Days

At dawn, Kevin and Jenny stood on the south dock as the tide receded, exposing barnacled pilings. Jenny checked the barometer; Kevin inspected the mooring ring for storm stress. He…

Dawn broke under a flat, heavy sky as Kevin and Jenny stood by the dock watching the tide climb fast against the reinforced pilings. The air thickened with humidity. Jenny said, "T…

Dawn found Kevin at the south piling, flashlight on the bolted sister. "South piling's solid. Bolt didn't walk," he said. Jenny watched from a dock plank, ankle propped on a driftw…

Dawn broke grey and windless, the barometer at 991 hPa and falling. High tide pressed against the newly sistered south piling. Kevin stood at the cottage door, mug in hand. "South …

Dawn broke heavy and still over Sorrel Island, the north ridge lost in low overcast. Kevin tested the dock planks with his boot heel, finding rot deep in planks two and three from …

Dawn broke over steady rain drumming the cottage roof. The water tank reached its full 400 litres, overflow trickling into the drainage trench. Kevin and Jenny sat on the porch ste…

Dawn found Kevin on the cottage steps tapping the barometer — 983, steady — while Jenny wrapped a fresh cloth around her ankle. The air hung heavy and still over the dry garden. At…

Dawn brought heavy rain from the west, drumming the roof and turning the garden path to mud. Kevin sat at the kitchen table watching the barometer — 986 millibars, rising slow — wh…

Dawn broke flat and wet, the barometer at 984 hPa and rising. Kevin lifted the soldering iron and flux from the workbench, eyeing the copper spillway joint at the northeast foundat…

Dawn arrived thick with humidity. The French drain at the garden's north end wept water, unable to penetrate the clay pan beneath. Jenny probed with the hand auger, hitting clay at…

Dawn broke with the first heavy drops hitting saturated soil. Wind whipped the shade cloth over the tomato rows as Kevin and Jenny stood under the porch overhang. The north garden …

Dawn found Kevin and Jenny under the porch roof watching the cloud cover thicken over the saturated garden. The barometer held at 984 hPa, air heavy with humidity. Jenny's thumb th…

Rain lashed the cottage from the west, turning the garden path to slurry. Kevin and Jenny stood under the eaves, watching gutters channel water toward the saturated garden. Kevin h…

Dawn found the north end of the garden wall weeping, saturated clay turning to slurry under a sky that darkened as the barometer fell. Kevin and Jenny stood in the thick air. "Tren…

Dawn broke heavy and still at 24°C. The barometer had dropped to 975 hPa, falling faster than before the last storm. Kevin and Jenny stood by the garden wall. Jenny checked salt cr…

Dawn brought a dropping barometer and rising wind. Kevin and Jenny stood by the garden wall as gusts lashed the shade cloth. Jenny watched the needle fall another two points while …

Dawn arrived with warm rain tapping the porch roof. Kevin sat with coffee while Jenny watched the barometer hold at 985 hPa despite falling pressure. A squall hit as they walked th…

Dawn found the barometer at 978 hPa, air heavy and still as high tide pushed against the new sistered pilings. Kevin ran the Yanmar at 1800 RPM at the dock, engine steady, no new v…

Dawn found Kevin and Jenny on the reinforced dock, the barometer at 980 hPa and falling. The tide lapped higher than yesterday. "Spring tide on a falling glass," Kevin said. "She'l…

Dawn arrived grey and still, the barometer at 982 hPa. Mist rolled over the garden. High tide lapped the reinforced dock pilings and salt-crusted debris on the south beach. Kevin c…