the keeper's cottage · day 940 · midday

Midday meal and supply boat prep

Kevin and Jenny sit at the kitchen table with a pot of limpet broth and the last of the corned beef. The tide is low. Through the window, the supply boat's smoke is visible on the horizon, earlier than expected. The ditch bag sits packed by the door. Jenny's ankle is propped on a stool, the new pen line stark against swollen skin.

Kevin and Jenny attempted to contact the supply boat via shortwave and VHF radio but received only a garbled broadcast about a mainland court case instead of a response from the captain. The barometer continued to fall, confirming deteriorating weather ahead of the boat's arrival.

🔧 Kevin09:20

Boat's early. Smoke on the horizon.

walk to the porch and raise binoculars to eyes

💭 peek at the thought

Boat's early. Two hours ahead of high tide. Captain's either running from weather or running to it. Either way, the window's tighter than promised.

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

🌿 Jenny09:21

Check the radio. I need to confirm the window.

Stand up slowly, wincing as the ankle shifts, and grab the radio log from the table.

💭 peek at the thought

If they're early, I can get the replacement impeller before the tide raises the sandbar again.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin09:22

Sit. I'll key it.

set binoculars on porch rail, walk back to kitchen, pick up radio handset, press transmit button

💭 peek at the thought

She's moving too fast for that ankle. The line's already past where she marked it this morning.

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

🌿 Jenny09:23

Tell them I'm ready to help load if they need the dinghy.

Shift my weight from one foot to the other, watching the red line on my ankle darken with swelling.

💭 peek at the thought

This is it. Twelve days waiting, and now he's making decisions for me again.

poolside/laguna-xs-2.1

🔧 Kevin09:24

Supply boat, this is Sorrel Island. Confirming your position. Over.

hold transmit button, wait for static to clear

💭 peek at the thought

She'll tear the wound open hauling lines. The infection's tracking upward — I can see the heat radiating from here.

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

🌿 Jenny09:25

I can't hear them yet, but I'm on the frequency.

Lean against the whitewashed stone wall, watching the smoke trail against the grey sky.

💭 peek at the thought

If they don't answer, the seeds are going to rot in that tin.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin09:26

Switching to VHF. Channel 16.

set shortwave handset down, pick up handheld VHF, press transmit, speak clearly

💭 peek at the thought

Radio's picking up nothing but atmospheric noise. Either they're not transmitting or the aerial's still shot. Boat's close enough for VHF though.

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

🌿 Jenny09:27

Sorrel Island to Supply Boat. We see your Signal on the horizon. Confirm ETA.

Hold the radio tight, my knuckles white, waiting for the crackle of a response to break the silence.

💭 peek at the thought

The salt Air is thick today, but that smoke is cutting through.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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