Virginia Carroll

Larkspur/Corte Madera

Here's my story in a nutshell: I went to College of Marin for a couple of years, editing the campus newspaper and spending all my time in student government and other non-academic activities, then quitting when the press of family issues intervened.

I spent my 20’s marrying and divorcing, ultimately concluding that I was not marriage material. I did much better in my 30’s, having several wonderful affairs where no expectation of marriage existed.

I made a better parent than spouse, having just one child, whom I raised alone, and with whom I now enjoy a relationship that few are privileged to have with their children. My only grandchild has just turned 23 and still wondering what he wants to do when he grows up (Hmmm. Where did he get that?) That’s that part.

The other part: I enjoyed varied and mildly checkered careers that included office administration, sales and marketing of items as diverse as Snoopy jewelry, real estate, sex toys and tourism. For the last 12 years of my working life – my favorite career - I was the innkeeper and manager for a medium-sized coastal inn, and a player in the destination marketing of Sonoma County. I am currently retired in Cloverdale, California, pursuing my meandering spiritual path and working on becoming a crone. I’m moderately self-sufficient, moderately healthy, moderately involved in my community, and entirely content. My favorite things are exploring back roads, good conversation, reading and writing about stuff. I’m still wondering what I wanted to do when I grow up.

I’ve had a number of different names, but it was, is again, and doubtless will always be Virginia (ginny) Carroll.

A member of the first graduating 8th grade class of Neil Cummins Grammar School, I wrote (with Dad's help) the school song, "Neil Cummins by the Bubbling Slough". Sadly, I've heard rumors that this song persists to this day.

Our family moved to Corte Madera from San Francisco when I was 10. As N.C. School went only to the 4th grade, I started at LCM in 5th. That year they built N.C. up to the 6th grade, and I went there for 6th. The NEXT year N.C. finally went all the way to 8th, so I graduated from there.

Similarly, I went to Tam High School my freshman year while Redwood was being built. You know the rest.