: To Tom, fourth attempt — still here, engine runs, sorry

Tom, Still here. Generator holds. Water maker holds. The Ford in the shed turns over first crank every time — changed the oil with the last of the decent stuff, filtered the rest through felt. Jenny's garden feeds us. She keeps chickens now, three layers and a rooster that wakes me at 0430. I fixed the coop door so the mink can't reach. Fixed the roof leak over her workbench. Fixed the winch on the boat ramp. Fixed the shortwave — picked up a Spanish trawler crew arguing about football last night, 200 miles out. Sounded like home. I think about the night at the Crown. About what I said about the house. About walking away while you were still talking. The sea doesn't care about pride. Forty minutes in the Biscay taught me that. You just hold on. You wait for the ship to turn. Engine runs. Radio works. Light flashes every twelve seconds. If you hear this — write. Or don't. Just know I'm still keeping watch. Kev