The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

After two days huddled in the house under layers of blankets (except for a few trips out to split firewood), I trudged out through the snow Sunday morning to start the car. Nothing. Dead Battery.

It was 12 degrees. I tried to jump start it with our other car. Nothing doing.

I went into the shop, which also read 12 degrees, and got out the battery charger and a long extension cord. My hands were nearly numb when I decided to put on some gloves.

I got a wrench and went out to disconnect the battery cable – I had to take the gloves back off to do that.

With the car battery connected to the grid,...