36 years ago I was experiencing symptoms which led me to believe I that I may be losing my mobility. My consultants were switched from rheumatology to neurology and there was a great deal of head-shaking going on. Not really a future I fancied much for myself but the deterioration was so very gradual there was no way to imagine there would ever be a day that defined a cut-off point between manageable and unmanageable, and so I began to consider what that future life might look like. 
I decided it would look exactly like a mermaid.
So when I saw this wonderful creature in the castle grounds on Sunday I ran over to speak with her, explained exactly where I was coming from and told her she had just really and truly made my dream come true.