The once-in-a-lifetime calendar date of 11/11/11 seemed somehow important to mark. Lacking any profound words of wisdom about the interesting but arbitrary numbers, I decided to simply record a Day-in-the-Life photo essay with the help of my new iPhone and Instagram app. It was a very typical day for the Miller household. Leah is off doing exciting things in Manhattan this week but the rest of us are carrying on as normal. I'm tempted to mention the "boring" nature of the photos ahead but I'm afraid that word will sound too pejorative. When I think of boring these days, I think of Holocaust survivor Gerda Weismann Klein's moving speech at the 1996 Oscars when she urged the Academy audience and all the people watching to "be grateful for the magic of a boring evening at home." I am, Gerda, there's nothing I appreciate more! So here goes.
I wake up at 4:30 am (late for me these days), do some work on my computer, and watch an episode of "Grey's Anatomy" before Charlie wakes up.
I then make some delicious carrot/celery/beet/apple juice with my ancient Champion juicer that I recently dug out of storage. Yum, no better way to start the day.
I also make us a big bowl of matzoh brei, one of Charlie's (and Leah's) favorite breakfasts (simply matzoh run under water to get it soggy and then mixed with eggs and sometimes onions).
Emma the Dog loves it, too, and she waits patiently for Charlie to slip her a little taste (which he usually does).
I load Charlie into his car seat for a morning outing (while Mama sleeps a little longer).
On the road again. Oy, I've just surpassed 178,000 miles on my Honda Civic (which I bought the month before Leah was born). That means I could have driven this baby around the circumference of the Earth over seven times.
Charlie and I arrive at one of our favorite morning spots, the original Farmers Market on Third and Fairfax.
Charlie wanders around gazing at the people, the food stalls, and the displays of Farmers Market's 77-year history.
He loves to watch the peanut butter being made at Magee's House of Nuts which has been in this spot since the market opened in 1934. There's a great photo just over this machine of President Eisenhower looking at it during a visit in the 1950s.
Charlie and I walk over to the neighboring Grove shopping center and watch Mario Lopez's crew from "Extra" getting ready to film a Veterans Day segment. There are tons of veterans in the crowd and everyone is wearing matching 11/11/11 t-shirts.
We head into Barnes & Noble to look at some books and see there's a signing coming up with those literary geniuses, Kim, Kourtney, and Khloe Kardashian. If you can't get enough of their brilliance, you can check out mom Kris Jenner's book signing a few days before. What would the Los Angeles book world do without the Kardashians?
Charlie and I head across the street for a quick shopping jaunt at Whole Foods.
At exactly 11:11:11 on 11/11/11 we are loading groceries into my car in the Whole Foods parking lot.
We head home, after stopping for Mama's venti decaf nonfat mocha, and Charlie races in to see her.
I go off to one of my main "offices," the glorious Susina Bakery on Beverly and La Brea.
Susina is full of untold delicacies but I'm good and settle down with my own double latte.
I spend the day editing a book for Scholastic and writing several posts for the MSN movies blog including this one about Leo DiCaprio's extraordinary transformation in the new film, "J. Edgar."
I return home to find Kendall and Charlie lounging in front of a roaring fire in our living room. It's our first fire of the season and feels very cozy.
Kendall enjoys the chicken caesar salad I make for dinner. After eating like a maniac during my brief trip to Montreal earlier this week, I'm going for simple, healthier meals. Henry the Dog stares at Charlie, hoping for scraps.
Charlie is fascinated by my new iPhone and its camera option on both sides.
Bath time for Charlie Miller. Will he yell at me one day for posting naked pictures of him online?
After getting into his pajamas, Charlie tries on a hat someone made him and declares, "Charlie's hat is pretty!"
Charlie and Dad pick out some books for bedtime.
These are the three books we read before Charlie falls asleep.
And there you have it, a delightfully banal slice of life from November 11, 2011. Charlie may make it to the next celebration of this unusual date, but he'll be 102. Until then, we'll see you on 2/22/22 when he'll be getting ready for his Bar Mitzvah and Leah will be 27. Oy.