green chile – TheMcKeeSpot.

Greetings to everyone from cloudy and cold Los Alamos New Mexico. It is a cold Sunday. Earlier this week we managed to see single digit temperatures and over 8 inches of snow. The winter weather caused me to work from home for two days while road crews, work crews and whomever else had to do whatever they do in order to make roads and parking lots usable.

When I awoke last Wednesday morning at my usual time, work was on a delay and it was snowing outside. Only about 4 inches had fallen by 3 am, but it was windy and the temperature was below zero with the wind chill. Needless to say, Jewel and I had to venture out to check on the weather.

Jewel and I venture out in the cold and blowing snow

Often what I do is post pictures from these walks on Facebook so friends and coworkers who are driving from afar to work can gauge the travel conditions. Didn’t see any snow plows on our walk but there were cars. Because it was very cold, and the snow was very fine, Jewel and I were unable to finish our normal loop, as it was freezing and bothering her paws.

Looking west down Trinity Drive during the snowstorm
of February 2, 2022 at 5 am.

By 6 am, it was still snowing and the wind was still blowing and the temperature was still below zero. The powers that be canceled work, or at least closed the lab for the day. Ditto with school. However, if one could telework, one should telework. The fact is that COVID has ended the snow day. If you can work from home, one can telework. If you cannot access work or do work via computer, then it is report pay. This is what we would historically call a snow day. BUT, if you could telework but didn’t want to telework, well then, that is called vacation! The kids don’t teleschool and so they just do homework on their computers, if they are not watching YouTube or playing computer video games.

I have previously mentioned that I do not like to work from home. I need to keep that separation. Well I managed to telework for about half of the day and then took the other half as vacation. Telework cuts into my productivity significantly. If it isn’t the fact that the computer connection is bad, I typically do not have certain files available, or data printed out and at my fingertips. Between the cell phone and the internet, one can work from just about anywhere.

Anyway, the snow continued to fall. I think that I posted numerous updates on my Facebook page as the snow kept falling and the wind kept blowing. Had to shovel the walk three, maybe four times throughout the day. By the evening, it was announced that school was cancelled for the second day, and the same was true with work. Yet I had too much to do and so on Thursday, February 3rd, I was working from home the entire day.

Thursday morning rolled around and after several hours of working from home, I ventured out to survey the damage. You see, if you get up early, work starts early. One doesn’t have to shower, or for that matter, get dressed. All you need is the internet, your computer, and of course, coffee. By that time I ventured out, the sun was just starting to come up. The wind was still blowing and it had stopped snowing. I measured 8 inches on the back porch. So Jewel and I took a drive to get a breakfast burrito.

In general, the roads were snow packed and icy in some spots. Side streets and many parking lots were covered in snow. Some traffic, especially at the McDonald’s drive thru was out and about as well. Chile Works, where I typically get my burrito, was not very busy. Nonetheless, my burrito certainly hit the spot. And since I typically get mine with green chile, Jewel just has to sit and watch me eat.

And the kids had no school for a second day. Of course, daughter had to go to the stables to feed Roman and Ruby. As it was still single digits outside and the wind was still blowing, one had to check and make sure that they were fine. Daughter let me know that I needed to buy our stable neighbor a bottle of whiskey. He had managed to plow the stable roads long before the county ventured out to do the same.

Daughter letting Ruby try on her winter wolf hat.

Of course, daughter needs to see if Roman likes the hat as well.

We finally received our first real snowfall of the year. We can certainly use the snow. I hope that we get more so as to reduce the drought conditions in the state, and for much of the Southwest. In my 31 years here, we have seen snow as early as October and as later as June.

I am sure that the ski hill was very popular as it was able to open. It is only 10 minutes from town. Of course Jewel does not like the deep snow and so she leaves me presents on the deck. No photographs here.

And so, by Friday, life returned to normal. The roads were plowed completely, and parking lots could accommodate both vehicles and massive piles of snow. I went to work at my usual time. Jewel was glad to rest while I was at work. The sun was out, and the snow was beginning to melt. As I get older, I find myself enjoying the cold and wind and snow less and less.

With that, until next time.

Typically, Thursday night is pizza night for the kids and I. Tonight we had Papa Murphy’s. Cheese and black olives for daughter; cheese, pineapple and ham for son. I have some of each. With Papa Murphy’s they make it fresh and you bring it home to cook. Simple, fresh and whatever you want.

We alternate between Dominos, Time Out ( a local place) and Papa Murphy’s. The local grocery store also makes pizza and of course there is frozen. We like Jacks Frozen Pizza the best.

Pizza is simple, easy to have, and somewhat healthy with the right ingredients. Lots of cheese, the kind that forms long strings. Rich tomato sauce with spices, and your favorite toppings. My toppings are usually pepperoni or sausage with green chile. It’s a New Mexico thing.

Of course, growing up back home in Lewistown, Pennsylvania meant that you could get square pizza from Gus’s. It’s still there and it still makes great pizza. For me growing up, I remember that it was the rare occasion that we got pizza, and while it has been a few years since I have had a slice, I remember that it’s still good.

The great thing about pizza is that there is usually leftovers. And I was reading that it’s not just for lunch or dinner anymore. Wonder how it goes with coffee.