On Monday, Kyle and I were both off work and decided to make up for our inability to hit Discover Mills on my birthday. But first, a stop at Bojangles so K could use the gift card I got him for Christmas.

I brought along my receipt because of a nagging feeling that the lovely people behind the counter had somehow borked it up. And, sure enough, the gift card wouldn’t run. But they offered to give me $3 credit, which I graciously accepted in lieu of hopping the counter to bludgeon them to death with chicken legs.

Doubly unfortunately, the food was really mediocre. The biscuit was the only saving grace of the meal. I’m glad I had a chance to eat at Boj on the way to the beach last summer so I could know how good it can be, because otherwise the whole experience would have me boycotting.

So back to I-85 and up to Discover Mills we went. It’s one of those weird malls that’s part outlet mall and part real mall, with like African whatnot stores and “Nothing But Ties” and “Scrubs n’ More” and an As Seen on TV store and on and on. It’s entertaining if only to wander and be astounded by the merchandise. The rent must be stupendously low, because some of those places can’t sell more than one or two things a day.

It is also the site of Medieval Times, a terrifically cheesy historical-themed restaurant where one can dine on legs of fowl and flagons of Pepsi while watching jousting. K went when there was a work outing and was dying to show me how terrible it was, but tickets are $50 (!) each, and it’s only open on weekends anyway. So we picked up a flyer on half-price tickets and have plans to go in March.

After wandering some more, we stumbled upon a Dave & Buster’s and spent an hour playing skee-ball and killing zombies and shooting hoops. Wandered, got stuck in conversation with an irksome hockey fan at a really bad sports store, perused the poker store, checked out some shoes at Foot Locker and then found the black-light putt-putt place.

It was nearly empty and disturbingly quiet. The word for that is nubs. The walls were decorated with paintings of dinosaurs and critters of the wild. Kyle absolutely stomped me -- never challenge him in anything athletic -- and we played maybe 16 of the 20-odd holes before giving up. It was just too terrible.

We went to Sunglass Hut so K could spend the rest of his Christmas present, a mall gift card, on fixing up his old sunglasses. Debated seeing a movie -- he owes me one, plus concessions, from a hockey bet in December -- but nothing good was showing, so we piled back into the car for the drive back into the city.

He dropped me off at home, and I milled about for a bit before deciding to text and see if he wanted to grab dinner. I received a text at the same time saying my birthday present had finally arrived, and did I want to get it and go out to eat?

So it was that I received a Thrashers t-shirt with my nickname and 77 on the back. It’s something of an inside joke and received lots of laughs. I can’t wait to wear it, maybe to the game next weekend with Amy.

Speaking of Dr. Z, today I met up with her and her boy for lunch at Souper Jenny. It was a perfect day for soup, cold and drizzly. And what a great place. Cheerful, fun, cozy (which also means small, but not overly so). $12 gets you two menu items (I went for a big bowl of turkey chili and a barley salad, but there was also green salad and sandwiches as well as other soups), a roll, a drink, a piece of fruit and a cookie. It was way, way too much food but so delicious. Can’t wait to go again.

Tomorrow night, K is taking me to my first rasslin’ event, the WWE Royal Rumble at Philips Arena. I was the fourth choice, after two of his out-of-town buddies and Manav, but I’m okay with that because I get to witness the spectacle in person. I have no idea what to wear, and Eliott asked how I will feel to be the hottest girl there. I doubt that’s the case. But it should be vastly entertaining. Of course K and I have a bet going, and the loser pays for the Medieval Times trip. Wish me luck.