Lilly goes to work

Tuesday was the 13th right?

Yesterday I took Lilly to work with me, because things kind of exploded.

Back when I took the job at the Appeal, my boss and I came to an agreement that I could stay at home one day a week. In fact a flexible schedule is in my employment agreement. Initially that day was going to be Wednesday, but we have staff meetings then, so Timm and I opted to have me stay home Tuesday.

Most of the time by the time Tuesday rolls around, the paper is pretty much set. The editor is reading stories and the pages are getting laid out. My Monday night city council meeting is usually the only thing worked on. Being a night owl I usually write those stories after the meeting Monday night while things are fresh in my mind.

When things happen on Tuesday they have to rise to the level of re-laying out pages or scurrying around to get them in. In Stayton, that rarely happens. Silverton, however, is another story.

Yesterday we had the district attorney ruling on public records requests of a city councilor and a Mount Angel teacher arrested for sleeping with students.

Lilly did great and was quiet and fun, but I have to say that trying to write a story in the newsroom, while keeping an eye on an infant, is very, very distracting. Yesterday sealed the deal for me, as far as staying home. I love chasing a story on deadline -- it's what I missed when I freelanced -- but that was just a notch above crazy.

I ran out of milk for Lilly, so I was booking on my stories so I could get home and feed her. The diaper bag didn't have a burp towel and she had a blowout that needed addressing. But she didn't really whine or cry at all at the office.

But it did feel weird walking into my bosses office and talking about work, while Lilly was drooling on my shoulder.

Exciting day, and it was fun having her with me, but I just don't think the Silverton position is kid-friendly. Duh.