Grandpa Hill's True Stories

Tag: grandpa hill’s true stories

  • 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.

  • 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
  • Hospital Incident No. 1 – Stay with your child.

    Hospital Incident No. 1 – Stay with your child.

    Hospital Incident No.1 – Stay With Your Child is a true story of when Grandpa stayed with his oldest daughter Patricia as she was treated for a severe asthma attack.  As children Grandpa and Grandma had never been hospitalized.  As young parents Grandpa and Grandma Hill had been to the hospital several times  and had several multiple night stays with their first child, Patricia.  When they moved from Houghton Michigan to Westerville OH they got strong and good advice, Always stay with your child when they are hospitalized.   

    As young parents with little children, we had mentors and guidance from wiser, experienced, and successful parents.  Tom and Margaret McSweeney were especially helpful on health, faith, and family issues. We had a community from our parish church St. Paul’s Catholic Church in Westerville OH and our Marriage Encounter Community.   

    Grandpa Hill encourages the listeners to our Health episodes.  Always stay with your child.  Know their medications. Know the effects of under and overdosing on the medicines.  Pay attention.  Expect the best and be ready for the unexpected.    As parents with many children with several illnesses and injuries Grandma or Grandpa always stayed with the sick child.   They never wavered.   

    Please enjoy the drama of Grandpa standing his ground and getting the best right thing done for Patricia in the hospital in the summer of 1981 in Pontiac Michigan.   Please share this story, with others.  It means so much to us to know that others might think better, live healthier, and laugh and enjoy life more because they Stayed With Their Child when they were hospitalized. 

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Music: David Richman
    Art: Amy Steele
    Grandchildren in the audience: Sarah, David, Leah, Anna, Miriam, Raymond, Naomi

  • 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 Mangles His Bike

    Grandpa Mangles His Bike

    In the spring of 1973, Rochester Michigan, Grandpa Hill found freedom, fun, and adventure on his light and fast 10 speed bicycle.  He had saved up for this bike and it met all of his needs and then some.   Grandpa had plans of pedaling his bike on many long rides packed with adventure.  In this episode he takes his bicycle on one very risky ride with his friend Bill.

    His plans to ride that bike on trips that were 100’s of miles long were shattered when the bike crumpled against a curb.  In the wreck he loses his bike, breaks his arm, all while skipping school.   He does not want to admit his pains, especially not to his Dad that offered help.

    Gorf and Marshmallow help the younger listener figure out what this growing up story is about.  There were losses, and, yes lessons were learned, the hard way.

    Credits:

    Produced by David Richman,
    Executively Produced by Grandpa Hill

    Grandchildren in the audience: Breandan

    Music: Michael Steele

    Art: Amy Steele

  • 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