung and immediately starts to swell.  Donald knows that their visit with the Romo’s would now get cut short with a trip to the emergency room.  Amy has many allergies and bee stings is one of them.

    When they get to the farm house her hand is quite swollen.  As Don and Mary Lee start to fuss,  there is no alarm from Teresa.  She pulls out a wild grape leaf from her bag we had filled that morning.  She places it in shallow water in a frying pan on the stove.  The leaf becomes soft and thick.  Teresa proceeds to wrap Amy’s badly swollen hand in the grape leaf and we proceeded to fix lunch.

    Before Amy sits down to her lunch, the swelling is completely gone.  What Benadryl couldn’t do in an hour, the grape leaf had done in just minutes.   Grandpa learned the healing powers of a grape leaf.  He also learned a lesson about knowledge, being curious, and the importance of sharing what you know with others.

    Gorf and Marshmallow also  marvel at the power of a grape leaf and how smart, resourceful and wise Mrs Romo is.  Semloh takes the opportunity to teach Gorf and Marshmallow a relevant lesson about knowledge and learning.

    How did Mrs. Romo know of the power of a grape leaf and the value of dozens of other plants that grew in her own “back yard”?

    Please share often, follow, and listen often to Grandpa Hill’s True Stories as you and your children learn to think and then laugh and live life fully.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Gorf: Grandpa
    Marshmallow: David Richman
    Semloh: David Richman
    Music: Michael Steele
    Art: Amy Steele
    Grandchildren in the audience: Annette, Breandan, Eoghan, David

  • Lots of Bumble Bees

    In the summer of 1968 Grandpa Hill (Donald) was playing with Mike Martin his cousin.  They were along Hamlin Road in Rochester Michigan playing tricks on his brother Eugene.   Donald and Mike decide to hide from Eugene after they had secretly dropped leaves and twigs from high up in the tree nearly hitting Eugene as he pedaled buy.   

    Those trees are gone now.  The old fence line where Donald and Mike had hid is gone now.  Hamlin Rd no longer cuts through farm land.  Rather there are large houses and a nearby industrial park.  What isn’t gone is the memory of the revenge of lots and lots of  Bumble Bee’s.

    Donald and Mike had hid from Eugene  on top of the bumble bee nest!

    Grandpa learned a lesson that day.  He remembered it well.  Until he didn’t!  But that,  is another story.

    Please subscribe or follow and share this story then listen to one of the 50 other episodes.  Think Laugh and Live listening to Grandpa Hill’s True Stories. 

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Gorf: Grandpa
    Marshmallow: David Richman
    Music: Michael Steele
    Art: Amy Steele
    Grandchildren in the audience: Annette, Breandan, Eoghan, and David.

  • Grandpa Gets a “U” in 2nd Grade

    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 his children, and grand children. In the fall of 1964 Donald was in the second grade at Hamlin Elementary School in Rochester MI. There was a struggle going on. Donald had, in his mind, invented numerical bases for counting, and used them fluently to do his math work.  He was interested in second grade level books but not to read them. How and why things worked were mysteriously interesting to him especially the abacus. So varied and unusual were his interests that Donald was oblivious to his classmates, and at times did not “hear” nor heed his teacher Mrs Crocket. The disruptions had to stop. An intervention was necessary! The intervention started with a startling and terrible report card with a couple of  “U” s for his unsatisfactory performance and behavior. This was followed by a parent teacher conference where Grandpa suspects the details of the intervention were worked out. On that fateful day, in the fall of 1964, Mrs Crocket and Donald’s mom intervened. The event included a speech therapist, a math researcher (tutor) and an opportunity for independent work. If Donald made the right decision his life would be changed for the better, forever! Semloh a new character to Grandpa Hill’s true stories joins Gorf and Marshmallow to help explain Grandpa’s problem.  Semloh observes thinks and explains the details as best he can. He is a wise observant and understanding character that help’s Donald think and helps Gorf, Marshmallow, Grandpa’s children, Grandpa’s grandchildren, and all children to understand how to be very much like others while being happily quite different.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Semloh: David Richman
    Gorf: Grandpa
    Marshmallow: David Richman
    Music: Michael Steele
    Art: Amy Steele
    Grandchildren in the audience: Annette, Kyla, Breandan, Eoghan, Lawrence, Levi, Eddie.

