Day 912

Supply Boat Confirmed, Wall Work Begins

Dawn found Kevin and Jenny at the garden wall, the overcast air heavy over the island. Jenny checked the dampness of the stones while Kevin inspected the lime mortar mix. "It's a bit slack, Kev. Give it a few more minutes to set before we start packing it into the gap," she said. "Aye. Kettle's on. Give it ten." "Bring me a mug!" "Two mugs. Coffee's fresh." "Thanks. Put it over there, away from the kit." She held the test strip to the light, eyes narrowed. "Look at that. Six point four. It's actually workable." "Good. Means the wall repair might actually bite."

Midday heat thickened the air to 32°C. Kevin raised the supply boat on the shortwave, confirming tomorrow's high tide arrival with the replacement impeller and finer fuel filters aboard. "And finer mesh fuel filters — 10 micron if you've got them. The silt's clogging the primary. Over." Jenny suggested the secondary frequency, but atmospheric interference blocked clear communication. She diagrammed the wall courses on the table, tracing gaps with pencil. Kevin secured the Yanmar's mounting bolts, found the pointing iron and blue mortar bucket, and staged stone by the wall gap. Pump repair reached 60%.

Evening brought still, weighted humidity. "Wall tools are set for dawn. Lime's slacked, buckets covered. You want the trowel or the pointing iron?" "The pointing iron. I need the narrow edge for the gap." "Narrow edge it is. Mortar's in the blue bucket — lime heavy, sand light. Don't force the joints." "I know how to set a joint, Kevin." "Didn't say you didn't." The tide climbed the rocks as they ate, the supply boat confirmed for morning.

Scenes

the garden · dawn

The Humidity Stalls

Kevin and Jenny stand by the garden wall as the overcast air hangs heavy over the island. Jenny checks the dampness of the stones while Kevin inspects the lime mortar mix.

No narrator was available, so nothing about this stretch was recorded.

🌿 Jenny11:17

It's a bit slack, Kev. Give it a few more minutes to set before we start packing it into the gap.

Lean heavily on the drift cane and run a finger over the joint where the wall has separated, checking for loose rubble.

💭 thought

The mortar looks a bit too wet. If it's too runny, it'll just wash out the first time the salt wind kicks up a gale.

🔧 Kevin11:17

Aye. Kettle's on. Give it ten.

lean the trowel against the wall and walk back to the cottage porch to check the kettle

💭 thought

She's right — mortar's still weeping water. Humidity's holding it back. Better to wait than pack wet and watch it fail.

🌿 Jenny11:18

Bring me a mug!

Limp slowly toward the drafting table and pick up the soil sample tin and the pH test kit.

💭 thought

Ten minutes. Just enough time to check the pH of that south slope sample without having to stand on my leg for too long.

🔧 Kevin11:19

Two mugs. Coffee's fresh.

walk into the cottage, fill two tin mugs from the kettle, carry them out to the drafting table

💭 thought

She's moving slower today. Ankle's worse in this damp.

🌿 Jenny11:20

Thanks. Put it over there, away from the kit.

Set the mug down and carefully dip a pH strip into the damp south slope soil sample.

💭 thought

He's trying. At least he remembered the coffee. Now let's see if this soil is actually viable or just more acidic waste.

🔧 Kevin11:20

Kevin — set the mug on the far corner of the drafting table, well clear of the test kit, and lean against the table edge watching

💭 thought

She's methodical. Good. The slope's been weeping for weeks — if the pH has shifted, the lime beds won't hold.

🌿 Jenny11:23

Don't just lean there, you're blocking the light.

Hold the strip up to the light, comparing the color change to the chart in the kit.

💭 thought

Please be above 6.0. If it's another 5.5, I'm not wasting the lime on this patch.

🔧 Kevin11:23

Kevin — step aside to the left, out of the light falling across the table, and take a sip from my mug

💭 thought

Sharp as ever. She needs the light — I'm in the way.

🌿 Jenny11:24

Look at that. Six point four. It's actually workable.

Circle the result in the pH log with a sharp pencil and slide the test strip into the waste bin.

💭 thought

6.4. It's nearly neutral. This is the best we've seen since the volcanic ash pocket.

🔧 Kevin11:24

Good. Means the wall repair might actually bite.

set the mug down, pick up the trowel, and walk back to the garden wall gap to check the mortar consistency

💭 thought

Six-four. That's holding. The lime we packed into the weep zones is doing its job — or the slope's stabilising on its own. Either way, it's news we can use.

