In The Dark Again

Day 19: By some great stroke of luck, I had finished my morning ablutions, eaten breakfast and, most importantly, had a cup of coffee, and had settled in to await the dawn while doing some needlework. I had put three stitches on the tatting needle when the lights flickered once, twice, stayed on for a whole five seconds and then went out entirely. "Well," I said aloud, "I'm in the pitch-bloomin'-bloody-black-dark again." Fortunately, our service area is small and our utilities crews are prompt. A little over two and a half hours later, power was restored. However, it is at times like these that I wonder how those mediaeval women ever did their meticulous, intricate work by rushlight, or how pioneer women were able to manufacture garments and embroideries by candle or lantern light with such skill that it meets or surpasses that of most needleworkers today. Admittedly, my vision is impaired, and specifically in low-light situations, but crafting a neat join by flashlight was almost beyond me. I got that far, and laid my work aside to prevent the possibility of a misplaced stitch being made. Power outages drive me to knitting. I can do that with my eyes closed.