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temperatures hovered in the 30's for much of the day, warm enough that i could bike to my parents' place. i had some adzuki bean soup for lunch and some radish cakes.

i tried creating social security accounts for my 2nd aunt and uncle but it ended in failure; apparently my aunt already had an account but i didn't even bother asking her about it because she wouldn't have remembered her username, her password, or her security questions. i ended up reseting her account, they'll mail her a new password in a week or so. as for my uncle, the website wouldn't even take his info, said his social security number wasn't qualified for web access and told me to call them. normally they'd just go down to the social security office near fresh pond to file whatever paperwork, but that office has been closed since last march, and all social security business is now done via phone or the internet.

i did a mosquito bit water drench on all the basement grow room plants. afterwards i selectively spray a few plants with neem oil, those that had mealybugs or aphids. i don't know if we can ever completely get rid of those pests, but as long as we're vigilante and spray judiciously we can at least prevent infestations. once again, i didn't do that total spray in the bathtub idea, maybe next weekend. practically-speaking, i should spray first, wait until the neem oil dries, before watering, since watering makes the potted plants even heavier. but i think once we get into march, if we're lucky we get some 50 degrees days, i can bring the plants out into the backyard and spray them there.

i couldn't resist, i did some backyard flying in the late afternoon. the sky was overcast which meant there wasn't any lighting but that also meant no glare. i decided to visit the three spots i knew that had sledders: in the park, inside the fresh pond golf course, and the reservoir. they were plenty of people when i rode in this morning, but most of them had already left. only the reservoir still had a lot of activity, older kids prefer the longer hills. i watched as children slid far enough that they ended up in the streets.

after dinner i rode back to cambridge. snowmelt puddles from earlier today reflected the colors of the traffic lights, illuminating my ride back home. i put the bike in the basement as we were going to get two days of freezing rain.