Grandpa Hill's True Stories

All Stories – The Achieves

  • 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.

  • 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

    The Great Michigan Bike Trip

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    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.

  • The Insurance Commissioner – Grandma Saves the Day

    The Insurance Commissioner – Grandma Saves the Day

    Grandpa Hill tells this true story to give credit to one of the unexpected talents that Grandma has for peaceably settling disputes and disagreements and issues.  Don (Grandpa Hill) wasn’t so good at that sort of thing.   Before Don would get into the arguing, the run-around and the frustration of handling difficult issues he would wisely turn it all over to Mary Lee.  It would seem like a miracle to Don, when somehow Mary Lee would get the issue settled.

    Mary Lee (Grandma Hill) was a stay at home mom in the early 80’s in Columbus Ohio.   With two little children and one on the way money was tight. There had been a wreck, the car was damaged and the insurance company wasn’t going to pay.  Mary Lee gets the insurance carrier to reverse their decision, cut a check, and, pay us for our loss.  The check was in Grandpa’s hand about five hours after Mary Lee had started to address the issue.   The money was greatly needed.  She got it done, and fast.   Nobody mad, nobody sad, and several hundred dollars available to fix the family car; she truly saved the day. 

    Mary Lee’s special talent has served the family well these past forty four years. Don is so proud of and in love with Mary Lee.  

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Music by David Richman

  • Grandpa’s First Boat

    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 the boat.  Grandpa, one of the not so little boys, takes it upon himself to purchase a boat of his own so that he can go fishing while two of his brothers can be in the family boat.  Grandpa Hill’s solution was a little yellow inflatable boat with a brass fitting.  He had saved his money and was determined to be independent in his own boat!

    He learned that being independent is a lot of work.  That didn’t stop him from being independent. Out on the lake all by himself, catching fish.

    Grof and Marshmallow discuss the importance of independence but also the importance of taking turns (even when you don’t like to) and spending time will your family. They also imagine what might’ve happened to Grandpa Hill’s Boat. What do you think happened to Grandpa’s Boat?

    If you enjoyed our story please subscribe and share the story with everyone you know. If you would like to talk with us directly, email us at grandpahill.stories@gmail.com!

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Art: David R,
    Music: Michael Steele
    Grandchildren in the Audience: Lawrence, Edmund, and Levi

  • Grandpa Leaves for Mexico

    Grandpa Leaves for Mexico

    Come Home Son, is the story about how the simple honest love of Grandpa’s Father changed and saved his life. 

    A special story for those who do not love themselves and for you dads who love your children.  Grandpa has just left the Air Force Academy in Colorado. His dreams, and his plans, of who he was going to be were broken and gone. Rock Bottom. He took a job with some nasty people in “sales,” and was too ashamed to go home.  Grandpa walked out and started hitchhiking south.

    He headed for Mexico to find good work on the oil rigs, but before going he made collect call from El Paso to his home in Rochester Michigan, to let his parents know where he was going.

    Grandpa’s dad wanted to talk to him, and he asked his son one simple question: When are you coming home? Three times he asked When are you coming home?  His dad’s love got through to him and he decided then and there, and told his dad he would come home.  

    If you are not home: go home. Just go home. Figure out a way to get better make amends, whatever it is that has kept you separate from your father, and you might just be surprised how much your father loves you, and wants you to come home.

    Love yourself, live a life where you are thinking, laughing, loving and living!
    It can happen. It has happened.  It has truly happened to me, Grandpa Hill.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Music & Art: David Richman

  • The Fruitful Decision

    The Fruitful Decision

    Grandpa Hill’s True Faith and Family Story of what truly happened to him at the Latin Mass in Latrobe Pennsylvania was possible because Donald and Mary Lee made a fruitful decision, to open the womb 33 years ago. They offer to everyone their story of deciding to reverse their sterility, and, proceeding to go from a “large enough” family to a much larger family.

    Grandpa realized recently in a sudden rush of emotion that the path they chose, although less traveled, not popular, and, considered risky and ill-advised has truly made all the difference.  Grandpa Hill is not a theologian, nor doctor, nor expert on fruitful decision making.  He is just a good critical thinker, and problem solver.  It’s what he does.  When Grandma has a good thing she shares it with everyone she knows and that’s what she does.  Grandpa and Grandma believe that their decisions, acting on those decisions,  what they love, and how they love is what makes them who they truly are.

    Please enjoy this story and share it with others as you think laugh and live. Go to grandpahill-stories.org to contact us. We want to be our best at loving and caring and sharing Grandpa Hill’s True Stories with you. Your comments, stories, and needs become part of why we exist.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Music: David Richman

  • Love Hurts #1 — The Squirrel

    Love Hurts #1 — The Squirrel

    Grandpa tells a story of his love for Grandma, and a massive flying squirrel. Grandma gets very hurt. In the darkness of the new couples bedroom there is shouting, then they are crying, then—as the story comes out about the squirrel—they are laughing.

