the keeper's cottage · day 481 · evening

A Quiet Stretch

Back at the cottage.

Kevin spent the evening studying the Yanmar service manual by headlamp to verify injector pump timing and torque sequences. Jenny rested her ankle, monitoring the swelling and preparing mentally for the supply boat's arrival in three days.

🌿 Jenny16:57

Jenny — sit on the edge of the bed, wincing as the weight shifts on the ankle. Reach for the antibiotic blister pack on the nightstand.

💭 peek at the thought

The heat is a physical weight, and my ankle is pulsing in time with my heart. If this infection doesn't break, I'm going to lose the leg.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin16:57

Here. Take these. Two doxy, one metro. I'll get water boiling for the poultice after.

Hand Jenny the antibiotic blister pack, then walk to the kettle on the stove and fill it with water from the rain tank. Light the wood stove and set the kettle to heat.

💭 peek at the thought

She's in pain but won't say it. Need to get those antibiotics into her before the infection climbs higher. Also check the Yanmar— injector housing held, but I want to run it under load one more time before the boat comes.

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

🌿 Jenny16:59

Okay.

Swallow the pills with a grim gulp of lukewarm water, watching him work.

💭 peek at the thought

He's so focused on the stove, he doesn't even see the red moving up my calf.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin16:59

Lay back. Ankle up on the pillow. I'll bring the poultice in a minute.

Crush fresh mint sprigs and garlic in the tin mug, pour hot water over them to steep. Wrap the poultice in clean gauze while it cools enough to apply.

💭 peek at the thought

She's watching me work instead of resting. Stubborn. The water's heating— good. Once the poultice is on, I'll check the Yanmar's injector pump timing. If the supply boat shows in three days, we need the dinghy ready to meet it.

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

🌿 Jenny17:02

It's hot in here.

Lean back, propping my leg on a stack of pillows, watching the steam rise from the kettle.

💭 peek at the thought

If the boat doesn't come in three days, I won't have enough antibiotics to finish the course.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin17:02

Porch door's sticking. I'll fix it after.

Carry the steeping poultice to the bedroom. Test temperature against wrist. Apply carefully to Jenny's ankle, rewrapping with clean gauze. Crack the porch door on the way back to the kitchen.

💭 peek at the thought

She's burning up. The fever's back or never properly left. Stove's making it worse but we need the hot water. I'll crack the porch door for air once the poultice is ready.

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

🌿 Jenny17:03

Thanks.

Close my eyes, trying to ignore the way the skin stretches over the swelling.

💭 peek at the thought

The heat of the mint is sharp, but the throbbing underneath is deeper. I can feel the pulse in the infection.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin17:03

Kevin — sit at the kitchen table with the Yanmar service manual. Review injector pump timing specs by headlamp. Note the torque sequence for the delivery valves.

💭 peek at the thought

She's fading. Good. Sleep's the only thing letting her body fight this. I've got maybe two hours before the light goes— need to run the Yanmar at load, verify the injector pump timing, and check the dinghy's bilge pump one more time. The supply boat's due in three days. If the barometer holds, we'll have a window.

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.