I called my dad this evening to ask about the storm, and he said, "What Storm?" Apparently, the storm completely bypassed Sarasota, and they didn't even get much wind or rain. It trimmed some dead branches off trees, but that's about all. My brother also lives in Sarasota, and he and his wife and their cats evacuated a few days ago. Ironically, my dad had to leave his harborside condominium, so he stayed in my brother's house.
My brother had to drive home through an area that had been devastated by the storm. The damage was terrible in Arcadia, only 25 miles from his home, but he and my dad suffered no damage at all. Arcadia is an economically depressed area, maybe 20 miles inland from Sarasota. I love that town - it's a relic of old inland Florida, a fascinating little place. I wonder how much is left of it.
-Joe-