In my early career I was a regular (full-time) soldier. Politics took care of that many years ago and I have “soldiered on” as a, sometimes reluctant, civilian.

 Erik the Ready is a play on my true given name and my birthplace in the south-east of Norway, an area rich in Viking artefacts. Mostly it is also a play on one of history’s most well-known Vikings, Erik the Red who lived in the eighth century. He was an explorer credited with founding settlements in Greenland and Iceland. It is speculated that he, or a descendant of his, arrived in today’s Canada some centuries before Christopher Columbus DISCOVERED the region.

My mother, who was born and brought up in Cape Town, took me from Norway to Africa when I was three years old. For eight years I lived in the Cape before we moved to Central Africa to what was then the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. After the Federation was dissolved I stayed on in Rhodesia for another 17-plus years and then moved back to South Africa for a further 37 years. In 2016 I moved to Australia where I live in a beautiful area of Queensland called the Sunshine Coast, north of Brisbane.

I have started an on-line proof-reading, editing and copy writing business and my interests extend to writing, DIY and what are today called HACKS but used to be called innovative shortcuts and clever ideas!

I also still take on small handyman work in the region because I enjoy it and any extra income from doing something you enjoy will always be welcome.

My blog – well, this website – will address these interests and other sometimes quirky, sometimes serious and, hopefully, often humorous matters – see THE MIX menu.

NOTE: As nice as it is to hear from  people be aware that this site is not regularly monitored for comments. If you wish to get in touch or require a reply to a comment please use my email address as noted in Proofing and Editing?

Erik (the Ready)

June 2017