Grandpa Hill's True Stories

Tag: cottage core

  • 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.

  • 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
  • When Grandpa Was a BEE Target – Children’s Story

    When Grandpa Was a BEE Target – Children’s Story

    In 1974 Grandpa was 16 years old and was cleaning the outside steps that went up through the woods to the front door of Mr. Griemel’s house.  There was to be a party that night and the steps would be clean of dirt and debris. As he sprayed the water to clean the railroad ties and stones he discovered an in-the-ground nest of yellow jackets.  It was easy work to spray the bees and flood the nest.  Soon Grandpa discovered something he will never forget.  Yellow jackets always have an alternate exit to their hives. 

    Soon there was a stream of angry bees after Grandpa.  He had become a BEE Target.   The hose was dropped and he was running at top speed towards his car.  A glance over his shoulder revealed a long string of bees in hot pursuit.   He had enjoyed getting rid of the pests.  He was now in fright and flight and could be easily overcome by dozens of charging bees. 

    Grandpa tells his true stories for your benefit to help you think laugh and live, and maybe avoid his mistakes.   This is the 80th episode.  Some are more serious faith and family and health stories.  This is a “fun” one of when Grandpa became a bee target and lived to tell the story. 

    Please share one of Grandpa Hill’s True Stories today!

    • Producer: Grandpa Hill with David Richman.
    • Intro Laugh and Call to Sit Down: Walter and Corbin.
    • Grand children in the audience: David, Annette, Kyla, Breandan, Lawrence, Edmund, Levi, and Emma.
    • Cover Art: Amy Steele.
    • Music: Michael Steele
  • When Grandpa Whined to Grandma – Children’s Story

    When Grandpa Whined to Grandma – Children’s Story

    In 1989 in December Grandpa was all alone in his little room above the Saltsburg Supply Company.  It was cold!  Way too cold for Pennsylvania in December!  He had made a huge mistake, he was lonely, and he was cold.  He called Grandma to whine about his troubles.

    Grandma decided to fix everything by telling Grandpa a story about shopping at the big mall in Burnsville MN.  In no mood for a story, especially about shopping, Grandpa listened to the story and he changed.  He stopped his whining!  Whining  wasn’t working and it never should work for anybody, not for little insistent children and not for Moms and Dads and definitely not for Grandpa Hill. 

    Gorf and Marshmallow help Grandpa Hill discuss whining  with some of his grandchildren.  Grandpa Hill appreciates that help as he promotes Thinking, Laughing a lot, and Living life fully.  It so much better for the, children the children’s children and for all children if whining never works!

    Please share your stories with your childrend and grandchildren. Please share this story with someone in the world today. Thank you, Grandpa Hill.

    • Produced: Grandpa Hill, with David Richman.
    • Puppets: Gorf, Grandpa Hill; Marshmallow David Richman.
    • Laugh and Call to take a seat: Walter and Corbin.
    • Grandchildren in Audience: David, Kyla, Lawrence, Edmund, Levi, Emma.
    • Music: Michael Steele.
  • Grandpa Flies a Jet Plane – Children’s Story

    Grandpa Flies a Jet Plane – Children’s Story

    In the fall of 1975 Grandpa (Don) climbed into a T33 Trainer Jet for what he thought would be a short 5 minute ride.  His “ride” turned out to be a scare, a thrill, and much more than just a ride.   Don was eighteen years old, had never been in a small plane before.   Now he was climbing into the cockpit of a military training jet and soon they were off!

    Just a few minutes later he had the stick in his hand and the right pedal under his foot and was making a turn up in the sky over Pikes Peak Colorado at a few hundred miles per hour.   Wow!  The whole event gave Don a new perspective on his life and, and, a high respect for the pilots of our world. 

    As the “pilot” for his own family, Grandpa knows everything he does or doesn’t do makes a difference for his future, that of his wife, their eight children and their 23 grandchildren.  It even makes a difference for people he doesn’t even know.

    Enjoy the story.  Please share the story far and wide.  Think, about the story. Tell your own stories, act on the truth the best that you can, then laugh a lot, and live! 

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Grandchildren in the audience: Breandan

    Music: Michael Steele

    Art: Amy Steele