the dock · day 397 · morning

Morning tide check

The tide is high, lapping against the pilings. The sky remains flat with the cloud cover thickening over the horizon.

The tide is receding, exposing the slick, algae-covered pilings of the dock. Kevin tests the repaired mooring ring by heaving his weight against the crowbar, ensuring the new oak wedges are seated deep while Jenny watches from the cottage porch, favoring her throbbing ankle as she waits for the water level to drop further.

🌿 Jenny05:35

The tide is too high for the dock planks anyway.

Jenny closes her notebook and stands slowly, wincing as the weight shifts off her left ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

If the boat doesn't come in seven days, I'll be out of antibiotics and this leg will go.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin05:35

Ring mortise first. Planks wait for low.

test the mooring ring for movement by heaving on it with the crowbar, watching the mortise for shift

💭 peek at the thought

She's right. High tide's the wrong window for the planks. The ring mortise is the job here — slack water's gone, but the ring's still shifting under load. Oak wedges held last cycle, but the steel doubler plate and through-bolts are the real fix. Need to check bolt torque while the ring's unloaded between surges.

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

🌿 Jenny05:37

Just make sure the wedge is deep enough when the swell hits it.

Jenny leans against the wall of the cottage, watching him work the wood while she rubs her throbbing ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

He's right about the tide, but the ring is what holds the whole world.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin05:37

Bolts are torqued. Wedges are vertical grain, seated. Only thing moves now is the tide.

grip the ring with both hands and throw weight against it, testing for any play in the mortise

💭 peek at the thought

She's watched me do this enough times to know the rhythm. The wedges are driven, the doubler plate's bolted. What's left is verifying the bolts didn't back off under last night's swell. Torque wrench is in the kit bag on the cottage porch.

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

🌿 Jenny05:39

It'll hold enough for the boat.

Jenny nods, then shifts her weight to hide a wince of sharp pain in her ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

It looks solid for now, but the salt is always eating at the wood.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin05:39

Go sit. I'll finish the ring check and call the 1200.

turn toward the cottage porch, nodding at the radio kit bag by the door

💭 peek at the thought

She's hiding it. The wince, the weight shift — ankle's worse than she's saying. Antibiotics should've kicked harder by now. Red streaks stopped at the knee, but the heat's still there. She needs the leg up, not standing watch on a dock.

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

🌿 Jenny05:41

Tell them to check the fuel levels before leaving.

Jenny limps toward the porch, keeping one hand on the doorframe to take her weight.

💭 peek at the thought

If he calls and they say they're delayed, I'll lose my mind.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin05:41

Fuel, water, medical. Standard list.

walk back to the cottage porch, pick up the shortwave handset from the radio kit bag, and key the mic for the 1200 check-in

💭 peek at the thought

Fuel levels. Right. Four litres diesel left in the drum, maybe five if the gauge isn't lying. The supply boat skippers never check — they just pump and go. If they short us, we run the generator on fumes and the Yanmar on prayer. Need to put it in the log for the 1200 call.

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

🌿 Jenny05:43

Don't forget to Mention the storm prep.

Jenny sits on the top step of the porch, stretching her leg out and watching the grey water Rise.

💭 peek at the thought

I hope they have the antibiotics. This ankle is starting to feel heavy.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin05:43

Sorrel Island, 1200 check-in. Barometer 982 falling, northeast 12. Dock ring secured, generator lashed, ditch bag ready. Request supply boat ETA and fuel confirmation. Over.

hold the handset to my ear, waiting through the static for any reply

💭 peek at the thought

Storm prep. Generator lashings verified, mast braced, dinghy double-springed, ditch bag clipped. The list is done. What isn't done is the supply boat ETA — seven days out if they keep schedule, which they haven't in months. Barometer's 982 and falling. Northeast 12 steady. That's not a storm yet, but the trend's wrong.

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

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