Grandpa Hill's True Stories

Tag: Childhood

  • 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, 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

  • When Grandpa Lies to the Policeman – Slightly Wiser Story

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  • 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 Money Tree

    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 window there was a money tree.  Grandpa’s Mom used to pick what looked to be silver dollars off the tree and exchange them for dollars.

    This seems unbelievable to the grandchildren listening to this story from long ago.  So, Grandpa takes them down the street to Ken and Cindy’s house in Latrobe Pennsylvania and right there in the garden is a Money Tree, for real!

    Gorf and Marshmallow discuss how to make money with the Money Tree, and, food, and doing the right thing when talking to your parents or are considering harvesting someone else’s crop.  We hope you enjoy this simple Grandpa Hill True Story, keep listening, sharing, and exploring the dozens of other episodes!

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Gorf: Grandpa
    Marshmallow: David Richman
    Music: Michael Steele
    Art: David Richman
    Grandchildren in the audience: Kyla, Breandan, Lawrence, Eddy, and Levi

  • Turtle Soup

    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 make his regular visit to the garbage dump near North Port MI.  Then he had Donny Boy look in a barrel of turtles, then they enjoyed a great lunch.  Grandpa Bonse enjoyed teaching Donny Boy this way.  Grandpa Hill (Donny Boy) enjoyed learning this way.  He felt loved.  

    Gorf the frog  and Marshmallow the raccoon discuss the eating of frogs and turtles.  What you think about your food plays a big part in whether you will like it or not.  Grandpa did some thinking about his highly desired soup and then it wasn’t quite so desired.  Marshmallow mostly thinks about eating more not what it is that he is eating.  Gorf handles the whole story pretty well.  Gorf does get tense with all the talk about eating things like frogs.  Marshmallow reminds Gorf again that he won’t be consuming frogs any time soon.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Music: Michael Steele,
    Art: David Richman,
    Grandchildren in Audience: Annette & Breandan

  • Indian Tree

    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 boundary of the “Pines” that he was in.  The Pines were deep dark  and cool a perfect place to imagine just  about anything.

    Gorf and Marshmallow learn and explain about imagination.  Gorf (a bullfrog voiced by Grandpa Hill) likes to  imagine adventures.  Marshmallow (a Raccoon voiced by Grandpa’s Grandson) imagines mostly food.   Please join them time and time again by listening to Grandpa Hill’s True Stories.  Share our stories and their hope for more thinking laughing and living.

    As you share Grandpa Hill’s Stories, consider sharing your own stories more.  Share your imaginations.  Just imagine the good that may happen!

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Gorf: Grandpa
    Marshmallow: David Richman
    Music: Michael Steele
    Art: David Richman
    Audience of Grandchildren: Caleb, Corbin, Walter

  • 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.

  • My First Car

    My First Car

    In My First Car, Grandpa wants his own car. He is 16, it is 1973 and he doesn’t want to wait until he is 18. He has money from jobs and the recent sale of Brandy (his pony).  

    Great Grandpa and Grandma Hill (his parents) do not want to repeat what happened to Grandpa’s siblings when they started driving their own cars.  Somehow Grandpa Hill was able to get his car, despite the recently formed family rule of no car until you are 18. Grandpa’s good driving, planning, his very good grades in school and his appropriate respect for his parents wishes helped him win his appeal to get a car just two months after his 16th birthday.  Within seconds after his parent’s changed their minds all was settled and he was the rightful owner of a 1964 Volkswagen 1500 to drive to school, to Detroit, or anywhere he could afford to go.  

    Marshmallow the Raccoon is very excited for Grandpa’s first car.  Gorf the Frog is concerned that Grandpa may have acted badly in going against his parents wishes.  Both of them come to think that Grandpa made a rightful appeal and his parents changed their minds.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill, 

    Music: Michael Steele,
    Grandchildren: Joseph, Catherine, Lizzy

    image: http://classiccardb.com/volkswagen/ edited by David Richman