Pat Carroll aka Ursula with Amber, Katy and me

Oceans of Love TO Ursula

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Pat Carroll aka Ursula at Mayhem 2013It was another day that staying in a terrible house owned by a terrible landlord could not be tolerated. Despite not having the money to entertain even the notion of going to this affair, we embarked on our way to Mayhem, an event akin to Spooky Empire in Florida. Pat Carroll, better known today as the voice of villainous Ursula in Disney’s The Little Mermaid, was appearing. I had the privilege of meeting Pat Carroll at the 1997 Disney Villains convention. She is sweet and beautifully vibrant. I told Amber and Katy, “we don’t have the money for all of us to buy admission, but would you like to go for a ride, and would you mind if I went to see her”? The best daughters replied, “Sure, mom. We don’t mind. It will be good for all of us to at least get out.”

In God’s gracious ways, when we got there this Sunday, another convention that was taking place next to Mayhem was offering “reciprocity” pricing. For the admission price of one, all THREE of us got to go!

Oceans of Love, UrsulaOn top of that, Pat Carroll was filling in for a no-show guest in the Q&A! What a treat! She is amazingly witty and inspirational. She had wonderful stories and talked about her 1980 one-woman show Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein, Gertrude Stein” and her upcoming memoirs. (Can’t wait to read it!) It was thrilling asking her to share a story about one of my favorite roles she portrayed, that of Prunella, the stepsister with the creaking knee in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s television production of “Cinderella.”

We then waited in a long line of fellow admirers of “Ursula”/”Prunella” to talk with her, have a dear item signed and snap our photo with her.

In her 80s, she is sharp and sweet. We had a lovely time talking with her. She signed each one of our Ursula dolls. She signs them “Oceans of Love.” Pat Carroll sure does give –Oceans of Love–. As we were walking away, we heard one of her team members exclaim, “What a nice family.”

After two years of nightmares and hardship with a man who did not appreciate and abandoned his family, and landlords who deceived, stole and tortured us, it all seemed to melt away with one beautiful day with Pat Carroll.

Oceans of Love to you, Pat Carroll.

“Thank you most kindly.”

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