We got some crazy weather today, boy. Lots of wind and rain to mess up the morning commute.

It was only this week that the news reported Metro North Railroad's excellent on-time record. So it shouldn't have been surprising that the weather would try to louse that up by knocking down a tree in the Bronx.

A tree in the Bronx? Since when are there trees in the Bronx? And how long does it take to haul fallen tree off the tracks so service can be restored?

All I know is this: I got to the train station at a bit after 8 a.m. and noticed an unusally large crowd -- telling me at least one train had already been cancelled. The wind was howling, and the rain had already moistened my clothing (it was the kind of morning when a car drives by and splashes puddle-water onto your pants -- which happened to me on Lake Street, starting the day off right). With no trains rolling, I decided to return home. It was raining harder by then. My $3 umbrella was woefully inadequate.

The television news reported the service suspension. I was annoyed because I'm signed up for MNR's e-mail alert service -- which would've sent a message to my cell-phone. That would've saved me a trip to the station, if only they had sent an actual message.

So I got comfortable. I got online, e-mailed the office, then went to the kitchen to make some turkish coffee and toast. Then back to check on office issues and get more news reports -- service had been restored. I went to the MNR website to learn that the schedule for the rest of the morning had changed -- a new timetable was posted. I read it. There would be a train at 10:20. My pants were mostly dry by then. I packed up my papers (again), put on my coat (again) and left for the station.

There was no train at 10:20. I stood in the mist of the wind-driven rain for about a half-hour before a train arrived. It made every single stop between Tuckahoe and Grand Central.

The final indignity: the train platformed on Grand Central's lower level -- which adds about five minutes to the time it takes to fight your way out of the station.

It's just another reason why I'm glad to be leaving New York. In fact, I expect that will be a recurring theme on the Macaroni Dish over the next few months. Why do I need to get out of here? Let me count that ways.

Oh, and I did ultimately get a service alert e-mail. It was time-stamped 9:51 a.m. -- too late to have been any use. The message got to my mailbox at exactly 3:04 p.m.

Like clockwork.