  • Great Michigan Bicycle Trip – PART 4

    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 house and they confess when discovered. They are cared for by Aunt Margaret at the farm in Harrietta. The next day they make it to Okenama and Bill Lecuru’s grandparents. The bikers pick berries to get food money to come home. Tension builds the group starts to break up. Bill Lecuru does not make the return trip. Near the end Grandpa is attacked by a man in a pickup truck. Tensions build, Grandpa starts to fight with his fellow bikers. Sunburns and blisters are part of the very last day as the group dissolves never to be again.

    Think, Laugh and Live with Grandpa as he retells this true adventure story to Caleb, Corbin, and Walter.

    As Grandpa finishes the telling of the great Michigan Bicycle Trip, he reminds his grandsons that just because something is hard to do doesn’t mean it isn’t worth doing.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Music: Michael Steele
    Art: David Richman
    Grandchildren in the audience: Caleb, Corbin, Walter

  • The Great Michigan Bike Trip Part 3

    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 day.” The road was clear… until it wasn’t.  

    There is a tractor trailer truck in the opposing lane, going 70 or 80 mph. The gust from the speeding truck makes the bikes wobbly and some of them fall down. The bikers are a little scraped up, but even worse Bill’s bike is busted. It’s 3 miles to Marion Michigan, the next closest town. They’d have to walk.

    In Marion, after a catastrophic attempt to fix the bike, Grandpa Hill and his friends don’t have much to do, but they sure are hungry. There was not a crumb left of their lunch. The bikers run into a little trouble with the Police Chief and Fire Chief.  In their opinions the group of bikers were too friendly with the police chief’s daughter.  They had their ways of expressing their disapproval. Nonetheless, the girls did tell them about the park where they set up camp. Its raining, and the bikers find refuge playing cards in the town hall.

    Day 5 Grandpa and Bill hitch hike to Cadillac Michigan to get a new bike wheel, and they come back to accusations of breaking into the laundry-mat, and the bikers agree to leave town the next day. With Bill’s bike fixed they leave Marion Michigan behind.  Just before they go they witness an exciting chariot race.

    Grandpa and his friends met a lot of challenges in Marion.  They didn’t give up.  With rapidly emptying pockets, frequently empty stomachs, and a broken bike they kept on going.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced and Recorded by Grandpa Hill

    Art: David Richman,
    Music: Michael Steele,
    Grandchildren in Audience: Caleb, Corbin and Walter.

  • The Great Michigan Bike Trip – Part 2

    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 was rescued and escorted by the North Branch police.  

    In Day 2, his friend Bill gets cut by Dean and his big bowie knife.  Later Dean insists on showing his knife as they pedal on MI-46 in downtown Saginaw.   The next morning little girls fix Grandpa’s hair, and the later that day, Grandpa meets a special person in a special place that rescues all the bikers from a loose-gravel road that was not taking them where they wanted to go.  At the end of Day 3 in Wilson State Park.  They rest well, and,  think they are ready for the  excitement that will come on Day 4 near and in Marion Michigan.   

    Part 3 is coming soon, it will start with Day 4, which started so easy.  MI60 was a  flat straight road, no traffic.  An 18 wheeler came barreling down the road, and the bikers just were not ready for what happened next.  

    Please share Grandpa Hill’s true stories with at least one other person.  We think you will be glad you did, and so will we.   Shalom!   Grandpa Hill. 

  • The Great Michigan Bike Trip

    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 on an overnight bicycle trip.  Their experience at camping was next to nothing. A recipe for disaster.

    Grandpa Hill, Don, knew that if they didn’t go this year they would never go.  Summer jobs, graduation, college, military service, their interests, and their responsibilities would be changing.  Prepared or not, skilled or not, they were going to make this adventure trip. 

    They had 50 miles behind them, their spirits soaring, and then the trouble began.   There was pain, anger, fear, viscous dogs, a knife, a Lapeer country sheriff deputy and a friendly and very helpful policeman from North Branch Michigan.  The confrontation was over, no one was hurt, no one was arrested and Grandpa would live to tell this story of the Great Michigan Bicycle Trip. There was no discouragement with the setback of Day 1.  With the end goal of Bill Lecuru’s Grandparent’s house near Onekama Michigan, Day 1 was done, and what a day it was!

    Stay tuned for PART 2!

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill, 

    Music played by Michael Steele,
    Art by David Richman,
    Grandchildren in Audience: Caleb, Corbin, and Walter.