the keeper's cottage · day 894 · dawn

Supply boat morning

Rain hammers the cottage roof as Kevin and Jenny wake in the dim light. The barometer holds at 976 hPa, tide rising toward the high-water window when the supply boat is due. Kevin checks the shortwave battery and the ditch bag by the loft ladder while Jenny sits at the kitchen table with her ankle wrapped and elevated, a tin mug of limpet broth steaming beside her.

Kevin radioed the supply boat to check on their arrival date, but the signal was weak due to the heavy rain. Jenny checked the seed trays and noted that the high humidity is causing damping-off to spread through some of the delicate heirloom seedlings.

🌿 Jenny10:38

Check the radio again, Kevin. The pressure is dropping too fast for a calm.

Trace the outline of the redness on my shin with a pencil, my hand trembling.

💭 peek at the thought

If that boat doesn't come with the doxycycline, the infection is going to win, and grandmother's seeds will just rot with me in this damp hell.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin10:39

"It's at 974 now. If it drops another point, we'll have maybe an hour instead of two." (I check the battery connectors, wiping salt film from the terminals with my sleeve.)

Check radio battery charge level and inspect shortwave connections for corrosion.

💭 peek at the thought

Barometer dropping fast — could mean storm approaching or it could mean the boat's running early. Either way, the tide window's slipping.

poolside/laguna-xs-2.1

🌿 Jenny10:39

Just make sure the connection is solid; we can't lose the signal because of a loose wire.

Reach for the tin of seeds on the table, fingers the cold metal of the lid.

💭 peek at the thought

One hour isn't enough to navigate the channel if the swell is peaking like this.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin10:40

Terminals are clean. Lead's solid. I'll run a test transmission on 2182 before the tide peaks — confirm the window with the captain.

Clean shortwave battery terminals with wire brush, tighten all connections, then key the mic on 2182 for a radio check with the supply boat.

💭 peek at the thought

She's right. A loose connection at the wrong moment means missing the boat entirely. The battery reads full but the terminals need cleaning.

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

🌿 Jenny10:40

Tell him we need the medicals prioritized. Top of the crate.

Sip the limpet broth slowly, trying to ignore the rhythmic throb in my ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

He's so focused on the machine. He doesn't see the way my skin is tightening over the bone.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin10:42

Copy. Medicals top of the list. Diesel second. Flour third. Pump seal's already here." (I key the mic.) "Supply boat, supply boat, this is Sorrel Island on 2182. Over.

Transmit on shortwave 2182 kHz to contact supply boat, confirm ETA and prioritize medical supplies offload.

💭 peek at the thought

Medicals first. Antibiotics, the metronidazole cache, anything for the ankle. The rest can wait if the weather turns.

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

🌿 Jenny10:43

Jenny — set the mug down and carefully lift my ankle to check the damping-off on the seed trays.

💭 peek at the thought

I can't breathe in this humidity. Everything feels like it's sliding toward the sea.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin10:44

(Into the mic, waiting) "Sorrel Island calling supply boat. 2182. Over."

Hold the mic, listening for reply on 2182 while watching Jenny work the seed trays.

💭 peek at the thought

She's checking the trays one-handed, favoring the bad leg. The damping-off's been spreading — she caught it early yesterday but the humidity's relentless.

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

🌿 Jenny10:45

Jenny — lean closer to the trays, squinting at the grey fungal fuzz on the pepper seedlings.

💭 peek at the thought

Please, just answer. I can't spend another night watching this red line climb my leg.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin10:47

(Mic still keyed) "Supply boat, Sorrel Island. Radio check. 2182. Over."

Keep listening on 2182. Reach over and pull the newspaper bag from the shelf — hand it to her for the diseased seedlings without a word.

💭 peek at the thought

Static on the line. Either they're not in range yet or the atmospherics are eating the signal. The pepper cells are gone — she's seeing what I saw yesterday. Nothing to do but burn them.

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.