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My husband and I follow a daily schedule filled with delightful moments. This way, we are sure to experience the best of life. Each day, we converse as we sip our morning coffee and we look forward to sharing cocktails in the evening. Our one rule is that our conversation must be as positive as possible and hopefully filled with laughter. 

Gord and I met when we were 12, were married at 21, and have been happily wed for 50 years. Although he always valued routine, it became more important when he was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease. 

As soon as we finish a meal, Gord prepares a tray for the next. He anticipates each part of his day, often looking forward to our morning coffee before we even go to bed. I sometimes caution him to be careful not to lap himself. I know that this need for a schedule is partly because having Crohn’s disease means that hunger is immediate, timing is crucial, and peace and calm are essential. I think we might have developed this schedule despite Crohn’s because we both enjoyed anticipation as children. Planning allows us to savour what is ahead.  

In reading the cover flap of At Home with Madame Chic; Becoming a Connoisseur of Daily Life by Jennifer L. Scott, I realized my husband is a total Madame Chic, but my life is so much better for it. We have lived in many tiny, less than fancy places, but we enjoyed everything in imagined grand style. Now, after fifty years of marriage, we can’t remember which routines were my idea and which were his. What matters is that we have managed to keep certain parts of our day sacred for each other.

At Home with Madame Chic is worth a read because it suggests ways to savour the little things no matter how busy your schedule or lean your budget. “Jennifer thought of Madame Chic’s home – the breakfast table that was set beautifully the night before, the music that always played in the background, the calm of Madame and Monsieur Chic’s cocktail hour.”   

I have enjoyed many of Jennifer L. Scott’s Madame Chic books. Although I purchased them on Kindle, I now look for hardcover copies in local bookstores. They are perfect for reading while sipping a cup of afternoon tea. In true Madame Chic style, I love a cup of tea poured from a teapot into a china cup.