Ms. Ireland's philosophy

Domino magazine recently featured Kathryn M. Ireland, who owns a home in France where she hosts friends and family during the summer. She says:

"To watch one's children grow up amid a colorful, lively, rotating cast of friends and family from all over the world was a childhood dream I've been able to realize. Everyone knows I'm not an heiress; I work hard for my money. And when my accountant tells me at the end of every year how much my summer cost me, it's always a shock. But the reason I work hard is so I can splurge on houseguests for three hot, wonderfully long months and create beautiful memories for the people I love."

I couldn't agree more. Except I do my own accounting and would rather have a house in the English countryside. While I'm dreaming, I'd like an accountant with that.

Anne Hathaway's cottage would do, if I could clear out all the tourists