Cooking for the Crew

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Permalink Reply by drilling monkey on November 3, 2010 at 10:16am

I have been cooking for crews since the Lost Hills blowout. Every thanksgiving and christmas that we are on tower, I would always go to the rig and cook.

Prior to the O&G Company sending out a recent memo that now disallows wives and dogs (I own the consulting business, no excepton), I would travel to the rig about once a month and cook lasagna and fried chicken. It gives the guys, especially the out of towners some home cooked meals and they really apprreciate that I take the time to do this. This year I will not be able to go cook.

Hopefully things will change, it will be disappointing but this seems to be the new age of micr managed oilfield.

you are on the right track with what you are sending. filling foods especially the chilli and lasagna is never a disappointment..

Permalink Reply by Marylisabeth Irwin on November 3, 2010 at 11:53am

I cook for my husband and send his meals prepacked for his 2 week rotation, and there is always enough to share.. we live 8 hours from the rig so i cant do nearly what i want to but i try to send a little something for the crew each time he goes.. next up.. sending a crock pot and home canned soups, enough for each shivverrry cold night.. 14 half gallon jars..

Permalink Reply by Kim Mullen on November 28, 2010 at 8:36pm

My hats off to you, that's a lot of soup. I usuall have soup, chili, or goulash in the freezer at all times for my husband to take, and he always shares with anyone that is hungry including his tool pusher. I'm getting a new crock pot for Christmas so I am donating the old one to the rig along with some liners.

Permalink Reply by Kim Mullen on November 28, 2010 at 8:40pm

Mike works for a small drilling company and they are not so ate up with rules. I don't go to the site cause I don't want to be in the way. Alway send it with Mike in coolers and they can warm in the microwave or crock pot. We have had a company man or two bring food out and it is always appreciated.

I'm always surprised at the guys that come to work with no meal whatsoever. Most of them have wives, I guess a lot don't cook nowdays. I couldn't look myself in the mirror if I sent my man to work without a good meal of somekind.

Permalink Reply by Marylisabeth Irwin on November 29, 2010 at 1:30am

i totally agree.. they are out there bustin bottom to bring home a good paycheck the very least we can do is make sure they are well fed, taken care of and loved. so what if he dont do exactly half the house work... if you are doing half the 'rig' work then ok, if not take care of your man, he's out there taking care of you :) you are spot on Kim.. :) its a joy to 'do for' our husbands.

Permalink Reply by Brandi Hays on November 21, 2010 at 4:31pm

I go up usually once a month and cook for my husband's crew. I live 5 hours away, so crockpots & a huge cooler are my friend. I pre-make whatever I can and the rest goes in the crock when I get there. I've done everything from pot roast to crockpot chicken enchiladas, even crockpot breakfast casseroles when they get tired of eating cereal. There's no limit to a crockpot with a little prep and some imagination. Anything is better than truck-stop food, which is what my guys end up with out in the field. A little home cooking goes a long way.

Permalink Reply by Kim Mullen on November 28, 2010 at 8:33pm

Crock pots and microwaves are great for our guys to have as close to home meal as they can get on the rigs. Our crew got almost all of our leftover Turkey, so they have been eating well, just a few more days til payday.

Permalink Reply by bradford johnson on November 30, 2010 at 3:26pm

i envy you getting to cook for the boys , mine is in pa. now and i feel almost like i got fired as i never see any of them anymore,haha Keep it up sugar it really means alot to them and to us that arent close, we were in louisana 2 yrs and i cooked twice a week for the "other' tour and 3 x for our side, but had a few at the table for ever dinner, some great family dinners, even tho weve not seen alot of them in a while my kids stil refer to them as uncle and i get email from quit a few. made me feel part of the crew!now thy r all up north, but i have managed to send fudge and cookies this year, dont recomend it its very costly to mail food! my new plan is to join them in 2 weeks and sit christmas out and bring the meal with me there, 4 wives and a grandmother r fixin certain ones favorite things it is a surprise and we r al excited, they r in a "mancamp-prison' so theguys tell me, so wish me luck, and always love those boys they work there a**** of for us!!!! and im proud to be a oilfield wife (23yrsexperience) lol

Permalink Reply by Kim Mullen on November 30, 2010 at 7:14pm

I know what you mean about getting close to the crews, Mike has a guy that worked for him only a couple of months but he liked Mike and loved my cooking so that he still keeps in touch even though he is working in another line of work.

It is rewarding and I know it makes my husband proud to have a wife that does for the whole crew.

Good luck on the plans for Christmas hope it works out for you, I'm lucky that mine is relatively close, right now driving two hour to and two hours from the rig, but after this they will have a well withing a twenty minute drive, so ready for that.

God Bless and Merry Christmas!

Permalink Reply by Cari Hansen on December 19, 2010 at 9:33pm

When I was closer I would cook for the crew - send up chilli, homeade chx noodle soup, cookies, etc.  However, I know you want to help these guys out and perhaps your budget allows for you to do this - but only do it once in a while otherwise you will be taken for granted.  I have met some rude men that really don't appreciate it and instead make smart a** comments back.  Just make sure your guy is taken care of.  As for the rest of the crew if you really want to still cook for them ask your man to take a donation for a meal that you can cook for all of them or take some suggestions.  If all the men pitch in for the groceries when they have money than perhaps you won't be taken for granted.

Permalink Reply by Michael Bruce Mullen on January 24, 2011 at 11:31am

Oh I have always done this on occassion and if they piss me off they just don't get anything and yes it always seemed to be on our dime. We had one derrick man, that would always pitch in some money, he was a good man. One of few.

Permalink Reply by Michael Bruce Mullen on January 24, 2011 at 11:31am

This is Mike's wife forgot he was still on here???