    Love Hurts #1 is the first in a series of mishaps that Grandpa and Grandma have loved each other through, in holy matrimony since 1978.  Love Hurts #1, truly happened to us!

    We hope this series of stories is especially valuable to teenagers, those dating, those betrothed, and those living in holy matrimony. Might these stories encourage you to love your spouse (or potential spouse) more deeply, laugh a little more, think, and live.

    Christ was willing to die for His spouse the Church, we likewise must love our (potential) spouse unconditionally. Unlike Christ, as sinners striving to be saints, we make mistakes, and sometimes for the best of reasons… namely Love. For love is self gift and a gift returned, but it is also a total willing the good of the other.

    Grandpa Hill was willing to sacrifice himself to save his wife from the incoming squirrel. Unintentionally he slugs Grandma, but upon awaking and finding what he has done to his wife begins crying with her, then laughing with her at dream of the flying squirrel.

    Afterwards Grandma and Grandpa reconciled, and learned a little more how to think, laugh, and live in the early years of their marriage.

    We wish you Peace on your journey,

    שָׁלוֹם, Shalom

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Music & Art: David Richman
    Audience: Grandma, David, Leah, Anna, and Breandan

  • Food and Vacation Fun at Grandma Bonse’s

    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 fun.  A box of simple toys gave hours of enjoyment.  At night Grandpa and his brothers could see through the floors.   

    Two foods brought each vacation to a close.  Popcorn made by Grandpa Bonse and Chubs from town for the adults.  Gorf the frog is impressed with Grandpa’s fun and initiates a game of tree tag.  Marshmallow plays too but has his priorities, food first!    Grandpa encourages his children his grandchildren and all children set down cell phones, shut off televisions and enjoy each other and enjoy their childhood as they learn to think laugh and live.   

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill, 

    Music: Michael Steele
    Grandchildren Audience: Kyla, Lawrence, Eddie.

  • Brandy Pony (Part 1)

    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 less how to ride them. As a result Grandpa learns how to get bucked, and (eventually) how to stay on.

    Brandy is a difficult horse but he brings a lot of lessons. Lessons of perseverance and responsibility. Although Grandpa didn’t like getting thrown in the dirt, he still kept his duties as the owner of a horse. It was his horse, so he had to feed, water and bath it.

    By the end of the story Grandpa Hill was living his dream, as real a cow boy he would ever be, but it would be foolish to think this fence leaping horse has been broken. Tune in next time to hear of Brandy’s affection for clover, and how Grandpa used geometry to solve the problem of the Bucking Brandy.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Gorf: Grandpa, Marshmallow: David
    Art: David Richman
    Music: Michael Steele
    Grandchildren: Joseph, Catherine, and Lizzy

  • Sandy and Her Seizures

    Sandy and Her Seizures

    Grandpa Hill’s  true health story “Sandy and Her Seizures”  tells how connection and love and critical thinking about health issues came together and resulted in Sandy not having seizures anymore.  When Bernadette finally gets Dean and Don (Grandpa Hill) together, the synergy of the information that gets shared leads to a speedy recovery for Sandy.

    This story could have had a very sad end.  Medical care givers had concluded that not much could be done for Sandy.   Dean’s  ideas and direction for Sandy’s care had been dismissed by the Doctor’s.   With conviction Dean moved forward, and got the treatment Sandy needed.  

    This true event in Grandpa Hill’s life motivates him to tell his stories, share his opinions, as he thinks laughs and lives.  Please share the story with everyone!  Grandpa Hill is confident that the lives of many will be so much better if you do.

  • XCOPRI Worked

    XCOPRI Worked

    In Grandpa Hill’s True Health Story about success with XCOPRI a new AED, anti epileptic drug, Grandma Hill (Mary) did what Mary does.  She shares her personal success story, her ideas, and her opinions with another.  After her epilepsy improved, with 50% fewer seizures, she shared her story with Gregg, and he does even better.  

    Grandpa Hill is not a doctor, just a good thinker, seeking the best of care for Grandma and her epilepsy.  Our dream, our goal, is that more people will benefit from these stories.  Grandpa encourages epileptics, their caregivers, and their Doctors to consider XCOPRI, Cenobamate. Share this story with them, it might get them started.  Grandpa is learning to share more like Grandma has always done, as they think, act effectively to improve their health, while they laugh and live abundantly, in spite of the seizures.

  • Why Did I Say That about Her Baby?

    Julia was trying to start a family and she had just found out about another miscarriage. Inexplicably Grandpa Hill (Don) thought her baby was still alive, and told her what he thought.  Julia needed to hear that, and so did her baby.

