Last-minute gifts: what each astrological sign dreams of having under the tree. Story by Margaux L. ... finding THE perfect present can quickly turn into a nightmare. Luckily, ...

Blackberry patches, our willow tree, and even 100-year-old pine trees were ripped away. When the sun came up, the river was running directly under the corner of our house," Pelley told Newsweek .

It can be a bitter awakening when the American dream of homeownership becomes a nightmare, and through freak disasters, owners can find themselves cleaning up a huge mess — sometimes literally.