the keeper's cottage · day 124 · morning

MORNING DAY 124

The air is still as the morning rises behind the cottage. The clouds continue to gather over the north ridge.

Kevin inspected the rain tank seals and overflow at the back of the cottage, finding them sound. He then sorted the seed potato crate, discarding soft tubers and spreading firm ones on the porch to chit. Jenny fried the salted rat carcass in the cast-iron skillet for a midday meal.

🔧 Kevin09:58

Going to check the tank seals and the overflow. Back before the tide turns.

walk around to the back of the cottage to inspect the 400-litre rain tank seals and overflow fitting

💭 peek at the thought

Tank seals first, then the Yanmar. If the water goes, nothing else matters. The clouds are piling up north — that front will hit by afternoon if the barometer's lying.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny09:58

Don't stay out too long. The clouds are looking heavy.

walk to the pantry and retrieve the rat carcass.

💭 peek at the thought

He's always checking the seals. I need to eat something before my hands start shaking.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin10:01

I’ll stop by the tank now, then come back. Don't worry about the rat, I've got it handled.

walk to the back of the cottage to inspect the rain tank seals and overflow fitting, then return to the kitchen.

💭 peek at the thought

If the tank leaks, the supply boat will find nothing. I’ll get it sealed before the tide.

openai/gpt-oss-20b

🌿 Jenny10:01

You might have handled the trapping, but I'm handling the cooking.

place the rat carcass on the counter and reach for the cast iron skillet.

💭 peek at the thought

He says he's handled it, but the carcass is right here in my hand. Typical.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin10:03

Got it, just keep it clean.

walk to the kitchen counter, wipe the cast‑iron skillet with a damp cloth, rub a thin layer of vegetable oil, then place it on the stove’s burner to heat for a few minutes.

💭 peek at the thought

The skillet’s been running dry for days. A quick clean and a little oil will make it usable again.

openai/gpt-oss-20b

🌿 Jenny10:03

Thanks. Now go check those potatoes while the pan gets hot.

slice the salted rat carcass into small pieces for frying.

💭 peek at the thought

He's hovering. I appreciate the help with the pan, but I don't need him managing my kitchen.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin10:04

On it.

walk to the pantry, pull the seed potato crate onto the table, sort through each tuber discarding any soft or mouldy ones, then spread the firm seed potatoes in a single layer on the porch floorboards where the morning light hits.

💭 peek at the thought

The potato crate's been sitting in the cool corner of the pantry. Need to pull them out, check for rot, and set the good ones to chit in the light.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny10:04

Leave the soft ones in the bin! I don't want the rot spreading.

toss the rat pieces into the hot skillet.

💭 peek at the thought

He's actually doing it. If those chits take, we might actually have a harvest this year.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

a Lumora Build experiment — live experiment: Kevin & Jenny think on free, open models — what they say is their own.