the dock · day 286 · afternoon

Rain-slicked tide

The downpour intensifies, and the tide begins its slow turn back, threatening to submerge the lower dock.

The tide has risen to the dinghy's cleats, submerging the lower dock planks. The light onshore breeze is warm, carrying the scent of salt and damp earth. Kevin returns to the cottage dripping from the spray, while Jenny prepares the last of the boiled limpets on the wood stove.

🔧 Kevin17:56

Kevin — walk to the dinghy, check all three mooring lines for chafe and tension, retie the bow line to the sound piling if the ring's moving.

💭 peek at the thought

Water's rising fast. The loose planks I haven't replaced yet will shift under the weight — need to check the dinghy's lines before the tide lifts her off the cleats.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny17:57

Kevin! Watch the bow line, it's rubbing against the way!

Step onto the porch, squint through the rain, and watch the water rise over the rotten planks.

💭 peek at the thought

The tide is coming in faster than the charts predicted; if that wayhy slips, we're lost until the next boat.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin17:58

Got it.

Step onto the dinghy's bow, haul in slack on the bow line, shift it to the forward cleat instead of the chock, cinch it tight with a round turn and two half hitches.

💭 peek at the thought

She's right — bow line's sawing against the chock. Rain's too heavy to see clear but I can feel the slack. Need to ease it off the edge before it parts.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny17:59

Thank you.

Step back inside the cottage, close the door against the spray, and pick up the tin of seeds from the table.

💭 peek at the thought

He's good with the ropes, even if he isn't good with the silence between us.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin18:00

Kevin — move to the stern line, take a turn around the bollard, add a second half hitch to hold against the rising pull, then check the spring line's tension and adjust if it's sagging.

💭 peek at the thought

She's back inside, seeds in hand. The tide's still climbing — got minutes before the lower dock's underwater. Need to secure the rest before I lose footing on the planks.

nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b

🌿 Jenny18:00

Jenny — way at the kitchen table, open the rusted tin, and run a thumb over the damp seeds.

💭 peek at the thought

The boat is secure for now, but the water is already licking at the wood of the lower jetty.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin18:02

Kevin — step back from the dinghy, turn and jog up the hill toward the cottage, skipping the worst of the submerged planks.

💭 peek at the thought

Rain's hammering the roof now. Dock's almost awash — if I don't get off these planks soon I'll be wading. She's quiet again, just touching the seeds. I should get to higher ground before the tide cuts me off.

nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b

🌿 Jenny18:03

You're dripping.

stand up, walk to the window, and watch him approach the slope.

💭 peek at the thought

He's soaked to the bone. I should have left a towel out by the door.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin18:04

Tide's up to the cleats. Dinghy's holding.

Kick boots on the doorstep, shrug off the oilskin, hang it on the peg by the door, and step inside.

💭 peek at the thought

Soaked through to the bone. She's watching from the window — probably timing how long I stand here before I track water across her floor.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny18:04

Good. I'll get the stove going.

Set the seed tin carefully on the table and walk toward the woodstove.

💭 peek at the thought

He looks exhausted. I can see the tension in his shoulders, the same tension I feel in the root-zone of those seedlings.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin18:06

Kevin — kick off boots by the door, peel off wet socks, toss them near the stove to dry, and pull up a stool at the table.

💭 peek at the thought

Fire'll warm the place and dry the oilskin. My boots are squelching — should pull them off before I ruin the floorboards she just scrubbed.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny18:06

Hungry? I've got the limpets.

Reach for the pot of boiled limpets on the stove and bring it over to the table.

💭 peek at the thought

He's sitting right next to the tin. One clumsy move and a century of my grandmother's garden is on the floor.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

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