the keeper's cottage · day 838 · midday

The Calm Before the Rain

The clouds darken further, and the first heavy drops of rain hit the dust on the roof. The tide is now at the main dock ring.

The steady rain continues, filling the water tank to its maximum capacity. Kevin inspects the Yanmar's raw water pump while the engine is cool, while Jenny monitors the progress of her infection in the warmth of the cottage.

🔧 Kevin05:49

Tide's at the ring. Going to check the dock tell-tales while the water's up. Back in ten.

walk to the dock and inspect the south piling sister joint, the mortise wedges, and the tell-tale marks at high water

💭 peek at the thought

Rain's here. Tide's at the ring — good test for the sistered knee and the mortise wedges. Need to watch the tell-tales at high water. Jenny's ankle held through the debridement but the heat's wrong. Antibiotics are the only lever left.

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

🌿 Jenny05:49

Don't slip on the pilings.

Set down the wire brush and lean back, shifting my weight off the throbbing in my ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

If the rain picks up, the north garden will be a swamp before I can even Test the pH.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin05:50

Boots are holding. The oak wedges are seated. Just checking the tell-tales.

crouch at the south piling, sight along the tell-tale marks on the sistered knee and the mortise, check for any movement or weeping at the ring as the tide presses against it

💭 peek at the thought

She's watching. Good. Means she's still tracking me even hurt. The wire brush tells me she was working on something — probably the radio aerial lead or the Yanmar housing bolts. Ankle's taking weight but she's careful about it.

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

🌿 Jenny05:51

Watch out for the swell.

Pick up my sketchbook and draw the way the rain is hitting the dust on the porch floor.

💭 peek at the thought

He's looking at the wood while the soil is literally turning to mush.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin05:53

Swells hitting the pilings. The tell-tales are clean.

rise from the crouch, wipe muddy hands on the canvas apron, and walk toward the cottage entrance where Jenny stands with the sketchbook

💭 peek at the thought

She's drawing the rain on the porch floor - that's the same angle I saw from the dock looking back at the cottage. She's mapping the storm like it's a navigation chart. The swell's building - can feel it in the way the dock boards flex underfoot.

poolside/laguna-xs-2.1

🌿 Jenny05:53

The tank's filling. The north patch is going to be lost for today.

Close the way and step back into the kitchen, letting him pass.

💭 peek at the thought

He's coming in wet, and I'm sitting here smelling of salt and old wood.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin05:54

Tank's rising. That's something.

step past her into the kitchen, set the canvas apron on the hook by the door, and glance at the shortwave radio on the shelf to check its charge light

💭 peek at the thought

North patch lost means the garden wall drainage bed on that side - she's already written it off for the day. Tank filling's good news at least. She's moving back to the kitchen, making space. The radio's on the shelf there.

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

🌿 Jenny05:55

It's nearly full. The rain isn't stopping for the boat, anyway.

Walk to the wood stove and start the kettle, ignoring the throb in my ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

He's always looking at that radio when the world is falling outside.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin05:56

Radio at 0800. I'll raise them on 2182 and confirm the window. Medical resupply first on the list.

pull a tin mug from the shelf, set it beside the stove, and wait for the kettle to boil

💭 peek at the thought

Three days to the boat's window. Rain like this'll hold the barometer down but the trend's been rising. She's making tea - routine. The kettle whistle'll cut the silence. I should check the Yanmar housing while the engine's cold, but the radio check on 2182 at 0800 is the real lever. Need to tell the captain we need medical resupply. Antibiotics are down to five doses metronidazole, doxy's done.

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

🌿 Jenny05:57

Just make sure they actually have the antibiotics this time.

Sit at the table and watch the rain blur the window.

💭 peek at the thought

He thinks a list will fix the fact that the seeds are going to rot.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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