This year the Oyster Festival simply overwhelmed us - in a good way. I turned from being a reporter into a carnival visitor. It was like being in a theme park. We visited the fairgrounds on Friday night to see how it looked at night - wonderful. We shot off a round of BB pellets at a target in a booth, but never hit the star. The left-hand corner was decimated. That was good enough for us.

Saturday we bought raffle tickets for the Youth & Family Counseling Agency of OB-EN quilt and strolled around taking photographs - overwhelmed with the sights, to just in time arrive at the end of the oyster-eating contest on the showmobile.

We met family members, had lunch, and bought Wild Bill's soda in 25th Anniversary Oyster Festival mugs. We missed the fireworks at 7 p.m. - we were wondering if they would have them because of the wind - but opening our front door in East Norwich we heard them go off.

Sunday night we caught the closing moments of the festival - still amazed and gratified at seeing all the lovely people who come to enjoy Oyster Bay's fund raising festival.

It was a wonderful weekend. Thank you to all the people who volunteer their time to make it all happen, year after year. You are all just marvelous, dedicated, spirited and made me feel energetic and happy on Monday. The feeling is lasting.

Thank you Oyster Bay Rotary and every single one of you who put your heart and soul into Oyster Festival 25!

We can't wait until next year.

(Take some time off and catch your breath.) - DFk