the dock · day 387 · midday

The Squall Deepens

The rain turns to a sheet, obscuring the view of the north ridge. The tide reaches the mooring rings, threatening the stability of the partially repaired dock.

The warm rain continues to fall as Kevin attempts to clear the dinghy engine intake, but finds it remains stubborn. Jenny spends the afternoon meticulously drying the heirloom seeds indoors, ensuring they are protected from the wet season humidity.

🔧 Kevin20:26

North piling shim — you see it move?

walk to the north piling at the dock edge and crouch to inspect the greenheart shim driven under the toe

💭 peek at the thought

Tide's up to the mooring rings already. Greenheart sister's holding but the void under it's still scoured — water'll find any gap. Need to check the shim under the north piling before the current gets stronger.

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

🌿 Jenny20:27

The wood is too soft. Don't push it.

Shift weight to the good leg, wincing as the ankle throbs against the damp bandage.

💭 peek at the thought

If that shim slips, the whole dock section goes south, and I can't fix it again with this ankle.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin20:28

Won't. Just looking.

stand and scan the dock structure for where to run a temporary stay from the north piling head to the cottage corner post

💭 peek at the thought

She's right — greenheart's hard but the piling core's punky. Driving the shim deeper splits the fibres. Tide's still rising. Need to brace it different way.

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

🌿 Jenny20:28

Use the new rope. The one that isn't brittle.

Trace the edge of the sea beet sketch in the notebook, my pencil shaking slightly.

💭 peek at the thought

He's thinking about the structure, I'm just thinking about the rot in my skin.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin20:30

Aye.

walk to the porch, retrieve the coil of new half-inch rope, and carry it back to the north piling

💭 peek at the thought

Half-inch three-strand from the crate. Good rope. Run it from the piling head down to the deadman anchor by the cottage corner — pull the piling back and hold it while the tide peaks.

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

🌿 Jenny20:30

Make it tight. The tide is coming in faster than yesterday.

Watch him tie the knot, my ankle thumping in time with the rain.

💭 peek at the thought

At least the rope will hold. If the wood fails, the whole thing does.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin20:32

Holding.

tie a round turn and two half-hitches around the north piling's mooring ring, run the rope to the deadman anchor at the cottage corner, and cinch a trucker's hitch to pull the piling plumb

💭 peek at the thought

Round turn and two half-hitches on the piling iron, lead it to the deadman, trucker's hitch for tension. Wet rope grips itself. Need it drum-tight before the slack's gone.

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

🌿 Jenny20:33

I need to get back inside. The poultice is getting cold.

Close the notebook with a heavy thud and brace myself against the cottage wall to limp toward the door.

💭 peek at the thought

It's tight enough for now, but the wood is still a mess.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin20:34

Go. I'll watch the line.

hold tension on the trucker's hitch until the standing part sings, then cleat it off on the deadman stake and walk back toward the cottage porch

💭 peek at the thought

She's soaked through. Ankle's not right. Should've made her stay off it yesterday. Tide'll turn in two hours — piling holds or it doesn't. Nothing more I can do out here.

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

🌿 Jenny20:34

Don't let it slip during the night.

way the door open and wince as the threshold catches my swollen ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

He thinks the way solves the problem, but the wood is just holding on air.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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