Your attention please. If you are planning on attending the Lobster Bake on the evening of Aug. 2, please sign up at the post office or reply ASAP to the recent email. Our Bayville friends are kind enough to put this together, so let's make their job easier. Al and Phil have their snorkel gear ready to go, but need a headcount to know how many to catch. Perhaps this is the year Phil finally brings one to the surface, but with that life jacket on, let's just say the odds aren't in his favor.

Things are somewhat calm and peaceful here now, but this Saturday that all changes as the Waterfront Festival is back! As if you didn't already know, that means the Ruler of the Bay trophy and the prize money that goes with it (good-bye amatuer status!) are up for grabs. Is a member of the Frascella/LaPointe/Strojny cottage going to hoist the hardware again? Might Emma Collins be our first three time champ? Could Haven or Luke Merrill become the first to take home the holy grail of maritime competition - Ruler of the Bay and Ruler of the Sea? Or is this the year a Cinderella story has their name immortalized? On Aug. 26, we will find out as the battle gets underway at Waterfront Arena (yes, naming rights are still available) at 1. If you don't yet have a ticket, StubHub has (as of this writing) some available starting at $10, excluding fees. Please don’t get me started on  fees! Anyway, break open the piggy bank and get ready for a day of fun and suspense. The action will be on Bayville Radio, so tune in if you can’t attend. Before the champion is crowned, even us mere mortals can shine in the water balloon toss and musical chairs events. This year, Brian McNamara and Matt Frascella have had their lifetime bans lifted, so look for them to be on their best behavior. I'm told the refs will be keeping a close eye on them just in case. Thanks to last year's unfortunate call, video replay is making its long - awaited debut. And by popular demand, The Spenserettes will be there too, providing the quality tunes. Contrary to conspiracy theories, Mark Spenser does not have eyes in the back of his head, so it's on you if you're not sitting in the final chair.

Of course, prior to any of that, the double elimination brackets begin when Pickleball Palooza kicks off at 8 a.m. This is a great event with lots of players and spectators, but lately hasn't had nearly the same suspense as the later competition as Nate and Julie Merrill are in a league of their own (actually semi-pro) and are going for a three-peat. Perhaps this year someone will make the finals interesting, but seriously, the only way I think anyone has a shot at unseating them is to slip some ex-lax into their pre-game meal. Not that the Buzz is suggesting any such thing!

After the blood, sweat, and tears have been wiped away and the champions crowned, it's time to put the past behind us and enjoy the Ice Cream Social where the Super Scoopers will be hard at work dishing out several flavors, including Bayville Blues.

Valhalla is busy again as Tom and Linda have returned from their trek. Talk about walking in circles, their journey started and ended in Chester, but they did cover 41 miles in between. Their four-day adventure was spent hiking from B&B to B&B so they were quite pampered - and ended up gaining weight! Luck was on their side as the threatening rains only came to be at the end of their journey and also while they were enjoying ice cream under the front eave at the Vermont General Store in Warren.

Julie was kind enough to share the goings on at Lawn Cottage and as usual, there is a lot to share. First the Merrill Men (yes, of hot dog fame!), along with Neil Wiltshire (Hannah’s husband), were busy rebuilding the stairs to the beach. Naturally, the result is first rate. Is there anything those guys can't do? Then it was off to Rockland for another year of Friendship Sloop racing. Congratulations to the entire crew, as after three days of racing, Celebration placed 2nd overall. Admiral Greg is bringing along the future racers as Wally made his debut and had fun keeping an eye on the red boat. Julie says that the cottage is hopping with people and dogs - and that there were 17 around the dinner table last night! We’re not sure if the dogs had seats, but at Lawn Cottage anything is possible. In a story that seems hard to believe, Dave and Julie have put Mary Alice on the market. They launched her 16 years ago on their 30th anniversary. Yes, the Merrill men are romantic too. They had 10 aboard for a recent outing to Indiantown Island and also spent a week on Monhegan. Fishhawk won't look the same with Mary Alice gone from her perch.

Let the games begin and may the odds be ever in your favor!