Missing Grandma Stein

(Glad we took this picture taken when we did. 4 generations of Stein's. Me, my dad, Grandma Phyllis, Grandpa Stacey, and Bailey. This was taken a couple months ago at the care home in Imperial, SK, just outside my hometown of Simpson. Grandma had been battling cancer, but it still felt very sudden when she passed away this past Friday afternoon. I'm not sure there was or ever will be a sweeter lady in the world. She turned 85 exactly one month before she passed, and her and Grandpa were 2 weeks short of their 59th Anniversary.)

It was a tough weekend for me personally. Got a phone call at work about 9:00 am Friday, that Grandma wasn't doing well, and she likely wouldn't be with us after the weekend. I finished my morning sports shift at work, got home at 4:30, which was regretably about 90 minutes too late.

Grandma enjoyed watching/listening to Rider games. Me, my wife, and one of my sisters watched the first half of the Riders/Argos game last Saturday, during the long weekend, with my grandparents at the care home. At halftime, it was almost their supper time, we left, Grandma smiled and said 'see you again.' And I really thought we would. We knew her time was short, but things took a fast turn for the worst just after the long weekend. She really wanted harvest to be done, and when my dad finished on Thanksgiving Monday, we went to the hospital to tell her, and she seemed to be doing fine. The next morning she was on oxygen, and she died 3 days later.

Never take family time for granted!

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Grandma's funeral is this Wednesday at 2:00 in Simpson. It of course will change my schedule for the week, but not our broadcast schedule.

We're doing Melville's Nipawin/Melfort trip this Tuesday/Wednesday. My plan is to go with the team to Nipawin... my dad will drive 3 hours to meet me there to go back to the farm, I'll leave the broadcast equipment with the team, and Randy Atkinson and Clark Stork will drive to Melfort for the Wednesday game.

I think that's the best scenario. It's tough for anyone else to do both games, an overnight trip when they have other duties back at the station.

I'll have Wednesday/Thursday off, and be back at work Friday morning, and do the Swan Valley @ Portage game that night.

Busy, hectic, emotional week... but we'll get er done!