It’s been a quiet summer here...

It’s been a quiet summer here, and I know many of you have wondered about our absence.  Please pardon my fumbling while I do my best to explain.

On July 8, we lost Pete – my Favorite Person and beloved husband, but also a son, brother, friend, and father. Sometimes grumpy, but mostly not, Pete showed us all how to live, laugh, and love with honesty and integrity. Words cannot begin to express how devastating this loss has been.

Though I haven’t updated the website as often as I should, OC&C is still very much active. My daughter Sarah, whom some of you have met at shows, has been a tremendous help lately. We have two fall shows planned, and with Oliver joining us, it may be a challenge, but we’ll see how things unfold and make decisions about the future this winter.

Oliver has stepped up his protection game. Yeah, imagine that. Poor guy has no idea where the tall, skinny guy he called Dad has gone, but has taken on his role as “man of the house”.    He came with us to Fonda last week and did wonderfully; we’re hopeful for what’s ahead.

We still have coins in stock and plan to keep selling them until they’re gone. Feel free to make me an offer! While I’m knowledgeable about coins, and I’ll admit I don’t have Pete’s expertise - but I won’t be easily bamboozled.

Our work at the Fonda claim continues. Sarah visited for the first time last week and opened a mini pocket—she’s hooked and eager to return. Unfortunately for me, my #batrachophobia was triggered without Pete to capture, toss, and chase them all away. Little did I know how very many he kept me from seeing.

My studio work has all but stopped. I used to rise at 3:00 or 3:30 AM to get a few hours in before Pete and Oliver woke up. Now, Oliver wakes with me and sticks by my side, which is both good and bad.

We’re learning and growing as we go. Thank you to our friends and followers for your unwavering support. If you see us out and Oliver is near, please don’t try to approach him—or even me, if he can see you. He’s very protective and just Knows you mean harm.

My advice to everyone – hold your loved ones close, tell someone if you aren’t feeling well, and go to the doctor when you don’t feel quite right. Maybe he could have prevented this or maybe not, I will always wonder how long he felt like crap before I noticed. 

I miss his sense of humor and our long standing jokes, his ability to quote random song lyrics and scenes from movies, heck – I even miss canning tomatoes!  Yup, I just said that.   Most of all, I miss his steady support and belief in me. He was my biggest cheerleader, and, when needed, my harshest critic. I’ve grown as a miner, a jeweler, a coin dealer, and, I hope, as a friend.

The days have felt heavy, the silence stretching in unfamiliar ways, as we navigate a new reality.  Please join us in cherishing his memory and continuing his work as we move forward with love.  

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