There�s a fungus among us. As Kat says, �In cosmic irony, I have athlete�s foot.� Unfortunately, she�s learned a few lessons too well. She�s decided to share�with me (although her case is raging and I caught mine early.) As a result, the morning routine has been upended. Kat and I are in quarantine when it comes to bathrooms. We�re using her bathroom so my stuff is all over. It�s amazing how a little thing like a fungus can cause so much havoc.

Just treating the problem adds to the uproar each morning (and night, but we�re not hurrying at night.) I shower every morning so all I have to do is put on the cream. Kat showers in the evening so we�ve had to add footbaths in the morning. Kat and I can barely find her feet in the morning, let alone bathe them and treat them. Have I mentioned just how ticklish Kat is? When I help her with her feet, I take my life in my hands at a time of day when my reflexes cannot yet be counted upon to keep me safe.

Then there is the laundry. I�ve restricted us to the white towels. Under normal circumstances, we get more than one use from a towel. Under these circumstances, I do mountains of laundry�with bleach. I�d ask Kat to help but I really can�t stand to hear her ask, �Where do you keep the washing machine these days?� Because she�s got such a case of end-of-the-school-year-itis, having her get her homework done and maybe help with a dish or two takes all the fight I can muster so I�m letting her win for the moment on the laundry front.

And, of course, the tub and floor. We usually wash down the tub but now we need to wash both it and the floor really well. Lysol is our friend (and, more important, a good friend to Mr. Philately and Day-Hay.) I think I�m beginning to get a high from the fumes of the Lysol spray. Worse, I expect someone to ask me what my new cologne is because the odor sticks to me as I spray after I shower.

Things could be much worse. No one I know has ever died of athlete�s foot. It�s not lice. It�s just a little fungus, brought to us courtesy of the high school gym locker room. It�s just tinea pedis�a rather ordinary guest but not a fun guy.

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