Archive for the ‘cook’ Category


The Time was now around September of 1988, and Two Things were Happening in our Life, Firstly I had the Bankruptcy Hearing to Sort Out and I was Looking for a New Job!

I had a Choice of 2 Different Jobs I would have Preferred to get at that Time, One was a Chef or the other was a Butcher, the Kids were 10 and 8 Years Old, so I Needed if Possible to get a Day Time Job, so it was Looking Likely I was going to go back into Butchery!

As for the Bankruptcy, Everything was just about Sorted out, apart from the  Money, I had to Pay to go Bankrupt, I think at that Time it was £100, which I did Eventually find, Cant Remember how I got this, but I did!

So One Late Septembers Day I had to go to Norwich for the Bankruptcy Hearing, One thing I do Recall is, I was Not Suppose to have a Car, so I went to Norwich Early and Parked Near the City Centre and had to Walk to the Building in Chapel Field Road, which was about 15 Minutes Away, I Cant Really Remember too much of what happened, all I can Recall is being Told what I can do and what I Cant do Financially, for about the Next 7 Years! 

After about 2 Hours of Listening to all that, I was on the way Home to see Susan and the Kids, as was Very Glad that all the Stuff was Over!

But as it Turned Out, that Day was the Start of a lot of Financial cr@p We were going to Suffer over the Next Few Years!


On the Job Front, I was Very Lucky, because the Local County Council were Advertising for a Cooks Job, about 10 Minutes from where we Lived, so I Phoned up for All the Details, and was Told all about the Job over the Phone, it Sounded Great, 8am to 3pm, 5 Week Days a Week!

This was the Ideal Job for me, I had Never had a Chefs Job Before where I got all Nights and Bank Holidays Off, so I asked the Centre Manager to Send me an Application Form. 


But there was only a Couple of Draw-Backs with this Job, I could see, and they were, I was going to be a called a Cook instead of a Chef, that was No Problem and Secondly they had Never had a Male Cook before, they had always been Female, so it was going to be Difficult in getting in there, in the First Place! 

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Now for Some Music, Around Late 1988, The Best Female Soul Singer “Anita Baker” Released her 3rd Solo Album to Date, on the Elektra Record Label, it was called “Giving You The Best I Got” 


The Album Reached Number One on both Pop and R&B Charts in the US and it also Charted in the Uk at Number 9!

The Second Single Release from the Album was a Great Track called “Just Because” what a Great Track this was, it Reached Number 1 on the R&B Chart and Number 14 on the “Hot 100” Chart.

The Song was Written by Alex Brown, Sammy McKinney and Michael O’Hara and Produced by Michael J Powell, he was the Founder Member of “Chapter 8” who Anita Baker had Sung with a Few Years Earlier!

             

“Just Because Lyrics”

When I think about how much I’m loving you
No limitations, no set of regimented rules
I’m amazed how much this love has touched my life
And the commitment that we share is a welcome sacrifice

This must be, sweet fatal attraction
My life-long date with destiny
Love this strong, it just brings out the passion
I never knew was here in me

I love you just because
I love you just because
Just because I do, my darlin’

Emotions more than words can help me say
I love you, baby, just because you’re you
Just because you’re you

You’re a diamond in my mind. a treasure found
A precious gem to me. you’re so nice to have around
I’m so glad I took the path that led to this
And it’s amazin’ loving you, I’m doin’ things
I never thought I’d do

I don’t know, there ain’t no explanation
Of why I’m sharin’ love at last this way
I won’t try to work out all my reasons
I’II use these words to simply say

I love you just because
I love you just because
Just because I do, my darlin’
Emotions more than words can help me say
I love you, baby, just because you’re you

I love you just because
I love you just because
Just because I do, my darlin’
Emotions more than words can help me say
I love you, baby.

Could it be that there’s more to this than meets the eye
Maybe that’s the reason why
All I know is when I’m in your arms it feels all right
I’II hold you tight and I come alive

I love you just because
I love you just because
Just because I do, my darlin’
Emotions more than words can help me say
I love you, baby, just because you’re you

[til fade]



As I said in a Previous Post, one of the Worst things about being on a Gas Platform/Rig, was the Continual Noise of the Klaxon when the Main Alarm went off, and it went off Many Times!


I would say on Average it was about 5/6 Times Daily, and that’s at any time, Mostly when you was not working, and nearly always in your time off!

But there one other thing that was as bad as this, and that was the Weekly Drill of getting into the Platforms Emergency Capsule, it was a Round Floating Covered Vessel (just like the 2 picture’s on here) in case of any Onboard Emergencies!


I remember the First practice Very Well, It was Quite Scary, to say the least!


Me and About 20 Blokes had to get in each Vessel (these were Hanging over the side of the Gas Platform) you Sat around the Inside of the Vessel in a Circle, the Door was Shut, and we all had to go through what we would do, if there was an Emergency! 

If this was such an Emergency these Vessels would have been lowered slowly into the North Sea, and then you would have been floating around, until somebody came to  Rescue you!


What a Scary Thought, Thank God this Never Happened and in the End I only did 2 Trips Offshore, I don’t think I was really Cut Out for this type of Work, Offshore I mean, not the Cooking. I Missed my Home Comforts Too Much!


