Innkeeper's Story

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An Ongoing Adventure

from Cliff Cottage Inn - B&B Suites & Historic Cottages

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It seemed like a dream come true, sailing my 35-foot sailboat alone in the Pacific. At age 43, I had bought the Ericson, moved aboard and taught myself how to sail up and down the California coast. After three years, it was time to head south along the Baja to Mexico and other places along the coast of Central America. On the 4th year of the adventure, I was preparing to head through the Panama. Officials wouldn't let me go through alone so I took a young man along. First night out, he fell asleep at the helm, jibed the boat, and I woke up to a loud cracking sound as my beloved boat listed on her side, the boom broken off and dragging overboard as we headed towards the rocks. The young man was curled in the fetal position on the floor of the cockpit, crying like a baby.

"This is no fun anymore," I hollered into the night."I'm moving to Arkansas where they've got hillbillies wearing bibbed overalls shooting each other behind the outhouse! I don't know where Arkansas is, but I think I'll open a B&B up there," I added for I had opened the first B&B in downtown Philadelphia, PA in the '70s recreating fabulous recipes learned from my days of living in France, baking up a storm, and meeting wonderful guests.

In less than a week, I was in Eureka Springs where I found Cliff Cottage, Eureka’s first mayor's house and Sears' first kit home…it had just come on the market the daybefore I arrived. I then built a Victorian replica next to it, bought three others which I restored to their original beauty, and the rest is history.

That was more than 20 years ago and the adventures continue, now as a landlubber innkeeper!

Sandra recently met the "man of her dreams" in Carl Rohne and they were married in 2010 in the Missouri Botanical Gardens. Carl brings a world of fun and knowledge to the inn and has enjoyed a variety of fascinating careers including professor of Medieval History. He is currently writing a book about their 18,000-mile ten-month RV honeymoon trip to the Arctic Circle.

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