This was the most fun I have had in a long time. And that goes a long way, considering how enjoyable our rides are. So many thanks to everyone who participated and the members who came by to assist in the decorating and just give us moral support. Good team spirit, Debbie and Fred. And it was good to see John and Debbie James, who first stopped us. We have missed seeing you all for so long.

Sunburst made his public debut and from all accounts, was a big hit. Jeannette babysat him and I hope he didn't try to jump out of the car.

Her lovely daughter and dashing boyfriend did a very good job carrying the M&M banner. They looked very professional. As always, everyone chipped in and helped each other get the job done. Mountain Miatas is truly a close group. We shared Folger's coffee (thanks Paul), lights, garland and tinsel, as well as friendship. All the more reason this is such a tight knit organization.

Roger was the hero in stopping the car for Roz. She was behind me and it happened so quickly no one knew what was going on. We hope she is recovering and able to move around.

If you all ever do this parade, be aware as Paul said of the little children with their tiny feet stuck out in the road. You do have to pay attention as well as be jolly and have a good time. The smiles and comments from the parade attendees made it all worth the effort. It blew me away at how many people were there, lined up to see everything. I remember standing on those same streets when I was very little with my mother and father and getting so excited. And yes, I did sit on their shoulders a couple of times to see better. Hard to believe it now.

Tim Kimbrough was a kind and jolly old soul who loaned me his crystal blue Miata for the event. There is no way The Blue Blaze would have handled those stops and starts with the racing clutch. I appreciate you, Tim. How did you know that the blue would fit in so perfectly with my Winter Wonderland design scheme? Couldn't have done it without you and Carolyn, the others and my lovely daughter-in-law, Christina. She came in from Macon, GA to participate.

I encourage everyone to give thoughts to expand our presence in this event next year. It is worth it, even with the cold. Just bundle up. I am going to schedule a parade seminar for next year to show novices how to plan and install the decorations. I think a lot of the "old" hands will have a lot to contribute. It is a good idea to start watching for lights, etc., that are battery operated starting now and adding them to your Miata equipment, especially when they go on sale. One other suggestion is to inquire about usage of a support vehicle that can be temporarily parked in our staging area and then moved. You can pack a lot in a Miata, and I am one of the best at that, but a van filled with tubs would make it a lot easier and safer.

For those of you who missed it, we were featured in an interview on Live at Five. It will be cycling on the repeat channel for WBIR, channel 10 news. And from Ellen, I believe we had some coverage in the parade filming. If anyone can obtain a copy of these, please let us know so everyone can have a chance to add it to their collection. We may even play it at the December meeting. For those amateur photographers, let us know about how your pictures turned out. It was difficult to shoot good shots in the area we were staging in. We missed you, Ellen and Lesley, and not just for the pictures. Roger, you initiated a signature event that will be talked about and followed up for a long time, becoming an MM tradition. Thanks from all of us!

Georgiana