Category: Slightly Wiser
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Grandpa and the RAT
In 1991, Grandpa, Don, was a development engineer by day and homeschooling and homesteading Dad at night. Some persistent and relatively large creature was eating the animal feed intended for the ducks and rabbits. As the battle with the creature continued, Don came to realize that is was a RAT that he was dealing with. …
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Grandpa Cuts Himself With a Chain Saw – Slightly Wiser Story
In 1974 Grandpa Hill, Don Hill, was clearing stump logs around Karl Greimel’s Estate. He was 16 years old and the blade on Mr. Greimel’s saw was 16 inches long. When the blade entered his leg he knew he was in trouble. As he drove himself to the hospital his left leg was warm and…
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An Incident at O’Reilly Auto Parts – A Slightly Wiser Story
Grandpa Hill was recently in the Latrobe O’Reilly Auto Parts Store and an incident occurred. It turned out to be a timely end to his search for sanding discs for his son John. Then just a few weeks later it happened again but differently and better. This time he was sent there by his son…
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Grandpa, The Gun, and The Liquor Store – A slightly wiser story.
It was Halloween and Grandpa was 19 years old in 1976 in Rochester MI. He wore his mummy/robber costume into a liquor store in Troy Michigan. It was a dumb thing to do. Grandpa Hill’s Grand Children beg for stories of when Grandpa Hill does something stupid or gets in trouble. Gorf and Marshmallow discuss…
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Grandpa Learns to Maneuver His 401Ks
The “God Send” in this story is Paul Hamacher. He is the CEO of Spire Stocks http://www.spirestocks.com/. Grandpa tells his story and how just as he was retiring he meets Paul and they hit it off well. Next thing you know and Grandpa is maneuvering his 401K. Getting out of the market when it is going…
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Grandma’s First Couch – A slightly wiser story.
It was the fall of 1985, Grandma and Grandpa Hill had just got a new house in Savage Minnesota. There was an ongoing disagreement about money and furniture. We both wanted living room furniture. Mary Lee wanted to sit comfortably in the living room with friends and family. Don wanted to sit comfortably but had…
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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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How To Buy a Car
Grandma teaches Grandpa how to buy a car–how not to pay more than it is worth or than you can afford. 34 years after he learned his lesson Grandpa has bought over 20 cars. The family has nearly always has one dependable family car and a back up car. This has saved the family so…
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Hospital Check – Grandma Saves the Day
In 1979 Grandpa and Grandma Hill, were proud parents of their first child, Patricia Kay. The huge $1900 hospital bill had just been paid. Grandpa Hill was broke! In a few days he would be at a to-be-determined-address 500 miles away with no money, no job, and full time college classes to attend. The very…