While on the South Island Craven enjoyed one of her great passions which was first revealed when she was just a little girl....riding horses. Asked what she wanted most to experience on our big NZ vacation she replied "lets take a horse pack trip!". (To myself I said 'Oh boy, lets'.) So horse tripping we went with a couple of Aussies (Heather and Lester, pronounced Leester") crisscrossing huge sheep stations while we covered the 100 kilometeres over three glorious South Island days. I swear Craven smiled (see the picture for proof) every moment she was on that horse trip.
This horse trip showcased one of Craven's spendid traits; Craven had the special wherewithal to simultaneously embrace present and past happinesses. By that I mean she could invoke her childhood happy times while enjoying similar happy experiences in her adult years. Threads from gleeful moments in her past would weave through her present day and brighten the day of anyone she had contact with. When the word radiance is used to describe Craven it is this special quality that I attach to her.
One year, Craven and Rob rented a house in Bermuda (or the Bahamas, I can't remember) and I was lucky enough to be sailing with Bob and Marty Hopkins in the area at the same time. We picked up Craven and Rob at the dock and went off for a day on the water. The plan was to find a deserted beach, anchor the boat, and have a lobster bake. Well we found the deserted beach but there was one problem - we had to anchor about 100 feet off shore! Our idea of jumping off the boat into knee deep water and carrying the food to the beach was not going to work. So I jumped in the water with a flimsy styrofoam cooler filled with lobsters and Craven jumped in carrying a plastic bag with the other provisions on her head! (Rob supervised from the boat.) It was a miracle that we actually made it to shore because we were laughing so hard the whole way.
That is how I will always remember Craven - laughing with a big smile on her face.
Our favorite painting by our favorite artist!
