There's gift I've ever received has to be a bike when I was younger, a pedal bike.

It was a sort of slick little road bike and I remember it was all like it was so it was all wrapped up

but it was so obvious what it was obviously because nothing shaped like a bike and had a little ribbon on it

and I was so guest. For that was a life changer and I'm still sort of big on cycling around my area now

so for that one change me a little.

Joy in every sip with red carp now back at Starbucks.

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Hello and thank you for listening to the history of World War II podcast.

Episode 353 Malta's Magic Carpet Service.

With the intense reduction of German planes operating from Sicily, Malta knew a slim version of peace.

True the daylight raids were much fewer but night bombings starting around 11pm were still the norm.

Yet the people of Malta, the locals and the temporary guests in uniform were trying to find ways of creating some normality.

And as humans have been doing for thousands of years, the people of Malta were determined to find peace, occasional quiet, and of course love within the framework of this war.

There were more bicyclists out and about, though they still scanned the skies for German 109s, but at least it led to more flower picking along the trails and roads.

But what everyone looked forward to were the dances on Saturday night. Of course they were closed down at 11pm generally just before the bombers came, but in those few hours fun was had, the war was forgotten, and love in its many forms was pursued.

One of the favorites was the Sleema Club near the capital area just north of Manuel Island and Marsem's Shet Harbor.

As can be imagined, many new friendships were made and previous established friends renewed their acquaintance during these dances.

Suzanne Paulby, married to John Paulby, who was in the army, tried to make it to the dances on Saturday. But his success in this endeavor was tied to the war.

He occasionally made it out. Fortunately for both of them, Commander Shrimp Simpson of the submarine units there, and his next-in-command, Hubert Marsem, both bachelors, looked after Suzanne when John could not make it.

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