Lake OtiscoThis one is Miss Addie’s memory … her sister, Frances Gordon (Fannie Dodge), was a book unto herself. Probably the brightest of all the family, past and present, she lived 87 years of life to the fullest. During the 1920’s, there was a time when they all (Grandma, Grammpa and the nine children) lived “out to Otisco” … at the Ryder Farm on Otisco Lake in CNY. There came a day when a gentleman arrived by automobile to the farm. He was in search of Miss Fannie Dodge. Ever vigilant, Grammpa Charlie went on alert. He wanted to know just what this man wanted with his daughter. He was told that she had had a marvelous story accepted for publication in a magazine and he wished to meet the lady. Apparently the story was a bit of a steamy romance and very well-written. You may be familiar with the phrase “hi-tailed it outta there.” That was exactly what that man did when Grammpa informed him that he was NOT going to meet his fifteen year old child. Somehow, Aunt Fran lived beyond that fateful day and became a wonderful story teller and the most interesting soul that anyone would wish to meet. Incidentally, doors opened for me … literally, doors opened for me because I wear her face … whenever I would visit her at her Senior residence, I never had to ring the bell. The old folk would usher me in and say, “We know you. You are Frances’ daughter.” I never corrected them. It was an honour for me to have them think so.
