[V8] Mystery of headlights

[roger at acadiareaders.com]

Before I start to dig into it, I have a fault in my V8 involving headlights. 
Once a while ago I lost my headlights' low beams. I was driving home from some
place after dark and when switching from high beam to main beam suddenly I lost
ALL headlights.  I frigged with the dipper switch and the on and off switch for
a second or so, and found that the main beams would return if I flipped the
headlight flasher sharply.  Well and good.
 
Today driving home from Rockland in the rain I noticed that I had no main beams
at all, and couldn't get them to turn on, although high beams are working.
 
I do not belive that the issue is related to bulb failure as my autocheck
sysstem is silent. 
 
Any ideas?  I will be going out after dark to see if something is working or if
perhaps the fault goes through to the interior dashboard lights, and that will
give the fault search more diretion. Right now I am thinking that a relay has
failed.
 
Thoughts?
 
Roger