I'm spending way too much time in the bathroom...

And the reason is caulking.
Or at least sealing the tub and surrounding insert from water. We've tried a variety of caulks, all different types, all specifically made for areas that get really wet. I've spent 2-4 hours each weekend since late August, in the tub, with caulking gun in hand. This doesn't include the hours I spent over the summer trying to get it right with yet another brand/version made for wet areas of the bathroom. We've tried everything except BathFitter. So far all have turned into the cottage cheese-like substance we have become all too familiar with. I'm sure the neighbors must wonder what - in shear frustration - I'm yelling about.
Recently, we tried tub and surround tape (~$20), specially made for sealing out water. And no, that didn't work either and allowed water to seep in behind, causing even more of a problem. (Hopefully LaValleys takes returns on used tape.)
So today we tried some generic plumbers silicant we picked up at Central Supply. It doesn't clean up with water - a good thing we think - and hopefully will cure by tomorrow afternoon. We can't shower until about 3 PM tomorrow, and we'll know by late Sunday whether it's back to the bathtub.