Got on better with Variations. – It is strange that there is little air here, but the place lies in a low wooded valley. I was awake for 2 hrs last night, very unusual with me. Of course, it had to rain again to-day, and it was so cold we had to put off the picnic again. After dinner Mám and I went for a beautiful pine-wood walk leading to the top of one of the hills overlooking Cappoquin. Suddenly it began to pour and shortly after came thunder and lightening. We were soaked to the skin, and didn’t feel at all comfortable standing under such tall trees. We stood for 5 mins., and then when it seemed to have passed away, we walked back and changed. All the evening there were terrible downpours with wonderful black formations of clouds, and we heard distant rumbling of thunder. No storm broke over us, however, as I feared it would. Played cards with Lil, read and did Portuguese stamps. Was deeply interested in the quarrel between the Empire and the Papacy, Gregory VII and Boniface VIII.
