<br/>Vince ~ observing<br/><br/>It was time to listen, Vince thought as the banter became playful and informative.<br/><br/>Mari's teasing response had been echoed by the other two women. Vince made a note of it. It was nice to know that breakfast in bed delivered to the room would be ah welcome surprise.  He chuckled at the mischief he was thinking as he listened to the pleasure they'd found to speak about.<br/><br/>The house would be up early.  Five in Scotland on a winter's morn looked nothin like Virginia beach in weather or sunlight.  It was akin to Amsterdam and Sweden, dark as pitch and the chill that passed thru clothes with fog so deep an outstretched hand would disappear.<br/><br/>Ah, they'd find that out soon enough, Vince thought.<br/><br/>This six months was all the winter in the middle of the North Atlantic off the Scottish Coastline. Six month of it. There'd be no warmth except from what the fire and electricity would furnish. The sun slept in late this time of year. There will be windstorms after this lull where the gales will be thick and often. Then the prevailin North Sea would bring the winter deep with snow and chill the water to barely breathin while chunks of ice drift past.<br/><br/>It was great for Polar Bears and sleepin in the mornin against a toasty warm heart beat wrapped in his extra pair of socks, or kissin down the back of a writer or artist just to say good morning.  He had to grin.<br/><br/>They tickled him. The English were mad as a hatter anyway and the yanks were just nuts. He was in good company after all.<br/><br/>