    To this day Grandpa Hill doesn’t know why he said that, but he did say it.  Sometimes we don’t say what what we know we should, but what an impact there can be when we do.

    This story changed Julia and her family.  This story changed Grandpa Hill and his family.  It is Grandpa’s hope that this story will change you and your family.  (The story is as true as Grandpa Hill can remember it.  Names have been changed.)

  • Lots of Bunnies

    Lots of Bunnies

    Hide in seek is a very fun game, which everyone loves to play. Hide the bunny is also a very fun game, except when it is not.

    In Lots of Bunnies Grandpa Hill tells the true story, as best he can recall, how a bunny died because it could not breathe.  A few days later a little girl lived because Gerry, Grandpa’s brother, kept her from hiding in a refrigerator where she wouldn’t have been able to breathe.

    Gorf is sad about the bunny.  Marshmallow gets Gorf to see how important it was for Gerry to learn this lesson:  Air is needed to breathe.  Never hide yourself or anything living where it can’t breathe.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Grandchildren in the audience: Breandan

    Music: Michael Steele

    Art: Amy Steele

  • Pebbles and Blood

    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 Richman
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Gorf: Grandpa
    Marshmallow: David Richman
    Art: David R.

  • 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.

  • Grandpa and the RAT

    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.   A very big and very smart RAT.  Don outsmarted that RAT, or so he thought he had, by storing the grain in the family car. 

    The mystery developed as Don would keep seeing the RAT, on, or running to, the side porch of the house to greet him as he came home from work.  It was as though the RAT expected to be fed by Don.  Eventually Don does figure out the schemes of the RAT. 

    When Don figures it out he needs to apologize to his children.  The RAT was just trying to survive and really wasn’t that smart.  Grandpa was trying to get the RAT and really wasn’t that smart either.

    Grandpa encourages parents and grandparents to tell their stories to their children and grandchildren. They may learn, and think about their mysterious situations differently.  Probably they will also laugh and enjoy life more.

    Grandchildren in the audience, Annette, Breandan, Eoghan. Produced, Grandpa Hill, David Richman; Art, Amy Steele, Banjo, Michael Steele;

    Please share this story with families and friend and remember to follow the podcast or to follow on the web at grandpahill-stories.org.

  • 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 Cuts Himself With a Chain Saw – Slightly Wiser Story

    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 wet as his boot filled with blood. 

    At the hospital Don collapsed.  He came to and was soon being stitched half way up.  There was an interruption in the stitching and  a lack of Novocain that made it a very memorable experience.

    Grandpa shares this story with his grandchildren, his children and all children hoping that they won’t make the mistakes he did.  Don’t work alone, especially with dangerous things like chainsaws in the snow on a hill.  Never cut up hill.  Don’t touch any of the tools or supplies  when you are laying on the bed getting stitched by a very busy Doctor.

    Please share this story, with your family and friends.  Maybe it makes a difference to their futures as they Think Laugh and Live.

    Grandchildren In the Audience (I think):  David, Annette, Breandan, Kyla, Lawrence, Edmund, Levi, Emma and Eoghan.

    Author and Producer Grandpa Hill; Artist Amy Steele; Pickin Michael Steele.

  • An Incident at O’Reilly Auto Parts – A Slightly Wiser Story

    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 Michael to get studs a nut and a stud installer and to secure a price match.  Well, Grandpa Hill got a new hat out of the deal, $10 off in a price match, that his son Michael appreciated.  Grandpa, Don Hill, recognized how well he had been treated.  He wished he had started shopping at O’Rielly’s when they first came to town two years ago.  O’Reilly Auto Parts will be his first stop and likely only stop on his frequent runs for maintenance and replacement parts.

    Share this story about O’Rielly’s with anyone you think should give them a try.  Share the story too with anyone you think would like to improve their retail business by understanding the value the people behind the counter bring to the business.   As you do this, you will probably feel pretty good, as Grandpa does right now as he posts this Grandpa Hill’s True Story.   Remember to Think Laugh and Live!

    Grandpa Hill and David Richman produced. Amy Steele did the portrait. Michael Steele did the pickin.

  • Case of the Piece of String and the Danger I Found In the Louisana Bayou – Problem Solving Story

    Case of the Piece of String and the Danger I Found In the Louisana Bayou – Problem Solving Story

    In 1983 Grandpa Hill, Don Hill, a young metallurgical engineer was assisting with an investigation to find the root cause of a gas line explosion in the Bayous of Lousiana.   He expected adventure, success and a lot of work. 

    Dr. Ray Fessler was the lead investigator.  Highly experienced, Ray came highly prepared but carried no tools.  Don had the tools of the failure analysis trade, with him but never got to use them.  Instead Ray’s piece of string was used to solve the problem.

    While in New Orleans and In the Bayous and on Bourbon St. Don saw and did and thought things he didn’t want to see or do or think again, they weren’t worth it. 

