Grandpa Hill’s Stories are told by Grandpa Hill, usually with a live audience of one or more of his twenty two grand children. Each story is based on his memory of what truly happened to him. Marshmallow and his friend Gorf, often review the story from their perspectives as a raccoon and a frog. They hope that by them talking about the story it will help the listeners, young and old, to talk to each other about their thoughts and experiences. Lessons are learned, as we laugh (or cry) and lis ...
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Grandpa Trusts God and Learns to be Content
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In 1989 the Don and Mary Hill family start trusting God more and more. In the process of trusting they learn to be content. Convinced that they should be homeschooling, and open to more children they jumped right in. In a shortperiod of time their homeschooling, a tubal reversal, a move over 900 miles, the birth of the 5th child, 6th child, 7th chi…
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Grandpa and the RAT - A Slightly Wiser Story
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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 torealize that it was a RAT that he was dealing with. A verybig and very smart RAT.…
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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 thefan 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 th…
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Grandpa Cut Himself With a Chainsaw - Slightly Wiser Story
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In 1974 Grandpa Hill, Don Hill, was clearing stump logsaround Karl Greimel’s Estate. He was 16 years old and the blade on Mr. Greimel’ssaw 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 ca…
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An Incident at O'Reilly Auto Parts - A Slightly Wiser Story
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Grandpa Hill was recently in the Latrobe O’Reilly Auto Parts Store. 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 …
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Problem Solving, Case 1, A Piece of String and the Danger I Found In the Lousiana Bayou
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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…
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COVID Makes Grandpa Healthy - Health Story
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Grandpa Hill, Don starts out fearful of the virus and putson 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 …
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Grandpa Learns to Fish at Keystone Lake - 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…
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Grandpa, The Gun, and The Liquor Store - A Slightly Wiser Story
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It was Halloween and Grandpa was 19 years old in 1976 in Rochester Michigan. He wore his mummy/robber costumeinto a liquor store in Troy Michigan. It was a dumb thing to do. Grandpa Hill’s Grandchildren beg for stories of whenhe does something stupid or gets in trouble. Gorf and Marshmallow discuss how Grandpa Hill learned tohave empathy. Marshmall…
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A Covid Blessing, Grandpa Meets Melissa at the Y
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Grandpa Hill and Grandma Hill homeschooled their eight children from 1989 to 2016. Grandpa had beendisappointed, 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 ple…
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In 1974 Grandpa was 16 years old and was cleaning theoutside steps that went up through the woods to the front door of Mr. Griemel’s house. There was to be a party thatnight and the steps would be clean of dirt and debris. As he sprayed the water to clean the railroad ties andstones he discovered an in-the-ground nest of yellow jackets. It was easy…
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When Grandpa Whined to Grandma - Children's Story
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When Grandpa Whined to Grandma – Children’s Story In 1989 in December Grandpa was all alone in his little roomabove 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…
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Grandpa Flies a Jet Plane - Children's Story
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In the fall of 1975 Grandpa (Don) climbed into a T33 TrainerJet 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…
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Grandpa Drinks With a Bat - Children's Story
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Grandpa Drinks With a Bat – Children’s Story Grandpa Hill has done many unusual things and many of themhappened 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 …
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Don and Mary Decide to Homeschool - Faith and Family Story
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In 1989 Grandpa (Don) and Grandma (Mary), lived in SavageMinnesota 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 an…
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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 …
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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…
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This episode of Grandpa Hill’s True Stories took place inMay of 1989 along the Western shore of Lake Superior. Grandma and Grandpa (Mary and Don) taketheir four children on a long Memorial Day camping vacation. The story is of five precious memories thatmake up the five chapters: Mittensin May; Short Sheets at Gooseberry Falls; Cascade River Trout;…
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Fishing With A Four Year Old - Children Stories
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Grandpa Hill shares another true personal story of fishing with a four year old. Grandpa claims to havealways caught something on every fishing trip, even this one. Caleb his grandson challenges Grandpa when heseems to contradict himself, ‘Sometimes never even getting a bite, yet always catching something. Come on! Which is it?’ In this true story …
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Andrew really wanted to be in 4H and show a dog. Rebecca his sister had a dog, and, she was inthe 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 sisterAmy. His name was Jack, the last of the Jack’s. …
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Grandpa Burns Down His Fort - Childhood Story
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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 nearBill’s house. Grandpa was 14 and the fort was not warm enough for the two boys to stay warm so a very small fire wasneeded, inside of the fort. Like a teepee. Don was not thinking about how strong the draft would …
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Two Women That Talked Too Much - Faith and Family
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Grandpa Hill knows lots of people that just talk way too much! Two special women to him reallytalk 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 thetwo ‘talkers’ that taught him a lesson and the value of sharing stories with and taking the time to get to know and share w…
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Grandpa Leaves His Body - Faith and Family Story
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Grandpa left his body in 2003. He was 46 years old living in Iselin PA. While on the operating tablesedated as a surgery was being performed, he got the privilege of watching theDoctor 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 …
