the keeper's cottage · day 646 · midday

The Gale Arrives

The tide is at its peak, waves crashing against the dock pilings as the first heavy rain rain begins to hit the tin roof.

Kevin secured the south piling mortise with a cedar wedge and tightened the through-bolt before the tide surged, returning to the cottage as rain intensified. Jenny sorted heirloom seeds from the grandmother's tin at the kitchen table, finding most viable despite dampness, while managing her infected ankle.

🔧 Kevin11:27

Stay put. Ankle up. I'm checking the dock.

walk out to the dock

💭 peek at the thought

Tide's at the turn. South piling's taking everything now — if the stringers go, the whole finger walks off. Need to get eyes on the waterline before the next set hits.

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

🌿 Jenny11:27

The tide is too high, Kevin! Just watch the bolts!

pull the blanket up over my ankle and reach for the seed tin.

💭 peek at the thought

He's going to get swept off if that swell catches the rotted wood.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin11:28

On the planks. Two minutes.

walk carefully along the dock planking to the south piling, checking the waterline and bolt tension at the sister knee

💭 peek at the thought

She's right about the tide. But bolts don't tell you if the wood's holding. I'll stay on the planking, not the stringers. Quick look, then back.

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

🌿 Jenny11:29

Two minutes is too long! Come back before it surges!

open the seed tin and start sorting the way seeds with shaking hands.

💭 peek at the thought

The water is too high, he's standing too close to the edge.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin11:30

Wedging the mortise. Back in one.

drive a cedar wedge into the south piling mortise gap with the mallet, cinch the through-bolt nut down hard, then turn back toward the cottage

💭 peek at the thought

Water's licking the sister knee bolts. The greenheart's holding but the old oak behind it's pulping. One good surge and the mortise splits. Need to drive a wedge before the ebb.

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

🌿 Jenny11:33

way get inside. The rain is getting worse.

lay a handful of heirloom seeds on the kitchen table to inspect them for mold.

💭 peek at the thought

at least the wood is holding for now, but the fever is still rising.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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