    Think Laugh and Live! Share your stories and Grandpa Hill’s True Stories.

    Story told by Grandpa Hill 

    Production:  Don Hill

    Artwork:  Amy Steele.

    Background music clips are from Spotify.  Intro Rhythm Boogie, Piano Brotherhood;  Outro, When the Saints go Marching In, Rebirth Brass Band.  Grandpa Hill recommends you play their music often and put them in your playlists.

  • COVID19 Makes Grandpa Healthy – Health Story

    COVID19 Makes Grandpa Healthy – Health Story

    Grandpa Hill, Don starts out fearful of the virus and puts on his mask, and, distances himself some from family and even has some of his friends die from COVID.   At the time Don thought he probably would survive the illness just fine but didn’t look forward to finding out.   Then strange things started to happen the people that promoted early safe and effective treatment were ridiculed and removed from the internet.  Finally, when Kenny at work gets COVID and he gets zero treatment for it, Don gets motivated to take action.  Grandpa Hill was determined to be ready for all viruses by becoming healthier and more robust against upper respiratory viruses.

    In this Grandpa Hill’s True Health Story, Grandpa shares the heart of what happened to him and what he did.  He did not get COVID, and, he has not even had a fever since January of 2021.   Grandpa Hill was influenced by Dr. John Campbell to get good on his Vitamin D3, by Dr Peter McCullough to regularly kill off his viral load with nasal rinses by Desert Review’s website http://www.thedesertreview.com regarding the use of Ivermectin in Peshwar India.    Grandpa is not a Dr.  Grandpa is not in the medical field.  Grandpa is just a good critical thinker that is so grateful for his family and for how healthy he has been since the COVID Pandemic.

    Production: Grandpa Hill and David Richman

    Art: Amy Steele Music: David Richman

  • Grandpa Learns to Fish at Keystone Lake – A Faith and Family Story

    Grandpa goes to Keystone Lake in Pennsylvania.  He is repeatedly out fished 10 to 1 by people standing or sitting right next to him at the lake.   Inspired by his grandson Breandan, and his wife Mary Lee, he is inquisitive and talkative and eager to learn how to fish.  He meets Adam who was out-fishing him 20 fish to Grandpa’s  1 fish. 

    Adam teaches Grandpa how to fish at Keystone Lake.  Grandpa knows this empowers him to catch many fish and to teach others.  Now he can catch hundreds of fish in his retirement right alongside of his children and his grandchildren, if they are only eager and patient to learn the skill of fishing at Keystone Lake in Pennsylvania. 

    Grandchildren in the audience: David, Annette, Breandan, Eoghan. Produced by Donald Hill, and David Richman.

    Art Work: Amy Steele Music: Michael Steele

  • Grandpa, The Gun, and The Liquor Store – A slightly wiser story.

    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 how Grandpa Hill learned to have empathy.   Marshmallow reveals why Grandpa Hill bothers to tell such embarrassing stories about himself to his children, his grandchildren and all children in yet another Grandpa Hill’s True Story.  During this Lenten season, Marshmallow and Gorf encourage us all to practice more empathy.

    Being empathetic is a virtue that Grandpa Hill wants to have more of.  He hopes others will learn what empathy is and be able to have more of it too. Grandpa Hill advises, “As you think about your situation, do what you can to make yourself  better, then laugh and live a lot.” 

    Please share Grandpa Hill’s True Stories.  Share your own stories with your children and grandchildren, friends and anyone that you think needs to think, then laugh, and live.

    • Produced by Grandpa Hill, and David Richman.
    • Gorf played by Grandpa Hill, Marshmallow by David Richman.
    • Grandchildren in the audience, as best grandpa can remember, Annette, Breandan, Eoghan, Kyla, Lawrence, Edmund, Levi.
    • Banjo Music by Michael Steele.
    • Art by Amy Steele
  • A Covid 19 Blessing, Grandpa Meets Melissal at the “Y”

    A Covid 19 Blessing, Grandpa Meets Melissal at the “Y”

    Grandpa Hill and Grandma Hill homeschooled their eight children from 1989 to 2016.   Grandpa had been disappointed, he had wished for a surge in homeschooling coming out of the whole Covid 19 scene.  It never seemed to have happened.  Then he met Melissa at the Y.  Her story motivated Grandpa Hill to check out the recent data on homeschooling.  He was pleasantly surprised.  If Grandpa meets Melissa again he will be giving her information about PHAA and a monthly square dance with homeschooling families.  Getting good and many connections was always helpful to Don and Mary for those 27 years of homeschooling and they want more homeschoolers to have similar connections to strengthen what they are doing in their families.

    • Produced: Grandpa Hill
    • Website, and Music: David Richman
    • Cover art: Amy Steele