Grandpa Hill's True Stories

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 inform...

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 ...

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.  Itwas cold!  Way too cold for Pennsylvania in December!  He had made a huge mistake, he was lonely, and he was cold!  He called Grandma in Savage Minnesota to whine about his troubles.

Grandma decided to fix everything by telling Grandpa a story about shopping at the big mall in Burnsvi...

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. He had never been in a small plane before.   Now he was climbing into the cockpit of a military training jet. They were off!

Just a few minutes later he had the stick in his hand and the right pedal under hi...

Grandpa Drinks With a Bat – Children’s Story

Grandpa Hill has done many unusual things and many of them happened on his annual Hill and Richman Family back packing trip. For the past 30 years he has gone backpacking with his family and the Richman family.  On this trip Grandpa comes eye to eye with a bat.  Grandpa was alone.  They both wanted the same watering hole.

Think laugh and live, and, share share, share, these stories you ...

In 1989 Grandpa (Don) and Grandma (Mary), lived in Savage Minnesota with their four children.  Three of them attended St. John the Baptist Catholic School.   Don while teaching catechism is informed by his student, Sarah, that things have changed since he was a boy in catechism. Her claim: Today’s children need to decide for themselves what is right and wrong for them.

Don was surprised.  He learned that Sarah was right about what ...

Welcome to 65th of Grandpa Hill’s True Stories.  Don and Mary are going up North to Michigan Tech in 1977.  They were off to secure a place up at the college for Don to stay at with Bruce for Don's last year prior to getting married.    Late at night as they travel along interstate I-75 near the intersection with M-72, Mary sees a light in the distance and slams on the brakes.  The car shakes hard as the old brakes struggle to...

When Grandpa Lies to the Policeman, Is the 64th  Episode of Grandpa Hill’s True Stories.  This is what truly happened to him and Grandma in Latrobe Pennsylvania in June of 2010.  After Mass and a party on the grounds of St. Vincent's in Latrobe Pennsylvania, Don and Mary were driving home.  That’s when it happened Don ran a red light, right in front of the police station! 

Soon after that more traffic violations occurred and G...

This episode of Grandpa Hill’s True Stories took place in May of 1989 along the Western shore of Lake Superior.   Grandma and Grandpa (Mary and Don) take their four children on a long Memorial Day camping vacation.   The story is of five precious memories that make up the five chapters:  Mittens in May; Short Sheets at Gooseberry Falls; Cascade River Trout; Bears Bears, Bears; and Grandma and the Ostrich. 

This story is being told...

Grandpa Hill shares another true personal story of fishing with a four year old.  Grandpa claims to have always caught something on every fishing trip, even this one.  Caleb his grandson challenges Grandpa when he seems to contradict himself,  ‘Sometimes never even getting a bite, yet always catching something.  Come on!  Which is it?’

In this true story Rebecca is the four year old, the gear is a bamboo pole, the catch….. well yo...

Andrew really wanted to be in 4H and show a dog.  Rebecca his sister had a dog, and, she was in the show.  He had two huge obstacles to overcome.  First he was too young to enter the show at the Indiana County Fair.  Second he did not have a dog!

Determined, he got the best dog he could get from his sister Amy.  His name was Jack, the last of the Jack’s.   

Andrew’s persistence, was endearing.  He won over a lot of the 4H leaders ...

In the winter of 1968 Grandpa Don and his friend Bill Lecuru in Rochester Michigan built a fort of sticks and newspaper in the woods near Bill’s house.  Grandpa was 14 and the fort was not warm enough for the two boys to stay warm so a very small fire was needed, inside of the fort.  Like a teepee. 

Don was not thinking about how strong the draft would be.  Shortly after they were starting to get heat off the fire sparks went up a...

Grandpa Hill knows lots of people that just talk way too much!  Two special women to him really talk a lot. At one time, Don was quite sure they both talked too much.  Mary Lee, Don’s  wife, and his oldest daughter Patricia are the two ‘talkers’ that taught him a lesson and the value of sharing stories with and taking the time to get to know and share with people about yourself.   

This story is about learning that lesson, learning...

Grandpa left his body in 2003. He was 46 years old living in Iselin PA.  While on the operating table sedated as a surgery was being performed, he got the privilege of watching the Doctor examine the tumor he had just removed.

As Grandpa Hill tells this story to his grandchildren, they have just as much trouble trying to understand Grandpa’s story as Grandpa did 20 years ago when he first realized he had left his body.  Grandpa bel...

In 1988 Grandpa Hill (Don) and his family were at a parish mission in Burnsville Minnesota.  Just before the priest called on Don to come up front for a demonstration about faith and trust, an angel came and sat down next to Grandpa.

Grandpa really doesn’t know what angels are.  He calls what he saw an angel because it seemed friendly, calm, and all energy.   Whatever it was that evening he first sensed it’s approach, saw it for a ...

In this episode Grandpa Hill tells how he finally got real road rash!   When he was a small boy with bare skin sliding in the gravel (listen to Pebbles and Blood, Episode 1) he thought he had road rash.  This time he really had road rash!.... and some broken bones,  and the healing balm of raw honey applied to his wounds by his wife Mary Lee.  This story is both a health (and safety) story as well as a slightly wiser story. 

Don h...

In January of 2015 on a cold morning in Iselin Pennsylvania Grandpa Hill (Don) decides to tease and surprise his wife Mary Lee.   After she gets startled and chilled she retaliates.   

Don felt he deserved to receive the kick that Mary wanted to give him.  Presenting himself for the kick, he cautioned Mary that it would hurt her more than him.  This turns out was a major understatement.  Don got the kick of his life!  Mary got a lo...

Grandpa Learns to Maneuver His 401K – A Slightly Wiser Story

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 down, and, into the market when it is going up.  It sounds simple a...

On St. Patrick’s Day,  1975,  Mary Lee Mack met Donald Paul Hill in the library of the high school in Rochester Michigan. That was the day that Don’s girl friend realized she was his girlfriend.

Don had been so anticipating having Mary as his girlfriend and so anxious about being rejected that he struggled to tell Mary of his intentions. “Everything had to be just right,” was the excuse Don had for not asking Mary to go o...