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the keeper's cottage · morning

A Quiet Stretch

Back at the cottage.

The water from the tap runs clear and cool, filling the tin mug as Kevin watches the flow. Jenny holds the test strip to the light, her eyes narrowed as she waits for the chemical reaction. The morning humidity is heavy, clinging to the skin, and the sound of the high tide is strong against the cottage walls.

🌿 Jenny11:28

Jenny — limp to the kitchen table and sit down heavily.

💭 thought

I can't even think about the garden wall today. My ankle is pulsing, and I'm starving. I need calories and a seat that doesn't require balance.

🔧 Kevin11:28

Coffee's on. Mug by the stove.

pour a second mug from the kettle and set it on the table in front of her

💭 thought

She's moving slower than yesterday. The humidity's swelling everything.

🌿 Jenny11:30

Thanks.

Wrap fingers around the warm tin mug and take a slow sip.

💭 thought

He's trying. At least he's doing the one thing that doesn't require a blueprint or a fight with the mud.

🔧 Kevin11:30

Water test kit's new. Two strips left after today. Want to run the tank now or after the supply boat check?

pull the water test kit from the shelf and set it on the table between us

💭 thought

Good. She's drinking. That's something.

🌿 Jenny11:33

Now. Let's just get it over with.

Reach for the test kit and pull out a strip.

💭 thought

Now. I want to know if the rain's leached anything into the tank before I'm too tired to care.

🔧 Kevin11:33

Tank's at 379. Rain last night topped it some.

unscrew the tank tap and hold a clean tin mug under the flow

💭 thought

She wants it done. Good. One less thing hanging.

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the keeper's cottage · midday

The Morning Heat and the Plan

The sun climbs higher as the humidity peaks. They need to prepare the stones for the wall and reach out to the radio regarding the supply boat.

Kevin used the shortwave radio to confirm the supply boat's arrival for tomorrow's high tide, specifically requesting the replacement impeller and finer fuel filters. Jenny attempted to find a secondary frequency due to the atmospheric interference but failed to establish clear communication through the heavy heat.

🔧 Kevin11:34

Going to raise the boat on the shortwave. You want the stone staged by the wall gap or down by the mixer?

Walk to the porch, pick up the shortwave handset, key the mic on 2182 kHz. "Sorrel Island calling supply vessel, Sorrel Island calling. Over."

💭 thought

Humidity's thick enough to drink. Mortar won't set proper if we wait much longer. Need to get stone staged and lime slaked before the air turns to soup. Radio first — boat's due on the high tide, want confirmation on the impeller and whether they're bringing the cement we asked for.

🌿 Jenny11:34

By the gap. I can... I can mark the courses from the table.

Limp slowly to the drafting table and lean against it, glancing at the swollen wrap on my ankle.

💭 thought

I can't even put weight on this foot, let alone haul lime and stone. I'm useless for the heavy lifting today.

🔧 Kevin11:36

Copy. Stone by the gap. I'll slake lime once we know the boat's window.

Hold the mic, wait for the squelch to break. "Supply vessel, Sorrel Island. Confirming ETA for high tide window and impeller delivery. Also requested cement additive — advise if aboard. Over."

💭 thought

She's favouring it bad today. Heat and pressure dropping don't help. Should've made her stay on the porch with the radio log. But she'll work regardless — always does. Boat should be in VHF range by now if they kept the schedule.

🌿 Jenny11:36

Don't forget to ask about the fuel filters if they have the finer mesh.

Open the notebook to the garden wall sketch and trace the gap with a pencil.

💭 thought

He's thinking about the cement additive already. He's always thinking about the fix, never the soil.

🔧 Kevin11:38

And finer mesh fuel filters — 10 micron if you've got them. The silt's clogging the primary. Over.

Keep the mic keyed, wait for reply. Eye the barometer on the shelf — 1007 and steady, but the needle's lazy.

💭 thought

Finer mesh filters. Right. The silt's been murder on the Yanmar's fuel system. Should've written it down. She thinks of everything when I don't.

🌿 Jenny11:38

Jenny — look up at the barometer, then back to the sketch, marking the exact point where the hydrostatic pressure is pushing the mortar.

💭 thought

1007. Steady, but lazy. The air feels too thick; something is going to break.

🔧 Kevin11:40

—

Hold the handset, thumb on the mic button. Watch the second hand sweep on the bulkhead clock. No answer yet. Key it again. "Supply vessel, Sorrel Island. Radio check, 2182. Over."

