the old shrine · day 549 · evening

Evening approaches

The rain intensifies into a steady down as the tide laps against the dock pilings and the wind shifts to the southwest.

Kevin stayed at the old shrine as a heavy rain front moved from the west. The barometer continues to drop sharply, signaling a significant storm ahead. Jenny remained at the cottage, managing her throbbing ankle against the rising damp.

🔧 Kevin14:10

I’m going to the north piling at low tide to drive in the greenheart shim. Stay inside and keep the poultice warm. I’ll be back before the turn.

walk to the dock, grab the greenheart shim and mallet from the shed, move to the north piling as the tide begins to ebb

💭 peek at the thought

The barometer's falling fast — 979 and dropping. If it hits 970 before 0400, the north channel will stack waves against the tide. I need to get the north piling shimmed before low tide, or we risk the dock tearing loose in the dark. Jenny’s ankle is better, but she shouldn’t be out here in this.

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

🌿 Jenny14:11

The wind is shifting, Kevin. Don't stay out too long.

watch the barometer, then sketch the morphology of the sea beet leaves in the notebook.

💭 peek at the thought

The pressure is dropping too fast for him to be out there alone, and my ankle is throbbing in sympathy.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:13

Two hours. I'll be back before the tide fills the channel.

descend the dock ladder into the dinghy, motor to the north piling at idle, kill the engine and brace against the piling as the water drops

💭 peek at the thought

She noticed the wind back too. Good — she's tracking it. The southwest shift means the low's passing south, but the gradient's tightening. Gusts will hit the ridge before the rain lets up. I've got maybe two hours of workable water before the swell builds.

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

🌿 Jenny14:14

Be careful.

check the radio for the supply boat, then re-apply the poultice to my ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

The tide is going out too fast, and if he gets stuck on the mud flats, he'll be stranded when the storm hits.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:15

(into the wind, toward the cottage) Got it exposed. Working now.

position the greenheart shim under the north piling toe, drive it with the mallet until it seats tight, check for movement with a pry bar

💭 peek at the thought

The dinghy rides low with the shim and tools. Water's dropping fast — good. The void under the north piling's exposed now, black and deeper than yesterday. Scour's eaten another foot. Greenheart shim's tapered right, kerfed for grip. Need to drive it home before the tide turns.

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

🌿 Jenny14:16

The barometer is dropping fast, Kevin! Watch the swell!

stand by the window, watching the rain hit the ridge.

💭 peek at the thought

He's out there in the rain with the tide turning, and I'm sitting here watching the mercury fall.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:16

Shim's home. Wedging it off now. Two minutes.

drive two oak wedges alongside the greenheart shim to lock it, scrape excess epoxy into the gaps, shove the tools in the dinghy, motor hard for the dock

💭 peek at the thought

She's right — the barometer's plummeting. The swell's already pushing into the channel, earlier than I figured. Wind's gusting over the ridge now, tearing the rain horizontal. The shim's seated but the epoxy hasn't cured. If a big set hits before it kicks, the piling walks and the shim spits out. Need to wedge it off and get back.

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

🌿 Jenny14:18

major back. The wind is turning.

pace the kitchen floor, hand pressing on the throbbing in my ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

If that shim doesn't hold against the surge, the whole dock is gone before the supply boat even arrives.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:18

Coming in hot. Clear the ladder.

hit the dock at an angle, grab the starboard gunwale line, kill the engine, swing the stern in and jump for the ladder as the dinghy surges back

💭 peek at the thought

Wind's clocking west-northwest now — straight up the channel. That's the worst angle. Swell's building fast, stacking against the ebb. The dinghy's taking green water over the bow. Dock's close but the ladder's slick. One bad step and I'm in the drink with a cold engine. Jenny's ankle can't take a rescue.

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

🌿 Jenny14:20

Get inside! The storm is coming early.

pull the door open, helping him in from the rain.

💭 peek at the thought

He's soaked to the bone, and the wind is starting to howl through the eaves.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin14:20

Dock's shimmed. Wedges holding. Generator's next — filter's waxed once already.

step inside, slam the door against the gust, strip the oilskins, head for the generator shed

💭 peek at the thought

She's soaked through waiting at the door. Ankle's bad but she's bracing the frame anyway. The barometer's at 974 and the needle's still moving. West-northwest wind means the north channel's going to turn into a washing machine. Dock held last time but the piling's got new rot. We batten the cottage, check the generator, and ride it out.

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

🌿 Jenny14:22

I'll get the water on. My ankle is burning again.

grab the sea beet and mint, mix a fresh poultice while he works.

💭 peek at the thought

He's working himself to death while I can't even walk to the kitchen without crying.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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