Day 855

Shutter leak's next. Tide's low enough to reach the northeast corner flashing.

Reassemble the raw water pump, torque the housing bolts to spec, wipe hands on rag.

Understood. I'll mark the shift on your map when I'm done.

Replace the Yanmar raw water pump housing bolts, check impeller rotation, then secure the cottage shutter northeast corner with lead flashing.

Kevin — apply fresh bitumen to the lead flashing seam, press tight with the trowel, then walk to the dock to inspect the dinghy's mooring configuration.

Filter's clean. I'll check it again when I'm at the dock.

Finish the shutter flashing, grab the heavy mallet and spare 150mm through-bolt from the workshop, then head down to the dock.

Pantry again. Sounds bigger than a mouse.

Walk to the pantry door, pull the crowbar from my belt loop, and set the snap trap on the shelf by the flour sack — fresh corned beef bait from the tin.

Tank's at three-eighty-five. Enough for a week if we're careful. You need help with the debridement or you got it?

Lean the crowbar against the wall, pull the stool over, and sit to retie the dinghy bow line where it's chafing at the chock — hands working the splice while I watch her face.

Light's steady.

Hold the headlamp beam fixed on her ankle, elbow braced on my knee, not looking away when the scalpel moves — other hand ready with the gauze before she asks.

Take the cane. Don't hobble up there on a bad leg and wet rock.

Walk inside, pull the driftwood cane from the corner by the door, and set it on the porch rail beside her notebook — then strip the Yanmar's raw water impeller cover to check the housing alignment before the vibration gets worse.

Kevin — walk to the dinghy at the dock, crouch at the transom, and check the Yanmar's prop shaft coupling and mast bracket alignment with the 19mm wrench and feeler gauge.

Kevin — walk back to the cottage, light the wood stove, and fry the remaining tinned corned beef with a handful of limpets in the cast iron skillet.

Kettle's on. Sit. I'll bring the broth.

Walk to the stove, lift the kettle off the hook, pour hot water into two tin mugs with the coffee grounds already waiting, carry one to the table and set it down beside her chair.

Drink it slow.

Pull the other chair out, sit opposite her, cradle my own mug, watch the steam rise without drinking yet.

Front's sitting on us. Wind'll back southwest by dark. Gusts forty, fifty knots if the gradient tightens.

Set the mug down, stand, walk to the porch door, crack it enough to read the wind direction off the rain streaks on the rail.

I'll get the cold pack from the medical kit. You need elevation.

Rise, cross to the cottage storage area, retrieve the ice pack wrapped in the wool blanket, return and kneel beside her chair to place it under her calf, then gently lift her feet onto a stool I grab from the shelf.

You did good work today. The notes are solid.

Reach across the table, cover her hand with my own, give it a light squeeze, then slide the notebook closer so she can see the full sketch without having to reach for it herself.

Kevin — walk to the porch door and pull it open, stepping out into the rain to check the dinghy mooring and dock lines.

Checking the warp. Thirty seconds.

Move down the porch steps toward the dock, scanning the dinghy's storm anchor warp where it leads off the bow to the mooring ring, and the stern spring doubled around the north piling.

Ring's holding. Checking the piling.

Step onto the dock boards, moving to the north piling where the greenheart sister plate and 150mm through-bolt sit, testing for movement at the joint.

Go inside. Now. I'll be right behind you.

Drop to one knee on the dock, driving the last 10mm stainless through-bolt (staged at the east shutter) through the sister plate into fresh timber below the scour line, torquing it with the 19mm socket.

Kevin — stand, test the dock boards for give, then jog back up the porch steps and through the door, pulling it shut against the gale.

Barometer's at 991 and holding steady. Wind's backing north. Dock planks need the through-bolts and epoxy before the tide turns — greenheart holds but only if the fastenings cure.

wipe hands on rag, grab the 19mm socket and torque wrench, head out to the dock to check the south piling sister brace and the new plank fastenings

Greenheart's slicker than spruce when wet. I'll test each tread before committing weight. You marked the new fractures?

step onto the dock from the porch, crouch to test the first plank's grip with boot heel, move toward the south piling sister brace

How far past the red line?

reach the south piling, brace against the greenheart sister plate, test the 150mm through-bolt torque with the 19mm socket — 35Nm, nyloc seated

The south slope needs an intercept trench yesterday. Garden wall's got three undermining points at the base. If that clay cuts loose, it takes the wall and the foundation with it.

finish checking the south piling bolt, move to the seaward cleat sistering, test the 10mm through-bolts there — both nylocs seated, washers flat