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Grandpa Sees an Angel - Faith and Family Story
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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 …
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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 stor…
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Love Hurts No. 3, Grandma Kicks Grandpa - Faith and Family Story
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In January of 2015 on a cold morning in Iselin PennsylvaniaGrandpa 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 …
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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 wasretiring 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 …
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How Grandpa and Grandma Met Each Other - A Faith and Family Story
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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 …
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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…
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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 gon…
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Grandma's First Couch - A Slightly Wiser Story
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It was the fall of 1985, Grandma and Grandpa Hill had just got a new house in Savage Minnesota. There was an ongoing disagreement about money and furniture. We both wanted living room furniture. Mary Lee wanted to sit comfortably in the living room with friends and family. Don wanted to sit comfortably but had no money to buy furniture. Buying a co…
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Grandpa Gets a "U" in 2nd Grade - Childhood Stories
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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 recall’s his answers to the lady that was trying to help him and shares his answer with his children, and grand chi…
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Patricia, Grandpa and Grandma's eldest child, listens with her seven children, and Grandma Hill (Mary Lee) as Grandpa Hill tells the heart tearing and heart warming story of when Patricia, was seriously ill in Children's Hospital of Columbus Ohio. Patricia was not responding well to her treatment and medications for asthma. After a day of no progre…
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Hospital Incident No. 1 - Stay With Your Child
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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 …
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Great Michigan Bicycle Trip - PART 4, We Made It! - Childhood Stories
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This last episode of Grandpa Hill’s adventure trip is told by Grandpa Hill. It truly happened to him. There and back, the trip was nearly 500 miles. This last episode starts on Day 6 and is full of adventure and fun. The day starts with spirits high, leaving MARION. Eggs are stolen from a hen house and they confess when discovered. They are cared f…
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The Great Michigan Bike Trip - PART 3 - Childhood Stories
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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. Ther…
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The Great Michigan Bike Trip - PART 2 - Childhood Stories
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On The Great Michigan Bicycle Trip PART 2, Day 2 and 3, Grandpa Hill has a much better time than day one of this 500 mile adventure across Michigan by four teenage boys. In Day 1 the Lapeer County sheriff deputy was called to question him and he was rescued and escorted by the North Branch police. In Day 2, his friend Bill gets cut by Dean and his …
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The Great Michigan Bike Trip - PART 1 - Childhood Stories
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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 Hil…
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Sparky the Dog and Devil's Night - Childhood Stories
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This story isn't really about Devil's night, a night of tricks and pranks. It is a story about an unfortunate—or rather fortunate—course of events that led to Sparky becoming the dog of Grandpa Hill's family, way back when he was a just a boy of 11 years old. It was 1967 on a foggy Devil’s Night in Rochester Michigan. A prank was played on a most u…
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"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 …
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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 P…
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Grandma teaches Grandpa how to buy a car--how not to pay more than it is worth or than you can afford. 34 years after he learned his lesson Grandpa has bought over 20 cars. The family has nearly always has one dependable family car and a back up car. This has saved the family so much money. No car payments ever! Only once did he feel he should buy …
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The Flood In the dark January night Don Mary Lee and Brian set out for the Indiana Library. It was a warm day in Pennsylvania in January in the early 1990's. The snow had been melting all day. Flashflood warning were out. There was water on Route 286. Then the family car was floating and was in a flood. Grandpa quickly made a plan to leave the car …
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In 1979 Grandpa and Grandma Hill, were proud parents of their first child, Patricia Kay. The huge $1900 hospital bill had just been paid. Grandpa Hill was broke! In a few days he would be at a to-be-determined-address 500 miles away with no money, no job, and full time college classes to attend. The very next day the good news came in the mail. The…
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Grandma and the Insurance Commissioner - Grandma Saves the Day
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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 …
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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 him…
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Grandpa Kisses a Woman - A Slightly Wiser Story
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Grandpa is catching his breath, on the plane to deliver his report to the Georgia Power and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, but he realized didn't have the report! He wouldn't be on that plane if not for the work of Jody the secretary who drove him the papers he needed for the Nuclear Reactor case (another story). His boss held the plane, his jo…
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Grandpa Mangles His Bike - A Childhood Story
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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 h…
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Grandpa Leaves for Mexico - A Faith and Family Story
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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…
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One Day Trucking Career - A Slightly Wiser Story
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Grandpa Hill needed to earn money for college in 1976. He got a job working in a chemical factory. It was a stinky job with many hazards. He got a chance to be promoted to be a truck driver. He was to go at lunch renew the license he did not have and then finish out his shift, and report for work Monday morning to drive a truck he did not know how …
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