Dennis Makes Landfall in Springfield

So I'm watching hurricane Dennis buffet my house last night with 3 mile an hour sustained winds while a steady drizzle (lightly) soaked the yard. And I'm thinking, "This isn't so bad. What are those Floridians always whining about."

Of course, I boarded up my windows early and moved the family to the second floor so it's understandable that I would feel more secure than, say, my neighbors who foolishly ignored the impending ravages of Dennis and continued to do things like yard work right up until the storm roared in yesterday afternoon. Don't they know they soon will have no yard left to tend?

But as I filled out my FEMA disaster relief forms, I wondered how the beaches at Lake Springfield were faring. Had Dennis washed away the delicate ecosystem of sand and discarded concrete chunks? Were boats now strewn across Center Park like so many bathtub toys? Did some of the wealthy lake residents foolishly attempt to ride this out as whitecaps from the lake lapped at their front door?

I shudder to think.