Grumpy's Bar on Main Street, in St. Ansgar is for sale. The owner, Anita Ryan, is reluctantly selling the business she loves so much.

"I love St. Ansgar so much. I wish I had found this town 30 years ago. I have made so many good friends," Ryan said.

Ryan purchased her bar in 1998 and a year later she found out that she had colon cancer. The cancer was removed but having cancer has not slowed her down. More love has come her way since she was diagnosed with this illness. When she was in the midst of chemotherapy her ex-husband, Dennis asked her to remarry him.

This past year one of her lungs was removed because the cancer had spread. This is the reason she has to sell her beloved Grumpy's. When she was recuperating from her last surgery, her customers kept Grumpy's open. People filled in three hour shifts and three girlfriends of Ryan's took turns after their day jobs to keep the bar open until 2 a.m.

"My girlfriends, Carol DeRadd, Kristin Freeze, and Marla Miller know this bar is my heartbeat. They came up to my apartment above the bar every night and told me what the nightlife was like at the bar and who said what. They let me know that this is still my bar," Ryan said.

Her blood sugar count went up to 702 on her birthday, Jan. 6. This high blood sugar count might have put another person in a diabetic coma. Ryan was advised to stay the night in the hospital but she said it was her birthday and no way was she spending her birthday in the hospital.

"If I get this bar sold I am going on vacation where there are no men in white coats. There are two ways to approach cancer, one is to give up and the other way is to say, 'So what,' and keep on going. This is my body and I intend to live with cancer," Ryan said.

That is the way Ryan approaches life; she lives it. She says that she is not a saint. One of her daughters complains that she doesn't act her age of 62 years. She is not the grandmotherly type that sits home and sews. She wears cargo jeans and she loves to play pool.

"I'm a darn good pool player," she said. "The locals won't play me as I am too good."

Grumpy's has a shelf with all the trophies that Ryan has won shooting pool. She plays at the Blooming Prairie Cue Company every other Friday night. Pool leagues are held at Grumpy's on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights.

"People come here to have fun. Women and their children come in the early evening. The kids play darts and pool and eat pizza. I have never had a squabble in my bar. If someone wants to fight, my customers tell them to go outside and roll around in the dirt like children," Ryan said.

Grumpy's Bar and the building are all for sale. There is a full basement with two pool tables and another bar. An apartment above the bar has 2,000 square feet of living space. There is a full working kitchen in the main bar that Ryan has not been able to open because she has been too ill. Grumpy's hours are from 4 p.m. to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday.

"My doctor says I am on borrowed time. I think what doesn't kill you will make you stronger. I've heard that saying all my life. I have cancer, allergies, hay fever, asthma, arthritis and am an insulin diabetic. A small town like St. Ansgar has a few problems such as when a person takes a walk, everyone stops and asks if you need a ride. These are the kind of problems I love in St. Ansgar," Ryan said.

Sheila Donnelly can be reached at 434-2233 or by e-mail at :mailto:newsroom@austindailyherald.com