First, you have to remember that for three months I was absolutely postively NOT to have less than 90 degrees between my thighs and torso. That cut down on silly activities like cleaning the bathtub and getting the area under the counter where the cat box sits really clean.

Today I remedied that lack. The tub looked in fairly good shape--I haven't taken a bath since late 2003, but instead I use a shower stool. So there was no ring. Once I had showered and washed my hair I started taking stuff out of the tub, including the bath mat. Let's just say a beige tub doesn't show much, until you look closely. However, after a thorough scrubbing (me on my knees leaning over the tub) AND a soaking session in bleachy water for the mat, tub, and shower stool (I put that in upside down) things looked a whole lot better.

Next thing to attack was the commode. I've had a high seat on it since I came home from the hospital. I scrubbed that really well in the bathtub and it, too, sat in the bleach for a while. And I half crawled under the counter where the cat box goes to get all the little bits of litter swept up.

It really looks a whole lot cleaner. Well, that's good, because I spent enough time on my knees cleaning, and then having to get myself up again. I had only one little problem--I needed to use the "facility" before the high seat was dry. As I sat down I realized I had "aimed" for the high seat and had to grab before I sort-of fell that extra four inches. (I once knew someone who had a similar experience and broke a wrist trying to find the lower-than-expected seat. Tell that one to insurance people!)

My great cleaning activities came to an end just as the tree guy arrived to do the offical "loss of property value" survey and paperwork. He went through the many pictures I'd taken and counted up the damaged trees in sight of the buildings (and pool). He then multiplied it by $1800, which is the official value of trees for casualty loss deduction purposes. There were 17 trees.

Of course, my casualty loss deduction cannot exceed the ORIGINAL value of the property, which is a whole lot less than that. Because I'm in Katrinaland I am not subject to the 10% and $100 deductible one normally has to take with a casualty loss. That's fine for the feds, but Louisiana is going to do well, because they do not allow anything more than the standard deduction. In other word, those who itemize end up owing a bunch. I think of it as being penalized for charitable contributions and medical expenses, and I feel like writing a really nasty note where they ask if I want any refund money to go to state "causes."

Enough trivia for today. I want to get some more reading done. (And I can do this now with a somewhat cleaner conscience and a spotless bathroom.)