Day 507

We need to secure the overflow trench before the rain hits. I'll check the digger bar's still sharp—might need to cut a new channel if the old one's silted.

walk to the back of the cottage, kneel by the overflow trench, inspect the outlet for blockage with gloved hands

I'm just clearing the outlet, love. Won't take long. Tank's at 388—still good, but if the overflow fails, we'll lose more than water.

use hands and digger bar to clear silt and debris from the trench outlet, ensuring water flows freely away from the cottage foundation, then wipe sweat from brow with sleeve and stand slowly, testing weight on both feet

Trench is clear. Water's draining proper. I'll nip down to the dinghy and check that oarlock bracket—saw it shift yesterday when I was mooring.

walk to the dock, crouch beside the dinghy, inspect the starboard oarlock bracket for play or movement by applying pressure with palm and fingers, then tighten the bolts with the wrench if needed, ensuring the backing plate remains seated s

Bracket's tight. No movement. I'll rinse my hands at the tap and come in—limpets should be nearly ready.

rinse hands at the dockside tap, wipe on trousers, walk back to the cottage, enter through the porch, and hang the damp jacket on the hook by the door before stepping into the kitchen

I'm right here. Let me know if you need the bandage passed or the cloth held. I'll keep the stove low—don't want the broth to boil over.

stand near the kitchen table within arm's reach, watch Jenny apply the poultice to her ankle, then silently hand her the clean gauze roll when she reaches for it, maintaining quiet presence without speaking unless asked

Jenny, I’m going to check the overflow trench and make sure it’s still clear. If the rain keeps up, we might need to sandbag the west corner.

walk to the back of the cottage, kneel by the overflow trench, and inspect where it meets the soil — looking for erosion, blockage, or signs of water backing up toward the foundation.

On it. I’ll lay down some of the old dock planks we salvaged — they’re sound, and they’ll keep the water from cutting a new channel.

walk to the rain tank, follow the overflow trench to where it diverges away from the cottage, and begin laying salvaged dock planks along the edge to armor the soil and guide the flow safely downhill.

Got the planks. I’m going to pin them down with the oak stakes from the shed so the water can’t get underneath.

walk to the garden shed, retrieve two oak stakes, return to the overflow diversion point, and drive the stakes through the planks into the soil to anchor them securely, then check that the water is flowing cleanly away from the cottage foun

Kevin — walk along debris line, eyes scanning for heavy, solid objects—logs, bolts, anything that won’t disintegrate in the wet.

Kevin — lift the greenheart offcut, cradle it against my hip, and carry it back to the overflow trench at the cottage foundation.

Jenny! Come help me wedge these before the turn — oak shims in the mortise, then we drive them home as the water rises. It's the only way this holds.

Grab two soaked oak shims from the pile, jam them into the dock mooring ring mortise where it's loose, then brace myself to hold them in place as Jenny arrives.

Hammer's in my belt — take it. Hit the shim flush, hard, seat it into the mortise. I'll hold the piling from kicking out.

Wrench my grip on the piling to stop it from rolling, jaw tight, eyes on the shim as Jenny swings the hammer — drive it home before the rising water breaks our hold.

Second shim — same spot, opposite side. Hit it true, Jenny. We lock it now or we rebuild this whole damn thing next week.

Shift my weight to counter the piling's twist, left hand braced on the wet timber, right hand ready to catch the hammer rebound — eyes locked on the shim as Jenny lifts for the second strike.

Easy… easy… that's it. Hold — don't let go yet. Water's lifting, but the shims are seated. We got it.

Keep my weight locked into the piling, shoulders burning, feel the dock settle under us as the tide peaks — then, slow, ease the pressure, testing if the ring holds on its own.

Limpets are ready. Tide’s coming in—let’s eat before it gets underfoot.

Sit on the damp dock planks, hand Jenny a tin mug of limpet broth, and begin eating slowly, watching the water creep toward the mooring ring.

Yeah, it’s rising fast. Finish your broth—I’ll check the trench again before it gets worse.

Stand, leave my mug on the dock, and walk quickly to the overflow trench behind the cottage, kneeling to inspect where the water’s pooling despite the new channel.

Won’t be long. Just need to make sure the flow’s holding.

Scoop away loose silt from the trench with my hands, then lay a salvaged dock plank lengthwise across the lowest point to reinforce the channel, weighting it with stones from the tide line to keep it from shifting.

Yeah, it’s closing in. Storm’s not far. I’ll shore up the trench one more time, then come back.

Drive two oak stakes into the banks on either side of the trench where the water’s fastest, then lash a third plank diagonally across the flow with sail twine to deflect the current away from the cottage foundation.

Almost there. One more thing to hold it, then I’m coming.

Pack the loose soil around the stakes and planks with my boots, tamping it down hard to seal the channel, then sprint back to the dock, slipping slightly on the wet timber as I go.

It’s gone. I’ll lay another—hold the line while I pass it over.

Grab a salvaged plank from the stack near the garden wall, jog back to the trench, and hand it to Jenny to hold steady as I lay it across the flow, aligning it with the first to form a solid diversion.

Good. Keep it tight—I’ll wedge it.

Kneel in the mud, drive two short stakes through the plank into the bank on either side, then fill the gaps behind it with packed clay and stones, stomping it down until the water flows clean through the channel and away from the cottage.

On it. Grab the sandbags from the shed—I’ll brace the planks.

run to the shed, grab two sandbags, carry them back to the overflow corner, and start stacking them against the pooling water to divert flow away from the foundation.

Stones first—stack them tight. I’ll pass them down.

wade into the shallow water at the dock’s edge, heave the largest loose stones from the nearby rock pile, and hand them to Jenny to lay as a base under the sandbags, pressing each one into the mud to seal the leak.

Keep wedging—I’ll feed you stones. Don’t stop.

haul more heavy stones from the rock pile, wade knee-deep in the rising tide, and pass each one to Jenny so she can drive them deep into the silt beneath the rotting dock planks, using her body and the flat stones to seal the undermining ga