Day 80

The lines are set. Dinghy’s ready to ride out a blow if it comes. You think those seeds’ll take?

Kneel beside Jenny, not touching her, just close enough to see the trays—point to one cell where a tiny green speck is pushing through the soil. “See that? Lettuce. First one.”

Stubborn like someone else I know.

Sit back on heels, wipe a smudge of dirt from my thumb onto my trousers. Watch her face, not the tray.

Weather's turning. Want to secure the porch gear before it hits?

Push up to standing, one hand on the wall for balance. Nod toward the cottage porch where the canvas rolls and rope coils sit under the tarp.

Kevin — follow Jenny to the porch, pick up the torn tarp, and set it over the new rope and the seed tin. Then pull the tarp tighter, making sure the lines aren’t exposed. Check the new rope for any brittleness before securing it on the dock.

I'll check the dinghy line one more time.

Walk to the dock, run a hand along the new rope where it meets the chafe guard—feel for weak spots, then give the rolling hitch a firm tug to confirm it's holding. Look back at the cottage light in the window.

Kevin — walk up to the cottage porch and check the starter cord on the Yanmar, see if I can splice the frayed end or need to rig a new keeper cord

Kevin — go inside the cottage and take down the shortwave radio, open the housing to check for moisture in the crack and dry it with a cloth before it shorts again

Kevin — finish drying the radio's interior, close the housing, and test it on Tom's frequency — just a burst of static, see if the crack's letting in too much rain now

Nothing on the shortwave. Static only. Boat's due in four days but the pressure's dropping — 1020 and falling. Could be late.

set the radio back on its shelf, pull the coffee jar down, and set water to boil on the stove

Kevin — spoon two mugs of coffee, add a splash from the tin's fat to mine, and set one on the table by the seed trays for her

Kevin — walk back toward the cottage, checking the generator shed door is latched on the way past.

Kevin — pull the notebook from my pocket, flip to the tide pool sketch from yesterday, and add a quick note: limpet shells thicker on north face—possible wave stress indicator. Then tuck it back and head for the cottage door.

Kevin — grab the oil dipstick from the tool roll, wipe it clean on a rag, slide it back into the Yanmar’s fill tube, pull it out—reads full between the marks.

Kevin — grab the tap set from the grey crate, select the proper extractor for the bolt size, and begin drilling out the rounded head with slow, steady pressure, using penetrating oil to ease the seizure.

Kevin — use the metal file to clear the burrs from the bolt head, apply more penetrating oil, and attempt a low‑speed drill to create a clean hole before re‑tapping the Yanmar housing with the tap set.

Kevin — walk back to the cottage for the propane torch and heavier drill bits, leaving the tap set on the dock plank.

Took long enough. Help me get the engine cover on and check the dinghy’s lines before this blows up.

Grab the canvas tarp from by the door and move to cover the Yanmar engine on the dinghy, securing it with bungee cords. Then walk to the dock to inspect the mooring lines and seacocks, giving each a firm pull and glance for wear.

Bow cleat’s mine. You take the starboard chafe guard — make sure it’s seated proper this time. And the seacock on the Yanmar — shut it hard.

Walk to the dock, uncoil the bow line from the cleat, inspect the eye splice for wear, then re-secure it with a round turn and two half hitches, pulling it drum-tight.

Spring line’s next — I’ll take it to the mid-pile. Check the breast line after. That fender pile’s soft — if it gives, we’ll drift into the rocks.

Move to the stern, untie the spring line from the cleat, walk it forward to the mid-pile piling, and secure it with a clove hitch backed by two half hitches, taking up slack until the dinghy sits snug but not strained against the dock.

Bilge valve’s open? Pump handle stowed? Let’s make sure we can pump her out if she takes a green one.

Crouch at the transom, check the bilge valve is open (turned counter-clockwise), then lift the manual pump handle from its bracket and give it two test strokes to confirm it moves freely and isn’t seized. Return it to the bracket after.

Pressure's dropping. Boat's four days out — if it shows.

glance at the barometer on the shelf, then at the shortwave radio

Mm.

pull the notebook from my pocket and flip to the Yanmar sea trial page, pen hovering

Sorry.

close the notebook and move to help Jenny open the tin with the knife from the block

You did good. You did good.

wipe my hands on the apron and move to the window to pull the shade cloth tighter over the seed trays </think>THOUGHT: She did good. wipe my hands on the apron and move to the window to pull the shade cloth tighter over the seed trays