Florida Power & Light crews are swarming through neighborhoods in Miami-Dade County as the landscape gets brighter each night. Monday night, after Wilma, the only lights that could be seen in the downtown skyline were the red lights topping skyscrapers so no aircraft would fly into them. Now, some streets have power, some do not. Some with electricity have cable TV and internet, some do not. It all seems very random. Some street lights are working again ... if the street lights are still hanging there at all. In Miami-Dade County, residents stand on street corners and watch FPL workers in their cherry pickers, checking power lines. Sources in southern Palm Beach County report that most utility poles were toppled by Wilma, making it more difficult than simply checking the lines. Rebuilding the power infrastructure there will take weeks. FPL reports that many residents may not have power restored until November 22. Lines for gas wrap around blocks with people waiting hours only to be turned away in some cases. Last night one gas station owner ran out of gas, and people who had been waiting for hours in line refused to leave. The weary motorists wanted to wait in line until more gas would be delivered. The station owner finally had police clear the area, as he feared any tanker supplying gas would not be able to fit into his station with all of the traffic. The lines for gas are questionable, though. Where exactly are people going? If they had not been driving around all day in search of gas, maybe there would still be some in their tanks. On that note, what's the deal with the lines for ice? For those like diabetics needing to keep insulin cool, waiting in an ice line is understandable. These handout stations have gotten out of control, though. Bottled water and non-perishable foods should be enough to last any of us awhile. No one needs bags of ice to keep their foie gras chilled. If there is one silver lining, it's the weather. It has been crystal clear skies and temperatures in the 60s every day since Wilma left, the nicest weather in months. That's a welcome relief for those without air conditioning. It's amazing how much we rely on electricity for everything. Now, all three major South Florida airports are open, but will close tonight to meet curfews. Restaurants with power are packed with customers. Yesterday, a few of us ate lunch at a little French place near the Miracle Mile. Just ordering a Coke and a sandwich from the waitress felt like having a life again.

Photo Credit: South Florida Sun-Sentinel / Gina Fontana