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| Ellie's
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Ellie and Hub lived in Lagoa 10
years ago, while in their early 40's, they had a carpentry business near
Algoz.
You can reach Ellie at: Gantree1@aol.com |
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Fatima and Forum Friends |
Whenever I visit Carvoeiro, its no secret that I dine mostly at
Colombos restaurant in Estrada da Farol. I like the ambience of the
place, which I find welcoming and cosy and the food is to my taste!
Of course, to enjoy good food, you need a good cook and here I would
like to introduce Fatima! Whatever 'mood' I am in whether it be
happy, sad, grumpy, melancholy I can be sure of one thing, that when
I enter Colombos I will always receive a cheerful smile and warm
words of welcome from Fatima.
This genial, even tempered lady has been cook in Colombos for 17
years; as long as the establishment has been in the hands of the
present owners. When I spoke to Eugenia, wife of owner Marcus, she
told me Fatima had always been the same good natured, friendly and
hardworking person as she is today. I marvelled at this! Cooking is
not always the easiest of tasks, especially when preparing meals 6
days a week and often for large amounts of customers; imagine in the
high heat of summer how hard that can be? I'm sure I could never
handle it in her cool calm manner. But you have to enjoy your work,
love it, to want to stay in a job for such a time. Although I'm
speaking mainly of Fatima here I am also aware that all the girls
work hard to make the customer feel welcome and that they have a
great regard and respect for each other and it shows in the way they
work together. |
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Owner Eugenia and Fatima
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But Fatima isn't only a cook, she's a mother too and single-handedly
has raised 2 fine sons, which again, is no easy task. Raising a
family with 2 parents can have its difficulties but being the only
parent whilst having to earn a living too, is harder still. Her life
has not been an easy one.
I was dining there one evening and had just finished a peppered
steak meal 'Tornedo 'A' Chefe', cooked perfectly, when Annette asked
if Id like a sweet? I usually have ice-cream but she said "Have you
tried Fatima's chocolate mousse?"
I said no. I was then told "You must. Its really good", so I did and
have to say it was absolutely delicious. I gave Fatima the 'thumbs
up' sign as she peeked through the serving hatch; her rosy cheery
face smiled back. But I was unaware that Id eaten the last serving.
There were at least half a dozen lads at a nearby table who had also
finished their meal and I heard them ask for 'Chocolate mousse'. It
was getting late, after 10pm but Annette went to the kitchen and a
few minutes later I heard the whirring of a food mixer ! I was told
that Fatima was hard at work mixing a new batch of mousse! That's
what makes this dessert so luscious and tasty; it is always freshly
made with fresh ingredients of egg whites and good quality
chocolate. So that night, everyone, including me, came away from
there completely satisfied! Another enjoyable evening not only at a
very nice bar but amongst friendly folk.
So, 'Muito Obrigada' Fatima for the excellent dinners, your
chocolate mousse and your welcome smiling face. Saude! |
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I had
arrived in Carvoeiro on a Wednesday after an early flight and having
left home in Lincolnshire at 3 am, I was feeling very tired and I
knew it would take me a couple of days to get over the journey.
However, there was a special couple I was due to meet on Friday and
this was something I had been looking forward to for some time.
Before my Hols, John had sent an e-mail saying that he and his wife
Chris would be in Carvoeiro 3 days prior to me and would I have
lunch with them at Smilers; I readily agreed!
I've known John for a while now, over a year I believe and I used to
enjoy reading his jokes and comments on the
forum
posted under the name 'The Limey'. For some reason I thought at
first this was a London chap but of course Chris and John were
residing in that beautiful county of Dorset and I felt immediate
interest as it was home to one of my favourite authors 'Thomas
hardy'.
John had put on a topic, asking about something mysterious he'd seen
in CVO's square outside the
Dancone Ice-cream shop.
I answered with something silly saying could it be a UFO & little
green men? and John sent me an e-mail, written in 'green' ink! That
is how we began and through John I met his charming wife Chris and
we became 'forum friends'.
