Potsdam Friday Dearest Mother. We spent yesterday in Berlin - it rained on and off all day and there is really nothing to do here in wet weather so that we congratulated ourselves on being in a town. We went to the Museum before lunch - I was very glad to see the pictures again. Aunt Mary and I looked also at the Italian sculpture which is interesting. They have a Michelangelo which I had never so much as heard of - I didn't care for it particularly either. Colonel Grierson lunched with us. We had meant to have spent the afternoon at the golf ground and had planned an amusing foursome, Lord G. [Granville], John Cavendish, Florence and I, but it was much too wet and blustery. Florence and John and I went out shopping, returned to the Embassy about 3 and played Black Pool with Lord G. and Uncle Frank until tea time. It was rather amusing. We got home at 6, lighted a big wood fire in the drawing room and shut all the windows and curtains. The drawing room is very comfy in the evenings, but too dark by day. John and I played picquet till dinner and Aunt Mary and Lady E. bezique. The others were sleeping in town as they always do on a Thursday. After dinner we played games of cards - it was not a pleasant evening. John Cavendish is so very shy. I am sorry for him, poor dear, but I think the kindest thing is to leave him pretty much alone. He is getting a little better - I should think he made quite six remarks yesterday evening off his own bat, besides answering those which we addressed to him!
Did you drink the Queen's health on Wednesday? We did, with much formality, in champagne after dinner. Such a subject for congratulation that she has reigned longer than anyone else and outlived all her friends!

It is deliciously sunny again today and warm enough to sit in the verandah, but it all looks and feels much more wintry than it did a week ago. Ever your affectionate daughter Gertrude