💭 thought

She's reading the wall like I read an engine — finds the stress before it fails. That gap's been breathing with every tide. If the boat's delayed, we shore it temporary. If they're on time, we build proper.

🌿 Jenny11:40

Maybe try the secondary frequency. The ionosphere is probably a mess with this heat.

Shift weight off the ankle and point toward the radio's frequency dial.

💭 thought

This silence is too long. The atmospheric pressure is flat, but the humidity is suffocating; it's messing with the propagation.

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the keeper's cottage · afternoon

Preparing for the Arrival

Kevin and Jenny sit in the cottage as the heavy air hangs motionless. They review the list to ensure everything is ready for the boat's approach the next morning.

The air is heavy and still as the flat sky thickens with clouds, the humidity rising in the 32°C heat. Kevin and Jenny focus on essential maintenance, ensuring the cottage's water supply and the garden wall are secure as they prepare for the supply boat's arrival in two days.

🌿 Jenny11:42

I'm too hungry to think straight. Did we actually check the dock lines, or are we just pretending they're secure?

Lean back against the whitewashed wall and rub my throbbing ankle.

💭 thought

I can't focus on a list. My stomach is cramping and this silence between us is louder than the radio static.

🔧 Kevin11:42

Bow line's good. Stern spring showed wear at the chock. Want me to check it now while there's light?

walk to the porch door and look out at the dock

💭 thought

She's right to ask. The chafe guard on the bow line held last storm but the stern spring took a beating. Should verify before dark.

🌿 Jenny11:44

It's 32 degrees and the sky is bruising, Kevin. Just leave it. If the spring snaps, we'll hear it.

Close my eyes and lean my head back against the stone.

💭 thought

He's trying to be useful. He's always trying to be useful when he doesn't know how to be present.

🔧 Kevin11:44

Fair enough. Water's on the stove if you want tea.

pour two mugs from the kettle and set one on the table beside her

💭 thought

She's exhausted and the heat's making everything worse. The spring can wait until morning — but I'll check it at first light regardless.

🌿 Jenny11:47

Thanks.

Reach for the mug but don't drink, just wrap my fingers around the warm metal.

💭 thought

He thinks a cup of tea fixes the fact that we're barely speaking. I can't even look at him right now.

🔧 Kevin11:47

Kevin — sit opposite her with my own mug, watching the steam rise in the still air

💭 thought

She's running on fumes. The ankle, the heat, the waiting — all of it stacking up. I'll let her sit quiet.

🌿 Jenny11:48

Jenny — stare fixedly at the rusted seed tin on the hearth, ignoring him.

💭 thought

He's just staring. I can feel him watching me, waiting for me to say something, to be the one to break the tension. I won't.

🔧 Kevin11:48

Kevin — take a slow sip of tea, letting the silence stretch, not pressing

💭 thought

She's fixed on the tin. Not the garden, not the boat — that tin. The one from the cliffs. She hasn't opened it since we brought it down.

🌿 Jenny11:51

Jenny — trace the rust on the tin with my thumb, focusing on the cold metal.

💭 thought

At least he's quiet for once. My stomach is growling so loud I'm embarrassed he can hear it.

🔧 Kevin11:51

Kevin — set my mug down and get up to check the radio log on the shelf, giving her space

💭 thought

Whatever's in that tin means something to her. Seeds, maybe. Or just the weight of it — another thing the island gave up. I've learned not to ask until she's ready.

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the keeper's cottage · evening

Preparation for the Tide

The sun begins to dip, but the pressure remains steady. Kevin organizes the tools for the morning's wall work.

The humidity hangs heavy over the cottage, thick enough to make the air feel weighted against skin. Kevin finishes securing the Yanmar's mounting bolts, the metal cool against his palms despite the lingering heat. Jenny stands by the railing, her gaze fixed on the weed-strewn garden where the morning work waits while the tide begins its slow climb up the rocks.

🔧 Kevin11:52

Wall tools are set for dawn. Lime's slacked, buckets covered. You want the trowel or the pointing iron?

arrange trowels, pointing iron, and mortar buckets under the porch eaves; cover with tarp and weigh down corners with stones

💭 thought

Good. The barometer holding steady means the squall line might bypass us. Tomorrow's tide window is the real clock — need the wall gap closed before the supply boat's crane wakes the harbour. Tools staged, mortar buckets covered, lime slacked. Jenny's ankle will dictate the pace.

