We started today like we do most Saturdays. Karen  came to town and she and Amanda spent most of the day Christmas shopping. Amanda got all she was getting for me and Karen got most of her shopping done too.

I, on the other hand, made plans to go see Beowulf with Michael and Barry. I taught myself some CSS web tricks until I went over to Michael’s apartment to ride over to Mayfaire to grab the tickets and a bite to eat.

Mayfaire, being a major shopping center the day after Thanksgiving, was packed. The Saga of Zach be Michael began when we were trying to find a parking spot and had to go to the very back of the parking lot in a spot tucked back behind the theater. The Saga continued after we’d bought tickets and found out that the Mayfaire theater wasn’t showing Beowulf in 3D. I whipped out the trusty iPhone and found out that it was playing at the Carmike theater over off Kerr, so we got back in line to refund our tickets only to be told we had to go inside to do that. So we did.

I called Barry to tell him we were going to a different theater and had about an extra hour and he was fine with that. So we headed over that way and bought tickets. Michael and I were talking about what to eat and when I mentioned that there was a Taco Bell over there so we decided to eat there.

Of course getting there was an ordeal too, as it took forever to turn left, then as we were leaving it was tough too, because the road we took to get back is one that was apparently blocked off a long time ago to help control traffic. I knew this and had told Michael, but he thought I was wrong so he kept going anyway.

Barry met us at the theater. The movie was decent. Definitely something to see on the big screen with the 3D and the rich visuals. Beowulf was completely computer generated but at times it was hard to tell.

Barry went home to help finish decorating the house after that and Michael drove back to his apartment, where I got in my car and went on home. I talked to Amanda (while in Michael’s car) and she asked what we wanted for dinner, but neither of us was hungry.

Ultimately Amanda and Karen got some Smithfield BBQ. On the way out there they passed the bowling alley and Karen decided we should all go bowling, an idea that was met with agreement by all.

So I grabbed a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and headed back out to Michael’s. He wanted to watch the ends of a basketball and a football game so we didn’t leave until a few minutes after 7:00, which was the time they planned on meeting us.

We had a lot if fun playing two games. Karen won the first one, followed by Amanda then me then Michael. Really, we were all horrible. In the second one Michael got a strike at the end to take him from third place behind Karen and me to first.

I thought Amanda was really cute. When she wanted the bowling ball to drift to one side she’d wave her hand like she could force enough wind to effect its course and slowly go down to a crouching position.

I dropped Michael back at his place, which gave Karen and Amanda time to unload presents.

They’d bought a book about mutts that had a bunch of pictures of dogs by body part so you could try to figure out what your mutts is made of. Based on that we’re extremely sure that Harvey got his face from a border terrier. We’re less sure about the rest of him, but we’re thinking maybe a pointer.