We had a common interest: writing; me with my scribbles on here and
John with his poetry. When he sent the first poem I thought I was
dealing with a professional writer and with successive poems was
convinced that he wrote for a living but no, John writes purely for
pleasure, as a hobby and writes on folk that he knows and from his
life experiences. All I know is, they gave me a great deal of
pleasure to read!
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Chris & John
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But I
had further astonishment to come. As we exchanged messages I learned
from John, now 57, that from the age of 18yrs, he has suffered from
an in-operable brain tumour. As a young man, he'd always wanted to
become a doctor, a ship's surgeon. He had studied hard at school and
gotten all the academic certs. to get started but on going for his
medical to join the navy, the tumour had been discovered and
immediately all thoughts of his longed-for career had to be
abandoned. So John's life has been a long battle with 'the blob' as
he jokingly calls it (this man has an amazing sense of humour);
because of the position of the tumour an operation would have killed
him; it was only possible to operate to relieve some pressure on the
brain; this was carried out in the 60s and again in 2000, just
before he met Chris. They were married 2 years ago this October and
spent their honeymoon in Algarve. They visited a little town called
Carvoeiro and fell in love with it!
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I
hurried down to Smilers, as usual a bit late but as I rushed round
the corner I immediately recognised Chris and John from their photo,
where they sat waiting at a sunny table in front of the Palm tree. I
felt immediate rapport and comfortable with these two charming
friendly folk and we soon fell into easy conversation. On ordering
lunch, I knew without doubt what John's choice would be, mushroom
omelette! Its a dream of his when at home in England, especially on
cold winter days, to sit at Smilers in the warm sunshine, eat
mushroom omelette and then afterwards maybe walk over to the
ice-cream shop and indulge in a couple of scoops of chocolate
ice-cream in those 'special' cones!
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I joined John in his choice of lunch whilst Chris opted for the
quiche and as we ate we talked and I gradually learnt of John's
life, handling and having to accept his gradual disability. But
although he couldn't take up his longed for career he went into
the field of planning, designing the layout of doctor's surgeries.
Nowadays he does voluntary work for the Citizens Advice Bureau and
Chris does voluntary work for the sick animal society, the PDSA.
We talked of our families, Chris and John speaking of their first
adorable little granddaughter (from Chris' daughter) and myself
soon to become a nan once more. The time flew by and an hour or so
later John was beginning to tire a little and it was time for his
afternoon siesta. Although Chris was quick to be at his side to
help, John (who has lost partial use of his left arm and leg),
showing great determination gradually hoisted himself to his feet
and as I kissed him goodbye, we promised to stay in touch. While
Chris saw John across the road and back to the hotel, I waited in
the warm afternoon sunshine for her return. I watched them walk
away and as I did so I thought 'that's courage, that's resolve but
above all, that's love!'
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After seeing John settled Chris returned
and we sat there outside Smilers for at least another hour and I
learned more of their life together. Chris had lost her first
husband to illness in early middle age and has two grown up
daughters of her own. She had no thoughts of marrying again but then
she met John! Married for a year last October, they went on a
holiday to Corfu but they had been there barely 24 hours when John,
walking in the hotel, missed his footing and fell heavily down some
steps (which were unmarked) cracking his head open severely, leaving
him bleeding profusely. Taken to hospital his condition was critical
and as Chris related this she really did think, at the time that she
was going to lose him. However after quite a few days John made a
recovery thank God and they were then able to travel home to
England.
After meeting Chris and John, I am convinced that it is their great
sense of humour that sees them through any troubled times. There is
spark and wit between them which I can imagine makes their home a
fun place to be; Chris has a certain merriment in her eyes which
some might call ' Witchy' ..a name to watch out for....
It was time to say goodbye. I had shopping to do and Chris wanted to
go for her second swim of the day. But I felt a little sad as I'd
really enjoyed their company and would like to have had more time
but they were leaving Sunday so we said our farewells and went our
separate ways, once more promising to stay in touch, which we have.
The first day I was home I received a musical birthday card.. from
Delightful Dorset!
It was lovely to meet you both and I sincerely hope it won't be too
long before we get together again and the ice-cream will be on me
and Hub! Let me see.. Coffee and Mango for Chris.. Double Chocolate
for John..
see you there!
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