[Elsie]

What does happen, and has been observed in controlled laboratory experiments, is that neutral mutations accumulate. This happens all the time in every species, including humans.

And what is the evolutionary process that keeps these 'accumulations' around until the final brick is placed?

Where is the Evolutionary 'advantage' to do so?

What is this strange, half formed THING growing in my body?

[js1138]

And what is the evolutionary process that keeps these 'accumulations' around until the final brick is placed?

Interesting question that has been the subject of much research. The genetic code has a number synonyms -- the equivalent of the way "y" and "i" are pronounced. So many mutations have no immediate affect on fitness. The fact that neutral mutations can become fixed in a population is in observed fact, and the scenario I described has also been observed.