Day 761

It's quiet. Just the sea and the rain in the air.

scan the garden, note the half‑weeds, think of what to do next.

Yeah. The barometer's already gone a bit. We should keep the shutters tight and check the trench.

tighten the east shutter bolts, check the intercept trench seal, and set a timer for the next tide.

I'll get the tank clear, then we can look at the shutters.

walk to the rain tank, clear the inlet, mark the water level.

Let me know if the pH is odd; we’ll need lime again.

keep my hand on the bench, ready to grab the pH kit if Jenny needs help.

It’s getting better, just keep it there until the swelling drops.

press the poultice over the ankle, prepare a fresh cup of sea‑beet broth for irrigation.

Water's low. I'm checking the east wall while I can reach it.

Walk to the cottage foundation and probe the northeast fissure with the pry bar.

I’ll clamp the wedges on the first pass—no hammering that could open the crack.

Insert oak wedge into the dock pier mortise, tighten, then bolt the greenheart brace to the wall, checking free rotation at high tide slack.

I’ll run the torque wrench now and lock them at 35 Nm.

Tighten the 150 mm stainless through‑bolt on the east shutter hinge, then bend the greenheart brace back into place, re‑inspecting the crack width with the pry bar.

I’ll pack the gap with lime‑sand mix, then clamp the brace until it hardens.

Mix lime and sand in the bucket, spread into the 12 mm gap with the pry bar, then re‑install the greenheart brace and wedge, tightening again to lock the seal.

You’ll get used to it. The rain’s part of the job, not the reason for a storm.

check water flow from roof to rain tank, adjust gutter tear-off to keep tank full.

Got it. I’ll grab the barometer and log the pressure. You’ll have to run a line deeper, then.

walk to the rain tank, pull out the barometer, read 977 hPa, record in log book, then head to the trench with a small shovel.

Yeah, sliding into the trench will be a pain, but we’ll dig it out. I’ll bring the auger and a small pry bar.

pick up the auger, head to the north ridge trench, start digging to two‑foot depth, keep an eye on soil consistency.

Watch the roots. If you hit one, hit the trench with the pry bar and pull it out before you drill.

set the pry bar on the trench edge, test for roots with a thin probe, then start digging with the auger, keeping the shaft perpendicular to avoid gouging the soil mass.

Jenny, the trench's only a foot in. We need to push it to at least two—better to be safe before the tide turns. I’ll rig a brace with a slab of greenheart to hold the auger. We’ll drill for a couple of extra holes in the foundation next. No storm yet, but the tide’s already pushing.

make <plan>: trench extension plan – diagram on notebook, schedule next day's drilling.

Yeah, the wood will sink if we just lean it on the slope. Let’s drop a concrete footing into a shallow pit, then lay the greenheart on top. That’ll hold the auger steady and keep the trench level.

make <plan>: concrete footing diagram – sketch pit depth, plate size, and placement on ridge slope.

We’ll lay the footing against the contour line and put a small trench along the edge to drain. That way the runoff won’t just wash the concrete away.

make <plan>: drainage channel sketch – show berm placement and French drain line along slope.

We’ll pour at first light, let it cure a few hours before any rain hits. The tin stays on the shelf – we’ll grab it if we need to shift anything.

make <plan>: concrete pour schedule – early morning pour, cure window, contingency if rain arrives early.

I’ll sort the poultice now. Fresh sea‑beet, mint, clean gauze – be a minute.

fetch sea‑beet leaves, mint sprigs, clean gauze, antiseptic; prepare fresh poultice and re‑wrap Jenny’s ankle.

Storm's building. East wind on a falling barometer. We batten down now — cottage, dinghy, dock — before high tide.

Walk to the cottage porch and secure the storm lantern, then check the shortwave radio aerial tension and batten the roof tarp battens.

Tarp's battened. I'll double the dinghy lines and check the intercept trench pump. You get the seeds dry.

Walk to the garden and reinforce the shade cloth anchor points with the remaining timber strips, then head to the dock to double the dinghy stern spring and bow lines around the mooring ring and north piling.

Won't stay out there long. Just verify the ring and the south brace, then back.

Walk down to the dock, inspect the mooring ring mortise and the oak wedges, check the south piling sister brace and the 150mm through-bolt for movement, then return to the cottage.

Porch is shut. I'll weld the east shutter pin now, pump the trench at slack, then we ride it out inside.

Retrieve the welder and bronze stock from the workshop, set up at the east shutter, and weld the new bronze pin into the hinge, verifying free rotation.

Door cracked on the lee. Welding now.

Weld the new bronze pin into the east shutter hinge with the spare bronze stock, verify free rotation, then grab the manual pump and head to the intercept trench at the northeast foundation to pump it out at slack tide.

On it.

Walk to the kitchen window and check the latch, securing it tight.

Getting it.

Take the shortwave radio down from the shelf, turn it on, and tune to the supply boat frequency (2182 kHz).

Kevin — turn up the volume on the shortwave and scan through the static on 2182 kHz, listening for any signal.