... You /know/ a story has stuck with you when you find yourself depicting characters out of it. When I finish it, you will see what I mean...

Lutra, Joules ... I don't remember offhand which one of you two invented Maria, the pet mermaid, but whichever one of you it was can rest assured that she stuck. Throughly.

Anyway - seems to be a fish night... the tank has water, substrate and gravel in it. I haven't gotten to rock-rinsing yet - I'm waiting to test the filter for nitrite/nitrate. Do that tomorrow morning. Might put some of the plants in before then - their bag has sprung a leak, and it might be good to get them into water, even if it's /shallow/ water.. (Only two and a half gallons in the tank - I'll put more in once I know the filter's safe..)

My heater is on route - might have it by Monday. More likely, sometime before the end of the week.....