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As for some Music, some 44 Years ago on Mercury Records “Jerry Butler” Released his Best Ever Selling and Successful Single “Only The Strong Survive” Produced by Gamble and Huff, this was about 3 Years before they Formed “Philadelphia International Records”


The Record was Written by Jerry Butler with Gamble & Huff and Taken from the Album “The Iceman Cometh” this was Jerry Butler’s Nickname (The Iceman) given to him by a US DJ.

The Single Charted in the US at Number 4 on the Billboard Hot 100 Chart and it Topped the Billboard Black Chart for 2 weeks in early 1969!


The Single was Certified Platinum.

Jerry Butler was the Original Lead Singer with the Impressions and nowadays for the Last 30 Years, He’s been a Politician!


Have a More In-Depth Read Here @ Soul Excursions Blog!
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The Day after the Fall, I was Aching like Hell all day long, we had our breakfast and then it was over to the Main meeting Area to be told about where we were Working and Living for the next Fortnight!


I was allocated to the Contractors side of the Rig, which meant me and the Steward were looking after about 20 Blokes, who did not work on the Platform full-Time, but now and then.


I had my own Smaller Kitchen/Galley and eating area, to look after, which was Great, we were then shown to our own Sleeping Area/Cabin, it was a lot Better than the place where we had Slept  the Night before and the Bad Memories from last night!

We got all our Stuff into our Rooms then we were off to Work, as it turned out, the Staff who were Leaving the Company (who I worked for) were staying on 1 more day to show us the ropes!


The Old Boy I was replacing was about 55 years old, (actually I still see him sometimes in the Town where I Live now) he showed me what to do and what to expect, it seemed straight forward enough!


I helped him Cook Lunch and Supper/Dinner and about 6pm that night, he was on the Helicopter and gone (back Home)!


I worked 7am to 7pm with a couple of Hours off in the Afternoon, it was not to strict on Hours, as long as you got the Job done!



That night after Dinner, I went back to our Cabin, which I was sharing with the Steward “Peter” he told me about His day, as I told him about mine, after which we got all our Clothes/Belongings etc etc unpacked and put away and went over to the main section of the Rig to see all the other Rig Workers for a Chat and play Pool.


Our First Day was over at about 11pm and we went back to our Cabin for some Sleep, I forgot to mention, in my First 24 Hours on the Rig, the fire Alarm had gone off at least 6 Times!


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As for some Great Soul Music, back in 1987, Glenn Jones Released his Self-Titled Forth Album on Jive Records, it contained a Fantastic Track called “At Last” it was written by Glenn Jones and Timmy Allen (he also Produced the Track) it was Surprisingly Never Released as a Single, in my Opinion its the Best Track Glenn Jones ever Recorded!


Incidentally Timmy Allen used to be in the Group “Change” it also Featured some Great Backing Singer’s including Timmy Allen, Genobia Jeter and BJ Nelson.





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After a Couple Of Weeks of Waiting, I heard about my New Job, I was to start the following Week, working as a Cook in Charge of a Contractor’s Section on a Gas Platform in the North Sea!


Susan and the Kid’s did not want me to take this Job, as I would be Working Away from Home, on a 2 Week On and 2 Weeks Off  Basis, but I had to get a Job and this was the First Job, I Applied for and I got it fairly Quickly.


As I said in Previous Post, at this time in my Life, I had Never been on a Airplane before, let alone a Helicopter, so it was all New to me!



I remember getting everything together a couple of Days previous and I was all ready to go!


I believe it was a Thursday Morning of my First Trip, at this time I never had a Car, but all the Worker’s were Picked up in a Mini-Bus at several different Places, around my Area.


The Pick Up time was about 5 in the Morning, so I left my House about 20 Minutes before hand to walk about 0.5 Mile to the Pick -Up point, where we Lived at the Time was a Large Built up Area, but only about 10 mins away it was all Fields and Grassy areas!


I was going to walk up and around all the Houses, but decided to cut over the Field, to a short cut I knew,  to save about 5 minutes!


It was Pitch Black walking over these Fields, the Pick-Up Point was opposite a Pub Called “The Sun” it was going Fine until about 10 Paces from the End of this Grassy Area!

I put my Foot Down and there was Water everywhere and my Trainer  came off and my Foot went completely in all this Water, I was soaked both Feet, and it was Freezing, plus I could not see anything as it was Pitch Black!


This area now, some 30 Years later, is all Built up with hundred’s of Houses, but back then there was only 1 section of Houses all the rest as I said was Fields!


When the Mini-Bus finally arrived I remember everybody having a Good Laugh at my Mis-hap, so this was the Start of my Life, working Offshore, but how long would this Last!

As for some Great music, this Track is taken from an Album Called “Fire on Ice” released in 1978 by Terry Callier.


The Track’s called “Holdin’ On (to Your Love).


The Album had 9 Tracks, all of which were Great, the Album had some Great Musicians and Backing  Singers, I will do a entire Post in the Future concerning this Album.


Incidentally , one of the Album Mixers was Don Mizell, who I have Featured on this Blog, recently!


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