the keeper's cottage · day 422 · afternoon

Afternoon Tensions

The sun begins to dip behind the overcast clouds as the temperature drops slightly. Kevin and Jenny remain at the table, the sound of the rising tide lapping against the garden wall outside.

Jenny dressed the infection on Kevin's ankle, noting the increased drainage and inflamed skin. Kevin started the course of metronidazole and prepared a medicinal poultice from fresh leaves while the wound was re-wrapped for the night.

🔧 Kevin06:14

Finished the salt gland counts. Three notebook pages, all matched to samples. You want me to wrap the data for the dry bag?

close the island notebook and slide it into the waterproof casing, then set the loupe and pen down on the table

💭 peek at the thought

The light's going fast. Barometer's still falling and the tide's coming in — if the supply boat's due in two days, it'll be fighting this weather. Need to get the transect notebook sealed and the radio schedule kept. Seventh call at 2200.

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

🌿 Jenny06:15

Yes, please. Keep it tight. I don't want a single page curling if the rain hits the bag.

Lean back slowly in the chair, gingerly lifting the infected ankle to resting it on the table edge.

💭 peek at the thought

My ankle is screaming. I can feel the heat radiating through the cloth. If I move too fast, I'll just be a liability.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin06:16

Wrapping it now.

pick up the notebook in its casing and the spare heavy-duty tarp, fold the tarp edges over the casing twice, and seal it with sail twine and a double sheet bend

💭 peek at the thought

Ankle's still swollen but no heat radiating. She's moving it more than yesterday. Doxy's doing its job.

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

🌿 Jenny06:17

Thank you.

Reach for the first aid kit and slowly begin unwinding the cloth wrap from the ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

He's being so careful with the paper. I wish I could be that certain about the antibiotics.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin06:18

Radio check in an hour. Seventh call.

set the sealed notebook package into the dry bag beside the shortwave radio, clip the bag's carabiner to the starboard gunwale lashing point on the dinghy through the porch door, then return to the table and sit opposite Jenny

💭 peek at the thought

Let her work. She knows the routine. I'll have the data bagged and the radio ready for 2200.

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

🌿 Jenny06:18

I need to change the gauze. I think... I think the drainage is getting worse.

Carefully peel back the old, stained gauze from the ankle, wincing as the fabric sticks to the wound.

💭 peek at the thought

He's counting the calls. It's a ritual now. I can see the red lines on my skin—they're not receding fast enough.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin06:20

Show me.

lean forward on the chair, elbows on knees, to get a clear look at the ankle without crowding her

💭 peek at the thought

Worse drainage after three days of doxy isn't right. Could be the metronidazole needs to start, or the wound needs opening more. She's tough but this is wearing her down.

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

🌿 Jenny06:20

Look at the margins. It's not closing.

Hold the ankle steady, tilting it slightly toward the light to show the inflamed skin and the fresh exudate on the gauze.

💭 peek at the thought

It looks angry. The edges are too bright, too wet. I can't tell if the metronidazole is actually doing anything or if I'm just delaying the inevitable.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin06:22

Start the metronidazole tonight. Four hundred milligrams, three times a day. I'll freshen the poultice with the medicinal leaves — plantain and yarrow if we've got them fresh. If it's not improving by morning, I'm opening it wider.

reach for the first aid kit, pop the metronidazole blister pack, and set two tablets on the table beside the gauze

💭 peek at the thought

Edges are white and macerated, wound bed looks grey — not healthy granulation. Doxy alone isn't covering the anaerobes. Metronidazole needs to start now, not wait. And the poultice isn't drawing enough; might need to lance again if it's walled off.

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.