I am a maid of the North country

This is not strictly true, though I was for a few years.
Currently, neither a maid nor of the North, but definitely in it!
For what seems like ages but is probably only two days, I've not been able to connect. Eldests wifi worked and the lap top asured us that it was connected and then blithely pointed out that it couldn't find any servers anywhere. Suggested that I might be firewalled. Well I might be! I suppose I am? One mostly is.
Whatever. Eldest told his router to trust me and apparently that was all that was needed.
However, the computer is seriously unwell (thank heavens for laptop). It's busily baffling eldest and eventually we decided that some shopping was required and the temporary use of a beta version of windows vista. (temporary I hope since no one seems to like it...does anyone?). i have a horible feeling that I'm going to be sent home with a jury rigged windows and incomprehensible instructions.
We'll see. My visiting plans are in chaos (must ring sister and friend and sister in law tomorrow) but the upside is I got spend a whole, gloriously sunny day trailing around the wild north country snapping like mad.
The swans were taken in newbury before I left and I may be able to upload a separate picture from the hills above Lancaster...who knows :)
Now I am going to sleep cos tomorrow I must shop, phone, possibly go to IKEA and take more pictures :)