diff --git a/hosts/hass.windy.lan.md b/hosts/hass.windy.lan.md
index 3890272..85c3c6e 100644
--- a/hosts/hass.windy.lan.md
+++ b/hosts/hass.windy.lan.md
@@ -342,9 +342,12 @@ deployed 2026-08-18 from `216cc99` (backup
     entities (`scribe_states_written`, `scribe_events_written`, rates, sizes).
   - Verified post-restart 14:23 CST: writer started, `scribe_events_written=1`
     (homeassistant_start), states ~110/min, buffer 3, no scribe log errors.
-- **Scribe 3.8.0 has no retention option** (upstream feature, newer versions
-  only). Retention requires upgrading Scribe first; the DB is a fresh 3.x-schema
-  so an upgrade is safe. Do not expect retention YAML keys to validate on 3.8.0.
+- **Scribe 3.8.0 has no retention option.** Retention ships only in the v4.x line,
+  which as of 2026-08-29 has no stable release (v4.0.0rc1/v4.1.0rc1 are
+  prereleases; user declined RCs — data keeps growing until an upgrade). v4.x is
+  a major rewrite (writer.py largely rewritten, migration.py removed, TimescaleDB
+  extension required): re-read release notes before upgrading. Do not expect
+  retention YAML keys to validate on 3.8.0.
 - Recorder stays external-Postgres with `purge_keep_days: 30` for daily UI
   history; Scribe is the permanent archive.
 
diff --git a/runbooks/home-assistant-maintenance.md b/runbooks/home-assistant-maintenance.md
index 57ef045..97e8015 100644
--- a/runbooks/home-assistant-maintenance.md
+++ b/runbooks/home-assistant-maintenance.md
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 # Runbook: Home Assistant maintenance (hass.windy.lan)
 
 Target: [hass.windy.lan](../hosts/hass.windy.lan.md) (physical x88 Pro box, HAOS `machine: green`)
-Upstream: HAOS 18.1 / Core 2026.8.1 / Supervisor 2026.07.5 (verified 2026-08-14)
+Upstream: HAOS 18.1 / Supervisor 2026.07.5 (verified 2026-08-14); Core 2026.8.3 (verified 2026-08-29)
 
 This runbook covers routine Home Assistant maintenance through the **`ha`
 supervisor CLI**. All commands are wrapped by a single script