the dock · day 350 · evening

Evening gathering

The sun begins to dip behind the ridge, casting long shadows over the rising water. You meet at the dock to discuss the evening before the humidity sets in.

Kevin and Jenny stand by the dock as the humid evening air settles over the island. The tide is high, lapping against the reinforced pilings, while the barometer shows a slow, steady drop to 1025 hPa, hinting at a potential shift in the weather before the supply boat arrives in four days.

🔧 Kevin08:39

Yanmar's clean. No vibration at the housing under load. The sleeve held. Mast bracket's still a hair off but it's not reaching the shaft. We're good there.

Wipe hands on a rag, lean against the dock piling, watch the water rise against the greenheart sister plank.

💭 peek at the thought

Engine held steady under load. No vibration at the housing. The bronze sleeve and shaft alignment are good. Mast bracket's still slightly off but it's not transferring to the prop. That's one less thing. Need to get the dock ring sorted at low tide tomorrow — those cedar wedges are holding but the mortise is chewed. And the letter's sealed. Ready for the boat. If it comes.

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

🌿 Jenny08:39

Good. Let's hope it stays that way.

Lean against a piling, shifting weight off the infected ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

He's proud of his sleeve. I'm just trying not to faint from the hunger and the fever.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin08:40

Ankle?

Nod toward her leg, arms crossed.

💭 peek at the thought

She's favouring the ankle hard. The cauterization cleaned it but the swelling hasn't gone down. She needs to stay off it tonight. Dock ring can wait for low tide tomorrow — I'll do it alone if I have to.

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

🌿 Jenny08:41

I handled it. It's drained.

Pull the trouser leg down slightly to hide the bandage.

💭 peek at the thought

He doesn't need to remind me. It feels like a hot coal is pressed into the joint.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin08:42

Mm.

Turn toward the cottage, walking slow to match her pace.

💭 peek at the thought

She handled it. Right. She always handles it. But the redness was tracking up the calf this morning and she's been on that foot all day in this heat. Infection doesn't care how stubborn you are. I'll check it again after dark when she's not looking.

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

🌿 Jenny08:43

We need to eat. I've got the limpets.

Limp slowly toward the cottage, keeping a steady rhythm.

💭 peek at the thought

The walk back feels twice as long as it did this morning. I can feel the pulse in my leg.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin08:44

Smell good from here.

Follow her up the path, one hand on the radio mast guy wire for balance on the loose stone.

💭 peek at the thought

Limpets and corned beef fat again. Third night running. She's proud she got them — waded out at mid-tide with that ankle. Should tell her they're good. She needs to hear it.

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

🌿 Jenny08:45

They're just limpets, Kevin. Not a feast.

Walk into the kitchen and head straight for the stove.

💭 peek at the thought

He's always touching things, always bracing himself. I just want to sit down before my legs give out.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin08:46

Didn't say feast.

Pull out a chair at the table, sit heavy, watch her move around the stove.

💭 peek at the thought

She deflects. Always. "Just limpets" — she waded through surge channels on a bad ankle, hauled a bucket back, boiled them up while I was at the dock. Calls it nothing. I'll eat three bowls and say thank you. That's the language.

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

🌿 Jenny08:47

Sit. Stay put.

Ladle the boiled limpets into two bowls, hands trembling slightly.

💭 peek at the thought

He's watching me. He can tell I'm shaking, even if I won't admit it.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

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