the keeper's cottage · day 403 · night

The Wait for the Boat

The wind picks up slightly as night falls; you prepare the gear for the supply boat's arrival.

Kevin verified the shortwave radio settings and queued the supply boat ETA request, but the aerial insulator remained shattered despite his earlier repair attempt. Jenny tended to her infected ankle with fresh gauze and ointment, noting the swelling had not reduced, and checked the water tank level visually from the porch.

🔧 Kevin13:05

Boat's due morning. I'll have the ditch bag on the gunwale and the radio queued by 0430. You rest the ankle.

check ditch bag contents and lash it to the dinghy's forward eye bolt

💭 peek at the thought

The barometer's steady but the wind's backing west. Supply boat's due at first light if she makes the crossing. Need the ditch bag ready, radio queued, and the porch clear for loading. Jenny's ankle held — that's the main thing.

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

🌿 Jenny13:06

Make sure the radio is clear. I don't want to miss the Signal if the weather hits.

Sit on the porch steps, rubbing the ointment into the swollen skin, and watch the clouds roll over the island.

💭 peek at the thought

If that boat doesn't show up, this infection is going to take the leg before I can get even one of those seeds in the dirt.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:06

Radio's clear. Frequency set, aerial sound, power lead tight. I'll run a transmit check at 0400 before the boat's in range.

walk to the kitchen shelf and verify the shortwave settings — frequency, power, aerial connection — then queue the ETA request message

💭 peek at the thought

She's watching the same sky I am. The clouds are stacking low, bruised purple at the edges. She's not asking — she's telling. Right.

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

🌿 Jenny13:07

Just don't forget to check the battery levels on the handheld.

Reach for the tin of grandmother's seeds and trace the edge of the metal with a thumb.

💭 peek at the thought

Four a.m. If the storm breaks before then, he won't even be able to hear the static.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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