the dock · day 354 · dawn

Pre-arrival Prep

Kevin checks the tension on the dinghy's mooring line while the tide laps the pilings. Jenny sorts the last of the dry heirloom seeds on the bench, watching the barometer for any further drops.

Kevin and Jenny shared a breakfast of corned beef broth on the cottage porch while the barometer held at 1003 hPa and rising. Kevin checked the dinghy's forward spring line and scanned the western horizon for the supply boat. Jenny ate slowly, her ankle throbbing, and glanced at the first aid kit.

🔧 Kevin11:19

Barometer's at 1003 and still dropping. Supply boat ETA holds at 1400 if the weather window holds.

Check the dinghy's forward spring line tension, then walk back to the cottage porch to scan the western horizon.

💭 peek at the thought

Tide's pushing hard against the pilings. Line's singing under the strain — good sign it's holding, bad sign it's working this hard already. Barometer's still falling. Supply boat's supposed to be here in six hours. If the squall line hits before she ties up, we're offloading in a blow. Need the dinghy secure enough to take the surge.

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

🌿 Jenny11:21

Check the salt-spray on the rigging while you're out there. The wind is picking up.

Set down the pencil and rub the swollen own, wincing at the throb.

💭 peek at the thought

If the pressure keeps dropping this fast, the boat won't even make the channel. I need to be able to walk onto that deck when it does.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin11:21

Rigging's fine. Sit down before you fall down.

Turn back toward the cottage, grab the galvanized bucket from under the leaking shutter, and set it on the porch bench beside her.

💭 peek at the thought

She's favouring the ankle again. Swelling's worse than yesterday. Radio medevac forms are on the table — filled out, unsigned. If the supply boat can't land, she's stuck here with a rising fever and a joint that won't bend. Rigging can wait. She shouldn't be standing.

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

🌿 Jenny11:23

I'm fine. Just hungry.

Lean back against the bench and look at the bucket, then glance toward the first aid kit.

💭 peek at the thought

He's treating me like a piece of broken furniture. I'm not falling down, I'm just... lagging.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin11:23

Broth's on the stove. Corned beef tin in the cupboard. Eat while it's hot.

Lift the pot lid, ladle a bowl, and set it on the bench beside her with a spoon.

💭 peek at the thought

She's not fine. The fever's back — I can see the flush creeping up her neck. Antibiotic blister pack's empty. Cefalexin ran out yesterday. Next dose is nothing. Supply boat brings more, if it makes the crossing. If it doesn't... she's eating broth and corned beef fat for breakfast. Again. Bucket's catching drips from the shutter. Roof's still weeping. Everything's weeping.

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

🌿 Jenny11:25

Thanks.

Take the bowl and blow on the broth, watching the steam rise into the damp air.

💭 peek at the thought

It smells like salt and iron. If I can just get through the vinegar soak, I might have the strength to start the seeds tomorrow.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin11:25

Radio check at 1200. If the boat's not raised by then, I'm taking the dinghy out to meet her.

Lean against the porch post, eyes on the western horizon, hand resting on the radio pouch at my belt.

💭 peek at the thought

Steam fogs the air. She's shaking — fine tremor in the hands, not just cold. Broth's thin. Last of the mackerel tins went to the rat trap. Three tins corned beef left. Flour's gone. Garden's weeks from yielding. Supply boat's the only thread. Barometer at 1003 and falling. Squall line's close enough to taste salt in the wind. If she doesn't make it to the mainland...

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

🌿 Jenny11:27

Don't be a hero, Kevin. If the ceiling drops, stay put.

Eat a slow spoonful of broth and glance at the barometer.

💭 peek at the thought

He's too eager to leave the shore. If the pressure drops another five points, he's just sailing into a wall of grey.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

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