That’s right. Today, August 1, is National Girlfriends Day. I might of missed it if my gal pal, Kim Dalferes, fellow writer and all-round crazy Southern Irish gal, hadn’t thrown down a challenge in her blog post, http://kimdalferes.com/4631/kim-dalferes-blog/the-best-pals-are-gal-pals. She wrote about which women she’d invite to a cocktail party. She listed Mae West, Cleopatra, Katherine Hepburn, Janet Reno, Jennifer Lawrence, Margaret Thatcher, Cari Cucksey (from HGTV’s “Cash and Cari”), Erma Bombeck, Ann Joyce (Kim’s grandmother) and Tina Fey. You’ll have to read her post for her reasons.

Here are the women I’d like to spend time with:

Sylvia Plath, one of the best poets and least understood women of letters. I’d love to listen to her talk about writing and depression.

Margaret Thatcher, because she stood up to the old boy’s club and won. I may not have agreed with her politics, but her intellect was outstanding. I could learn so much sitting and asking questions.

Angela Merkel, again because of her intellect. She’s the most powerful person in Europe, something that probably drives Vladimir Putin crazy. She’s balanced, driven, and focused on a better future for all.

Grace Slick, lead singer of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship. I want to know what it was like to be on the inside of a great musical and social revolution. I sat in concerts in San Francisco when JA was coming into its own. “White Rabbit” still influences my writing today.

Eleanor Roosevelt, without whom no list would be complete. She ran the country when Franklin was too ill to do so. She’s the one who is purported to have responded to his comment about fear when he was deciding whether or not to run for president, “I’m afraid to try. I might fail.” Eleanor: “Then don’t.” Franklin: “Don’t try?” Eleanor: “Don’t fail.” Thank you for supporting your man and the nation during some of our darkest hours.

Harriett Miller and Jeanne Naylor, mother and mother-in-law, respectively. You taught my husband Terry and me so much, but there’s so much I still don’t know. Motherly wisdom is the best, and I miss it.

Joan Didion,  who laid open raw grief and taught us to survive it with grace and dignity.

Carol Burnett, one of the funniest women ever. Just thinking about her Gone with the Wind skit sends me into riotous laughter. I want to probe that comedic mind to understand why she is so funny and so approachable.

Janet Evanovich, who’s Stephanie Plum is one of the most outrageous characters every created. I wish I could create and sustain funny characters.

Hillary Clinton, not for political reasons, but to sit and enjoy a mind capable of dissecting a problem and worry it down to the smallest details.

So, these are the women I’d invite to my cocktail party. Of course, I’d also invite a kitty or two.

Who would you invite?