The mermaid was back at the pool today, holding court amidst a group of admiring young girls. She stayed in mermaid character the entire time, smiling broadly and telling them she had a tank she lived in at home, and the reason they never see or hear of any other mermaids is because some humans were mean to them once, so except for her they all moved to the bottom of the sea where no technology can withstand the pressure.
I can't really decide how I feel about the mermaid. Delightful? Bizarre? Bizarrely delightful? I guess it doesn't matter; she's having a good time, the kids are having a good time, and the pool is definitely a lot more interesting when she shows up.
The only real problem is that now Eric wants to rig up a merman outfit for himself. He's envisioning a glittering monofin secured to his thighs with chaps, and a pair of white Speedos as the centerpiece. We'd have the pool to ourselves for sure if he did that.