the dock · day 318 · dawn

Ebb tide shims and vibration chase

Mist clings to the pilings as the tide turns, water still lapping the greenheart planks where Kevin and Jenny stand with mallet and shims ready. The Yanmar sits mounted on the dinghy aft, its housing bolts torqued and the bronze sleeve pressed true, waiting for a load test once the dock work is done. Jenny's notebook is tucked under her arm, the Carex transect data complete, and she carries a handful of heirloom seed packets toward the garden path.

Kevin inspected the mooring ring and found the oak wedges holding but the ring shifted slightly; he walked the dock to the north piling toe and confirmed the scour void and temporary spruce braces. Jenny planted the first tomato seed in the prepared garden bed and continued with the next seeds.

🔧 Kevin01:12

You going to plant those today?

Walk toward the mooring ring to inspect the oak wedges and bronze sleeve, mallet in hand.

💭 peek at the thought

The north piling’s worse than I thought—water’s eating right through the void. I’ve got the greenheart shim ready, but I need to wait for the lowest ebb to drive it proper. Jenny’s got the seed packets; she’s heading to the garden. I should check the mooring ring first—those oak wedges might’ve shifted again with the tide.

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

🌿 Jenny01:13

Maybe. The soil is soft enough for now.

Walk to the garden bed, kneel in the dirt, and open the first packet of heirloom seeds.

💭 peek at the thought

If I don't do it now, the humidity will take them just like it did the basil.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin01:14

I’ll check the ring first. Then the shim at low water.

Crouch at the mooring ring, tap the oak wedges with the mallet to test if they’re holding, eye the bronze sleeve for movement.

💭 peek at the thought

She’s moving slow. Knees stiff again. The barometer’s still falling—rain’ll be here by afternoon. I’ll check the ring, drive the shim on the ebb, then get the Yanmar under load in the dinghy. Letter to Tom’s sealed in my pocket. Supply boat’s due in six days. If the dock holds, it’ll tie up. If not…

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

🌿 Jenny01:15

way be careful not to split the grain further.

Poke a small hole in the earth with a finger and drop in the first tomato seed.

💭 peek at the thought

He's focused on the wood while I'm looking at the life cycle.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin01:17

Wedges are tight. Ring’s moved a fraction. I’ll drive the shim when the water drops.

Stand, wipe the mallet head on my trousers, and walk the dock planks to the north piling toe to check the scour void and the temporary spruce braces.

💭 peek at the thought

She’s right—the greenheart’s dense, but the piling’s old. Wedges split if you rush. I’ll drive the shim slow, let the wood take it. The ring’s shifted a hair—oak’s holding but the mortise is worn. Might need a second bronze sleeve if the tide don’t settle it.

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

🌿 Jenny01:17

Don't let the tide catch you out.

Cover the seed with loose soil and pat it down gently, reaching for the next seed.

💭 peek at the thought

The island is always shifting, and I'm trying to make it stay still.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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