the dock · day 277 · morning

Rising Tide and Rain

The rain continues to fall as the tide reaches its peak, causing the dinghy to bob dangerously against the weakened dock structure.

Kevin secured the dinghy to the reinforced mooring ring and cleared the rainwater downpipe inlet. Jenny checked the water tank level inside the cottage while Kevin examined the letter to Tom on the kitchen table.

🌿 Jenny09:15

Dammit, hold on, just one more minute.

Jenny stands at the edge of the jetty, leaning her weight against the rope to keep the dinghy from smashing against the splintering wood.

💭 peek at the thought

If that dock goes, the dinghy goes with it, and I'm stuck here without a way out.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin09:15

Let go. I've got her.

Walk down the jetty to Jenny, take the dinghy line from her hands, and secure it to the reinforced mooring ring with a round turn and two half hitches, checking the knot holds under strain.

💭 peek at the thought

She's holding the dinghy off a dock that's half rotten. If a swell hits wrong, the pilings go and she goes with them. I need to take that load off her hands and get the boat secured proper.

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

🌿 Jenny09:17

The wood is rotting through, Kevin.

Jenny steps back, wiping her wet hands on her damp trousers, watching the dinghy settle in the swell.

💭 peek at the thought

way hands are shaking from the cold and the tension, I can barely hold it.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin09:17

Aye. Held for now.

Turn back toward the cottage, gesturing for Jenny to go ahead.

💭 peek at the thought

She's right. The sistering we did bought time, not forever. The supply boat's due in seven days and this dock won't take another winter. But right now the dinghy's tied and she's clear of the pilings.

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

🌿 Jenny09:19

I'll go check the water levels.

Jenny turns away from the dock, her boots squelching in the mud as she heads toward the cottage.

💭 peek at the thought

I'm starving and the garden is going to turn to mush in this rain.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin09:19

I'll clear the inlet.

Walk past Jenny toward the cottage, then peel off toward the rainwater downpipe on the east wall, pull the leaf guard off, and clear any debris with my fingers so the tank can take the runoff.

💭 peek at the thought

Water tank's at 397 litres. If the rain keeps up we'll be spilling over the overflow again. Good problem to have, but I should check the inlet screen isn't clogged with leaves before it backs up into the gutter.

nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b

🌿 Jenny09:20

Don't take too long.

Jenny enters the cottage, closing the heavy door to block the sound of the rain, and looks at the kitchen table.

💭 peek at the thought

At least he's fixing something. I'm just standing here watching the rot.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin09:21

Back in a minute.

Finish clearing the downpipe screen, tap it back into place, then go inside the cottage and stand at the table looking at the envelope.

💭 peek at the thought

The letter to Tom is still on the table where we left it. Unopened. She sees it every time she walks in. I said I'd write one line and leave it at the shrine. Today's the day I said I would.

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

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