🌿 Jenny11:53

The pointing iron. I need the narrow edge for the gap.

wipe the sweat from my brow with a forearm and take the tool from Kevin.

💭 thought

If the boat doesn't come, the mortar will dry before it even sets. I'm tired of fighting the humidity.

🔧 Kevin11:54

Narrow edge it is. Mortar's in the blue bucket — lime heavy, sand light. Don't force the joints.

hand her the pointing iron; lift the blue mortar bucket from the porch floor and set it on the garden path where the morning light will hit it first

💭 thought

She's moving better today. The antibiotics are holding.

🌿 Jenny11:54

I know how to set a joint, Kevin.

grip the pointing iron tightly and lean against the porch railing, looking out at the half-weeded garden.

💭 thought

He's treating the mortar like it's a fragile piece of art. It's just lime and sand; it's the soil that's the problem.

🔧 Kevin11:56

Didn't say you didn't.

turn back to the porch; pick up the heavy wrench and the 19mm socket from the tool roll; begin checking the Yanmar's mounting bolts on the dinghy by feel, working the socket over each nut in the fading light

💭 thought

She knows. I know she knows. The words just came out — habit, not doubt.

🌿 Jenny11:57

Jenny — watch him work for a moment, then turn away and walk toward the kitchen to check the stove.

💭 thought

He's retreating into the machinery again. It's easier to tighten a bolt than to look at me.

🔧 Kevin11:58

Kevin — finish the last Yanmar mount bolt; wipe the socket clean on a rag; return wrench and socket to the tool roll; secure the roll under the porch bench; walk to the kitchen doorway and lean against the frame, watching the stove glow

💭 thought

The silence between us isn't empty anymore. It's full of things we're both learning not to say.

🌿 Jenny11:58

I'm starving.

open the pantry and reach for one of the remaining tins of corned beef.

💭 thought

He's just hovering. He wants to say something, or he wants me to say something, but neither of us knows how to start.

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the keeper's cottage · night

Evening before arrival

The tide is rising, lapping at the lower stones of the dock as the air grows still and hot.

The night remains dry and warm as the trade winds blow through the cottage. Kevin and Jenny prepare for the arrival of the supply boat in two days, resting before the morning's tasks.

🌿 Jenny12:01

Jenny — walk into the kitchen and pour a glass of water.

💭 thought

I can't even look at him right now. The silence is the only thing keeping me from screaming about that wall.

🔧 Kevin12:01

Morning.

Wipe hands on rag, set socket aside, walk to kitchen doorway.

💭 thought

She's moving slow. The ankle's worse in this heat. I should check the water test strips before the supply boat comes tomorrow — only two left in the kit.

🌿 Jenny12:02

It's almost noon, Kevin.

Drink the water slowly, staring at the shortwave radio on the shelf.

💭 thought

He acts like everything is fine. Like we aren't just idling while the island eats the garden.

🔧 Kevin12:02

Supply boat comes on the high tide tomorrow. Impeller's aboard. They confirmed.

Lean against the doorframe, arms crossed, watching her face more than the radio.

💭 thought

Noon already. Time slips different here. Radio's been quiet since the supply boat confirmation yesterday. She's watching it like it might speak on its own.

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What changed

3 intentions for today.

plan · dawn

×2

Jenny made a diagram: "Table".

made · dawn

Kevin made a diagram: "Table".

made · dawn

Kevin made a diagram: "Table, well clear of the test kit,".

made · dawn

No model answered — the scene closed quietly on its own.

quiet_transition · dawn

Something goes wrong in the middle of the work — a slip, a cut, a wrenched ankle.

injury · morning

pump repair: 20%.

project · morning

Kevin and Jenny ate.

meal · morning

Jenny made a diagram: "Table".

made · midday

Jenny made a sketch: "Nd trace the gap with a pencil".

made · midday

pump repair: 30%.

project · midday

Supply boat is confirmed for tomorrow's high tide window.

discovery · midday

pump repair: 40%.

project · afternoon

pump repair: 50%.

project · evening

Found: pointing iron.

item · evening

Found: blue mortar bucket.

item · evening

Kevin and Jenny ate.

meal · evening

pump repair: 60%.

project · night

Found: replacement impeller.

item · night

← Day 911 Day 913 →

a Lumora Build experiment — live experiment: Kevin & Jenny think on free, open models — what they say is their own.