El Capitan State Beach, 2004

Maura watching over JJ, Sam, Joe and Kaydee in the cold waters in El Capitan State Beach in July 2004.  She loved the ocean.  Hawaii, Santa Barbara, Manhattan Beach, Huntington Beach, Moonstone Beach, San Diego beaches.  No matter what she's doing, mention going to the beach and she'll drop whatever she's doing and drive anywhere to get to the ocean.

Between Trees

I had forgotten about this picture that I took during a visit to Yosemite in February 2007.  We played in a snow-packed meadow for most of the day freezing our buns off just outside the park, a few minutes from Fish Camp.

Eaton Canyon Falls, 2008

Since moving to Rancho Cucamonga, we've discovered the North Etiwanda Preserve about a mile away from the house, just up Day Creek Blvd.  We've been fortunate enough to alway live within a mile of a decent hike.  This photo is at the end of the hike up to Eaton Canyon falls, where we used to live in Pasadena.  In January 2008, we all took off to this hike one Saturday morning.  The kids were just beginning appreciate what Pasadena had to offer around our neighborhood.  On the way up, we each got these hiking sticks that we proudly displayed in the photo.  I setup the camera on a timer sitting on top of a rock, so I had 10 seconds to get to my pose.  It was a great day I've re-lived in my mind over several times.  

Los Angeles Zoo, 2004

At Los Angeles Zoo in November 2004.  We did get an annual zoo pass since Maura took the kids there quite a bit.  JJ is shown here eating a corn dog and a soda.  Kid's been loving fried food ever since.

Somewhere In The 80s...

Maura in a playful mood.  Picture is sometime in the 80s given the hairstyle and the style of the pants she was wearing.  I believe this was taken at the Madonna Inn in San Luis Obispo.

At A Pumpkin Patch in Santa Barbara, 2004

These pictures were taken during a visit to Santa Barbara in October 2004.  This used to be an empty field for most of the year but is usually a pumpkin patch for the month of October.  Our good friends Paul and Cheryl live just a couple blocks away.  The bottom picture shows Maura and JJ inside the corn maze that we all navigated.

Goose Birthday Playlist

1. Shake The Disease - Depeche Mode
2. Anything, Anything - Dramarama
3. Little Star - Madonna
4. Dead Man's Party - Oingo Boingo
5. True Faith - New Order
6. Nowhere Girl - B-Movie
7. Story Of My Life - Social D
8. Bad - U2
9. A Forest - The Cure
10. White Shadows - Coldplay
11. Heaven - Psychedelic Furs
12. Ring Of Fire - Social D
13. Molly - Sponge
14. Just Like Heaven - The Cure
15. All The Same - Sick Puppies
(16. Resistance - Muse)


The years I knew her, she played these songs a lot.  I mean a lot.  On the 16th track.  She wasn't around when the British band Muse released The Resistance album containing the title track in 2009.  But I'm pretty confident, in fact as sure as I'll ever be, that she would have liked this song.  It has all the elements of a song that Maura likes - a catchy beat, about the right bpm and punchy guitars.  I made her several mix tapes and CDs over the year.  And I miss doing that.  So to celebrate her birthday tomorrow, October 19th, an updated playlist.  Happy birthday, Goose.