We will have the combined Carter-Nathan birthday party this Saturday in Jin Shi Tan at the beach but here are a few photos and video of Carter’s special day. He went to play in the Emporium playground, followed by dinner at McDonald’s and then cake at home with Mom, Dad, little brother and Laolao.
It was 3 years ago today that Carter Xiaolong Brown came into this world and he has had his parents laughing ever since. He is a sweet funny little boy and we couldn’t love him anymore if we tried. Here is what he had to say about his birthday …
The words have been spoken .. here are the images. Big thanks to Hubert Wong for taking the shots.
Da Team!
Our Captain Craig Engleson accepting the Cup
Me hamming it up with the Cup
Adrian Conradi winning the Dong Bei Ren (leading scorer of the tournament)
Rony Amin accepting the Simon Kissinger Trophy (Most Heart)
Euan Frew accepting the MVP award.
Man love at its finest. What a team .. what a team!
For one year we get the bragging rights .. that’s right Team Green is the 2007 Dong Bei cup championship team. By a low score of 3 to 1 we took the coveted prize. The contest was a very defensive match and the lowest scoring final since the tournament’s inception in 2004. All final games have been 6-5 until this year.
The game pretty much had only one highlight - Euan Frew suffered a broken hand after blocking a shot by Big Gabe Kemp. Originally only thought to be a cut he suffered the injury at the end of the first half but still managed to return to play for the second half. It’s commitment like this that won it for us.
Friday night saw a big celebration at Samsara Bar lasting well into the early hours. Unfortunately it was followed up by a staff sports day where attendance was mandatory. I managed to compete in the standing long jump and the 8x200 meter relay but that was all I could muster. Each year this thing gets harder and harder. But hey … we won!
The big Dong Bei Cup final is just over 2 hours away and I feel strangely calm. We have the winning offense, we have the winning defense and we have the winning goaltending - the only task that now remains is to put it all together for 40 minutes. If we do that we will earn it. If not the world will not come to and end and our value as people will be no less than it was before the game started.
This Cup has seen the good and the bad side of competition and I hope that todays game highlights the best that competition has to offer. After the game has been played and the dust has settled we are all gonna shake hands and down some cold beers together and celebrate.
Ok having said that - I really wanna win that Cup. We are all a bunch of hack ball hockey players playing for a trophy that only a few of us care about but to us it is our Stanley Cup. We want it no less than any Anaheim Duck or Ottawa Senator wants the Stanley Cup. Sounds silly but the drive to compete for whatever the prize is human nature. If you don’t think so play Pictionary some time. You’ll know what I mean.
To the boys who have worn Green this Dong Bei Cup I am proud to call you my teammates. The only regret I have is today will be the last time we don the colours and take to the court as one unit. As Mater says in the movie Cars - “Git R Done!”
I was planning a photo exhibit of rarely seen phenomena captured in photographic form but it seems that I only have one photo to display. It is of an event rarer than a Bigfoot, Loch Ness or UFO sighting. It happens less often than a Blue moon.
I give you …. (drumroll) … me scoring a goal in the Dong Bei Cup
Yeah I don’t see the ball but neither did the goalie!
This goal came in our semi-final against team Blue and I was proud to help out the team.
Dong Bei Cup action saw a two fer Tuesday semi-final doubleheader. The action began about 4 pm and didn’t end until 6 pm.
Game #1 - CharcoalHawks vs. The Big Turks
Big Turks were victorious by a score of 5 to 4 and the game was right down to the wire with Blakey D. (Charcoal) almost forcing overtime by getting a great shot off in the last second but alas it was not meant to be. The Big Turks lumber into the finals
Game #2 - Green M*A*S*H* vs. Team Blue
Team Green dominating the first half leading 6-0 with superb netminding, great defense and literally unstoppable offense. In the second half Team Blue stepped up and charged hard with 6 of their own but fortunately Green potted a pair to take the game 8-6. Closer than the analysts called it but a character building win for Green. We gained a tremendous amount of respect for Team Blue’s character and the goalie Doug “Dougy Sumo” Iwasaki was a wall in the second half.
Anyhow this sets up Green M*A*S*H* vs. The Big Turks final slated for 4:00 PM Friday May 25th. This will be a battle of epic proportions as both teams have solid defense and offense and a Protestant like work ethic. Green has been victorious in the previous two matches (10-1 and 7-5). This contest will be speed vs size. Who’s gonna blink first? Stay tuned ….
vs 
Several weeks ago I posted some pics of Carter and Nathan at the Deer Park which is a small park that’s about a 15 minute walk from our apartment. It has become a bit of a regular stop since the weather has turned warm and sunny. It has 2 enclosures containing deer (of course) and peacocks and is a big hit with Carter. I told him to tell the deer to come to the fence and see him and he said “Carter tell deer - come here deer and then deer say ‘No!’” When I asked him what else the deer say he said “Deer don’t say anything.” Nathan added “mmbffftthhhmmbb”
The deer. Pictures ok .. shooting not ok.
Run Forrest Run!
Making Friends
STICK!
Impressing the ladies!
A few days ago Nathan started taking a few steps and no one is more proud of him than .. HIMSELF. This boy really enjoys his achievements which is fun to see. Today a few steps .. tomorrow trouble.
