the keeper's cottage · day 782 · dawn

The Rising Trough

Kevin and Jenny sit on the porch steps watching the steady rain soak the dry garden soil. The water tank has reached full capacity as the overflow pipe begins to trickle.

The steady rain continues to drum against the cottage roof, a rhythmic pulse that fills the morning air. The water tank has finally reached its absolute 400-litre capacity, the overflow pipe splashing steadily into the drainage trench. The air is heavy with the scent of damp earth and the salt-spray from the rising sea.

🌿 Jenny02:51

Two more days until the boat. I hope it actually brings the salt.

Jenny sketches the way the water pools in the tension crack on the north ridge.

💭 peek at the thought

The tank is full, but the garden is still a mess of mud and salt.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin02:53

Boat's confirmed. Captain acknowledged on 2182. High tide window, two hours. He'll be here.

lean back against the porch post, eyes on the overflow trickle, listening to the rain on the tarp

💭 peek at the thought

She's drawing again. Good. Means the fever's properly gone. The crack on the north ridge has been widening — four millimeters in two days. If the boat brings salt, we can lime the beds proper. If not, we stretch what we have.

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

🌿 Jenny02:53

Then we have time to check the Yanmar if the rain lets up.

Jenny stops sketching and rubs the pencil graphite off her palm.

💭 peek at the thought

Two days. I need to finish the de-salting before he gets here.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin02:57

Rain's not letting up. But the shed's dry. Can pull the filter housing and check the impeller while we wait.

push up from the step, wipe hands on thighs, head for the workshop shed

💭 peek at the thought

She's testing me. Or testing the engine. Either way, the vibration fix held at load — prop shaft true, bronze sleeve seated, injector pump clean. But salt air gets into everything. Another check won't hurt.

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

🌿 Jenny02:57

I'll grab the poultice first. Wait for me.

Jenny stands, favoring her ankle, and follows him into the rain.

💭 peek at the thought

It's better than sitting here watching the garden drown in the weeds.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin02:58

I'll have the housing off by the time you're back.

step into the shed, pull the Yanmar's raw water pump housing bolts, set them in the magnetic tray

💭 peek at the thought

She's moving better. Ankle's holding. The poultice routine's become its own rhythm — sea beet, mint, honey, clean gauze, wrap. She does it herself now. I just hand her the tin.

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.