Miss Pettigrew Goes To Comic Con

The list of duties for my replacement is posted on the refrigerator door. I've done the laundry and cleaned the house within an inch of its life. Had a complete physical including an unexpected UGI. Finished two pirate shirts for closing fair weekend, and prepped for the sewing I need to do when I get back. Broke down in tears on Saturday. I think to say I'm feeling a bit frayed around the edges would be accurate.




The bags are packed. Actually, they've been packed and unpacked, double and triple checked, and every time I think there can't possibly be one more thing we need, I remember something else.

1. Boarding passes, Comic Con ticket receipts and daily schedule, check.
2. Camera, cell phones & all necessary cords, memory cards & batteries, check.
3. Lara Croft guns, holsters, outfit, braid and boobs, check.
(boots won't fit, so Brenda Starr will be wearing them, TSA wll love that...)
4. Entire Laura Mercier makeup counter, check.

I keep thinking about those signs at the airport that talk about smart travelers packing light and being prepared for screening with their one quart ziploc bag containing 3 bottles of liquids and I want to just throw up in the roller tray. I know that every woman traveling in the airport at that moment must have checked a trunk containing her makeup, facial products and shoes alone.

(Have you ever noticed how all women travelers at the airport look? Their clothing is color coordinated, their makeup impeccable, their hair is coiffed and their wearing heels. They aren't even sweating. I'll be puffing like a freight train, sans make up, my hair in a clip, and wearing flip flops so I don't have to struggle with my shoes at screening. I'll look like I haven't slept for a week and must be rushing to the bedside of a dying friend. I must have missed the class on "How A Lady Travels" in girl school.)



We've had our spa day with hair coloring, highlighting, hair cuts, manicures, pedicures (open toed shoes) What must it have been like to get ready for a transcontinental oceanic crossing and European tour in the 1890's? They had to change clothes several times a day and "dress" for dinner every night.

Once a schedule contains a cocktail party, a red carpet party, and chance of celebrity interviews, all hope of traveling with just a few pairs of jeans, t-shirts and a pony tail holder vanished faster than you can say push up bra. Even if you only take one pair of heels and three dresses, there's the necessary underpinnings, jewelery and smoky eye "evening" makeup. All hope of fitting everything in a carry on size suitcase are long gone. We're just hoping we make the weight limit.



I'm feeling very relieved that I'm only the social secretary and therefore not required to make an appearance at anything where I may end up wearing my food. ( I do have a secret weapon that ladies in the 1890's wish they'd had, a Tide stain stick) However, Brenda Starr says it is quite possible she may be allowed to bring a guest, so Miss Pettigrew must be prepared for all eventualities. I think I may need a bigger suitcase for the anti-wrinkle cream...

Pretty women, Fascinating...Sipping coffee,
Dancing...Pretty women are a wonder. Pretty women!

-Tigerlily

Brenda Starr The Movie

Just as Brenda Starr the comic strip went from the newspaper to the big screen, our own Brenda Starr has been given a promotion of her own. Elisabeth will now have a weekly column called the Geek Beat on Cinematical. com. The column will appear starting tomorrow and be a weekly Tuesday feature. She has also been asked to write theatrical and DVD film reviews for Cinemablend.com. Details to follow shortly. I think it's safe to say she is officially a free-lance journalist.

Brenda will also be attending San Diego Comic Con this year as a working member of the press. This should get Ms. Starr some behind the scenes peeks, inclusion in interviews if only as a tag along, and maybe invites to some exclusive events. Plans at this point are sketchy but Lara Croft will probably be making an appearance for some on the floor interviews with costumed attendees.


Though July seems eons away, (especially when we had snow for Easter) in reality it's a mere 12 weeks. Since Brenda Starr must be prepared for all eventualities, from a black tie dinner to tomb raiding, we've already begun shopping in anticipation. From gun belts to cocktail dresses, we plan to have it covered.

All this has of course turned our Brenda's world quite upside down. Living a vampire lifestyle in ones pajamas and suddenly finding yourself needing a research assistant, personal shopper, fashion stylist, receptionist, personal trainer and dog walker all at the same time can leave one feeling a bit stressed. Elisabeth has decided what she needs is a social secretary to organize her life. If only she could find her very own Miss Pettigrew. (BTW, Brenda gave Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day 10 out of 10)



Unfortunately, since Brenda has yet to see her first paycheck, and she doesn't as of yet have a sugar daddy, I'm afraid the part of Miss Pettigrew may end up being played by me. I have to admit, the resemblance is uncanny. Middle aged lady in moth eaten coat and dress of funereal colors, frizzy hair of nondescript shade and lack of makeup of any kind. Yep, that would be me.
I get queasy just contemplating having to attend a cocktail party at Brenda's side. Do I dare hope that I might be treated to a makeover before been thrust into the whirlwind social life of Brenda Starr ace reporter? I've begun doing yoga and eating nothing but celery sticks dipped in Vitamin Water in the hopes that after Sarah and her fellow students at beauty school finish with me I might look more like this:


And, just so you don't think the rest of the family has dropped off the planet, here's the scoop:

Sarah is now out of classroom and graduated to the floor where she gets to work on real people. If you're looking for a cheap haircut, color job, manicure or pedicure over the next six months, LMK. She got a 96 on her pass out test! She doesn't really enjoy what she's doing much, but just keeps telling herself its a step in the right direction. In the few minutes time she has to herself between work and school, she's working on designing some new costumes.

Mike, was invited to speak at the Homeland Defense Journal Conference on School Safety and Violence in Schools. His power point presentation focused on Columbine. He was such a hit he was asked back the following day to sit on a panel with the officers who handled the recent shootings at Virgina Tech. He has been contacted by a senator asking if he'd be willing to testify before a senate sub committee studying school emergency preparedness plans and cooperation between school officials and law enforcement.

I have the most boring life of the bunch, forever destined to sit on the outside looking in while knitting endless pairs of socks. Frankly, all this elbow rubbing with studio execs, celebrities congressman and senators gives me a salted slug stomach so I'm probably better off where I am. If you seen the animated film Flushed Away, just picture me as one of the screaming slugs, but with frizzled hair and dowdy clothing who occasionally bursts into song and answers to the name Guinevere Petttigrew. *(also see slugs on the BBC show Creature Comforts from the producers of Wallace and Grommet)

-Tigerlily