Ok .. so .. like . .. this Sunday is .. like .. Bob & Doug McKenzie’s Two-Four Anniversary on CBC eh? So the topic for today .. is .. like .. do you remember.. Bob and his brother Doug? Yeah .. hosehead .. I’m like talking to you eh! If you do then like me you must be thinkin’ - beauty! An anniversary eh! And if .. like .. ya don’t then .. well .. take off eh!
Ok .. now like .. grab a cold one eh and put your boots up and take a gander … that means watch hosehead not the place in Newfoundland eh? Like I was saying take a gander at this beauty video posted on YouTube eh? and then you’ll know what I’m talking about eh?
Having weaned Carter from the movie Cars it is now Toy Story and Winnie the Pooh (especially Tigger) that occupies his time when he is not running around at high speed. The video below shows his affinity for Toy Story.
Before heading out to compete in the Chinese Crokinole Championships ( more info at the Engleson Files ) Alice, Carter, Nathan and I dived into a tasty birthday cake. Carter was very excited all day and kept asking Alice when I would get home from work so we could eat cake. Wait until his birthday party in a few weeks. It is a great feeling to have your 3 year old sing Happy Birthday to you.
Big thank you to Alice and the boys for making it such a special day!
May 18, 1968 a future math teacher was born into this world to the proud (I am sure) parents of Richard and Eleanor Brown. Yup I turn 39 this year and the pressure is on to enjoy the last year of my thirties before .. well .. let’s not say it.
This morning before anyone was up these lovely ladies came by to drop off this cake. Charming and sweet but I sure am glad Alice wasn’t up to see them.
Tonight for the big celebration I am competing in the Chinese National Crokinole Championships held right here in our little ol’ suburb of Kai Fa Qu. Board games? … yup .. I really am turning 39!
vs
Well The Big Turks (Team Turquoise) got M*A*S*H*’ed by Team Green in the last of our round robin games. The final score was 7 - 5 and it was down to the wire excitement. This was a much different team that we destroyed in exhibition 10-1. The Turks were the complete package with tough defense and dangerous offense but in the end skill and fitness prevailed over size and strength.
We were in tight and down 4-3 at the half which was unfamiliar territory for the boys in green and it was gut check time but we showed that even in adversity we can prevail. Green took the second half by opening with 3 quick goals. We effectively ran them into the ground and showed why we are so dangerous having outscored every opponent in the second half.
We end the round robin portion with 3 wins and 0 losses .. that’s right .. 0 losses! Looking forward to an exciting semi-final matchup with either Team Blue (we had ‘em singing the Blues) or Team Charcoal (burnt ‘em).
Excited spectators marvel at another of Cam Secret’s amazing goals.
Once again Team Green took to the ball hockey courts and really took it to Team Blue. The final score was a 10 - 6 victory for Green M*A*S*H*. Team Blue had some firepower in the likes of Tom Beeke (4 goals?) and capable hands in the form of Harpal Manhas but in the end the forward line of Adrian “Klinger” Conradi, Euan “HotLips” Frew, and Simon “Radar” Ng proved too much to handle for the Blue defense and combined for 8 goals. The checking line of Darren “Hawkeye” Brown, Cameron “BJ Honeycutt” Secret and Rony “Spearchucker Jones” Amin did their part in defensive play and Cam potted 2 goals.
You don’t want Team Green to get angry! You wouldn’t like them when they are angry!
We wish we could be with you on your special day but .. well .. you know.
When I went searching my hard drive for photos of you I didn’t come up with many and so I went to the Net to see if you have a photo online. You don’t have one but in case you are curious here are some photos of other women that have the same name as you.
Ladies and Gentlemen .. Eleanor Brown
Clearly you are much more beautiful than any of them.
Happy Birthday from Alice, Darren, Carter and Nathan
The suburb of Dalian that we live in, Kai Fa Qu, has undergone some remarkable changes since I moved here in August 2000. The population seems to have about doubled from 250,000 then to 500,000 now. In that time they have built a McDonalds, KFC, Starbucks and Alice tells me that they are currently constructing a Subway Sandwich shop as well. On the bad side of things we experience traffic jams now especially commuting to and from work. I wish a few of the folks that lived here way back then would come and visit just so I can see the changes through their eyes.
Construction along Jin Ma Lu
When I moved here this area (near the UFO - next photo) was a farming village. There is no sign now that ever existed.
Aforementioned UFO
Hey mom .. this is Carter and Nathan wishing you a Happy Mother’s Day! We sure had fun spending time with you at breakfast and playing on the grass.
Love
Carter and Nathan
Happy Mother’s Day! Thanks for doing a good job of raising me and I am sorry I could not be there on this special day. I only hope I can provide for Carter and Nathan the stable foundation and love you gave us.
In Dong Bei Cup action this week team Turquoise aka the Big Turks did a ground and pound show on Wednesday to beat Team Blue 6-4. The game was controversial because of the Turks attention to physical play rather than hockey. Some went so far as to categorize the game as “violent”
There was much discussion after the game and a lot of apologies given and in the end we all came away with a better sense of fair play. For their game against Charcoal the Big Turks were a much cleaner team and showed they had offensive firepower to boot beating the CharcoalHawks 8 - 4. However judging by the photo below I think they may have gone too far in toning down the physical play.
So let me ask you .. is this synchronized swimming or …. (you fill in this blank)?
