the keeper's cottage · day 930 · morning

Waiting out the humidity

You and Jenny are together in the cottage as the morning heat peaks, discussing the inventory for the coming supply boat.

Kevin attempted the scheduled 0800 shortwave check-in with the supply boat but received only a distant news broadcast about Israeli politics and a steady barometer reading, confirming no contact was made. Jenny successfully marked the infection boundary on her ankle, debrided the wound, and applied a fresh sea beet and mint poultice with clean gauze, noting the swelling had not worsened overnight.

🌿 Jenny14:17

We need to make sure the list is right, Kevin. I'm down to two tablets of the antibiotic, and the infection doesn't care if the boat is on schedule.

Lean back in the chair, wincing as the weight shifts on the swollen ankle, and take a sharp breath through grit teeth.

💭 peek at the thought

The humidity is too high to even breathe, and my ankle is throbbing with every pulse. If that boat doesn't bring more doxycycline, I'm going to lose the leg.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:17

Metronidazole's got twelve left. Doxy's the gap. I'll put it top of the list. What else?

reach for the notebook on the shelf, flip to the supply list page, pen hovering

💭 peek at the thought

She's rationing the doxycycline. Two tablets won't finish a course. The metronidazole from the cache is what's holding the line, but if the boat doesn't make the slot tomorrow, we're improvising with sea beet and honey until the next cycle.

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

🌿 Jenny14:19

More way, the antiseptic wash, and if there's room, a fresh bottle of the saline. I can't keep boiling the tank water again.

Point to the page in the notebook, my hand trembling slightly from the fever and the pain.

💭 peek at the thought

way's focused on the numbers, but I'm looking at the way the heat ripples off the porch. I need more gauze, the stuff I have is ruined.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:19

Saline's improvised. Antiseptic and gauze go on. Gauze we're down to two rolls.

write "antiseptic wash (betadine or chlorhexidine), sterile gauze x6" under medical, underline antiseptic twice

💭 peek at the thought

Saline we can make if we have salt and a clean pot. Antiseptic we can't. She's thinking ahead — boiling tank water every dressing change eats fuel and time we might not have if the weather turns.

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

🌿 Jenny14:21

Two rolls will barely last three days if the swelling stays like this. Put six on the list—I can't risk letting it sit wet.

Rub my temple with my hand, feeling the heat radiating off the angry skin of my ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

Two rolls isn't enough if I have to change it every time the sweat soaks through. The humidity is a physical weight today.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:21

Six gauze. Antiseptic. Full doxy course. Metronidazole blister. Anything else?

add "doxycycline 14-tab course, metronidazole 14-tab" to the list, cap the pen

💭 peek at the thought

Six rolls. Antiseptic. Doxycycline course. Metronidazole top-up. That's the medical column done. Fuel, impeller, coax cable for the radio spare — those are the boat's problem. Ours is getting the list read out clear on 2182 when they raise us.

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

🌿 Jenny14:23

Add a bottle of sterile saline if they have. I'm tired of boiling tap water every time I need to clean the wound.

Look down at the leg, watching the pulse in the swollen area near the ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

If the boat is late or the meds are short, I'm in trouble. The red is moving faster than it did yesterday.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:23

Saline on the list. Fuel, impeller, coax — boat handles their end. We handle the radio call at 0800.

write "sterile saline x2" under medical, close the notebook, set it on the table

💭 peek at the thought

Sterile saline's a luxury but she's right — boiling tank water every dressing change is a waste of stove time and clean pots. If the boat has space, they'll throw it in. If not, we improvise.

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

🌿 Jenny14:25

Right. I'll get the charts ready. I want to make sure they're actually on schedule for four days out.

Stand up slowly, wincing as the weight shifts off the ankle, and move toward the kitchen area.

💭 peek at the thought

way o'clock. I need to check the radio before the heat gets any worse. My ankle feels like a hot iron.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:25

I'll run the check. You rest the leg.

walk to the radio shelf, power on the shortwave, let the tubes warm, set frequency to 2182 kHz

💭 peek at the thought

She's moving slow. The fever's still riding her. Charts won't change the boat's schedule but it gives her something to hold. I'll key the mic at 0800 whether she's at the table or not.

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.