Zack and Daisy

Tomorrow is Spring

2009-03-19T19:37:00.000Z

Whoopie, tomorrow is officially the first day of Spring. Yesterday we watched our master mowing the grass we reckon it won't be long before he breaks out one of several BBQs he owns.

A BBQ can be a good way to socialize, and we sure like being friendly. We can hang around and look cute and often get tossed a secret tiybit of delicious grilled something. Our master is the easiest score - boy have we got him taped. Just a little nudge here or a cute little trick there and he slips us bits of fat and sausage and even the odd olive.

Helloo Mr Greenlee

2009-03-15T23:06:00.004Z

Wow, somebody famous is following us on Twitter. We like Rob Greenlee - he's been showing our master nice geeky stuff for years. In fact, we think Rob might have even been the fella that first told his largeness what a podcast is. If we could visit him, we would give him a great big lick on his nose, because when our master is making podcasts, he smiles and looks happy.

Twittering Tweeters, we're on Twitter

2009-03-13T22:05:00.001Z

follow me on Twitter

How long before the party starts?

2009-03-08T10:02:00.000Z

Today our master has a birthday. Yessiree, he will heave his frame out of bed this morning and be a whole year older. He should be so lucky, for we of the canine species have to endure 7 birthdays for every single one the old hefty one has. It wasn't so bad when we were ankle-biting puppies - being 7 and then a teenager before our human companions can even talk properly is quite cool. So wife of our master has prepared a feast, and the table was all set before they went to bed last night. She is a great cook, our mistress, so we can look forward to lots of little titbits. We are hanging out on the table just to be sure WE are not forgotten today. Pity we can't reach the old vino flagon.

Work is an overrated activity

2009-03-06T13:34:00.000Z

Picture by Brenda Rudolph of Oz

Our great and mighty master (that's him blowing up a storm on the blue pool noodle) needs to learn that all work and no play make Zack and Daisy very stressed out little doggies. Maybe this picture shows us he might just have some fun-potential. Our master (who we sometimes call 'his imenseness' because he is a bit on the larger side of life) has been reading stuff by Bob Sutton and Jim Maloney. We're not quite sure who this Jim guy is - he could be a baseball player, or United States Representative (that's like an MP we think), a missionary, or even a Boston fish peddler, according to Google. But one of those Jim's said that 'work is an overrated activity'. Yup.

Anyway, back to work and fun. You know what our master is doing there in the pool? He sees pool noodles, and then sees friends wearing clothes at the poolside. He thinks of elephants from back in the home country. He impersonates them by blowing water all over people. And we all bark hysterically - except that poor man from Cyprus who wondered gloomily what all the fun was about. He was probably working.

Good we don't do chewing gum

2009-02-22T23:07:00.000Z

Changi Airport, Singapore

We are spending a few comfortable hours in Changi Airport, Singapore, on our way home to Merry England, or Mud Island as we have heard a few whinging Africans call it. So it rains a little in the UK. Well, prehaps more than a little. And so it gets dark early in winter time - haven't humans ever heard of daylight bulbs for the lights?

This airport is very tidy. We are having to hide in our master's backpack because we think that they would have a Chinese hissy-fit here if they saw two important looking Jack Russells (well, we are important - we are Zack and Daisy) investigating the lovely flower beds and indoor trees they have here.

Did you know that chewing gum and bubble gum are actually banned here. Yes, banned. You can go to prison for walking through customs chewing the old Wrigleys! Well maybe not prison unless you are a repeat offender - but the fine is pretty steep. Yikes. Imagine forgetting to swallow the old gumball in your mouth and landing up with a $1000 US fine, and then get some community work on top of that. No wonder Singapore is tidy. We wonder what they do to little doggies like us, who often can't find a public convenience tree in a secluded spot?

Marmite vs Vegemite

2009-02-17T06:16:00.003Z

Toast Mountain Climbing - Daisy Reaches The Summit

We thought we might end up being toast ourselves, because we were a bit rude to He Who Must be Obeyed in our last posting.

But he's a good sport, and saw the funny side of it. Here in Australia they eat Vegemite which is a spread made from yeast and the carcasses of dead Australians. Their website says it has been proudly made Down Under since 1923.

They reckon it is better than Marmite, but we know better. It isn't. Marmite on toast is like a delicious savoury bite of heaven. Vegemite is bitter and has the subtle background flavour of grilled inner tubes.

Marmite, they reckon, has been made since 1680, Bruce! They did not call it Marmite then, but even so, the first Marmite factory was started in 1902. Put that in your pipe and smoke it, Sheila!

Yessiree! Our master needs to shed some weight

2009-02-17T05:26:00.000Z

Oh, we know which side of the bread is buttered ... and give our great and powerful master half a chance, he will probably eat it before we can say 'cat at nine o'clock'. He is swanning around eastern Australia this week, and this time he rememebered to bring us along. We have almost forgiven him for not taking us to the USA a couple of weeks ago. He wouldn't take us swimming in the sea on Sunday afternoon - muttered something about big sharks and what great shark-bait little doggies can make. Anyway, his lordship got a bit too much sun and came back looking pink and uncomfortable.

We found this Special K stuff in the apartment, and placed it strategically where he would see it. Seemed to have worked, because he chose it over the Cocoa Pops. Did you know that all the honey almond Special K made recently has been recalled. Wonder why?

Did you hear about the Listener Clubs for the Spotlight radio programmes? Sounds like they are really taking off. Have a look here for more details.

G'day little doggies

2009-02-13T23:50:00.000Z

Picture credit

Boy oh Boy are we excited.

We are going somewhere we have not been before. Queensland, Down Under! Thats Australia, mate! And what's more, we are getting to go on a brand new Airbus A380, the doubledecker bus of the skies. Beaches, crows to chase, hot weather, warm rain ... what a change from miserable old England for a week or so.

And our owner thinks of everything for us - he got us a ride in this miniature (our sized) model of the Airbus in preparation. We hear there is an onboard doggy parlour and heated kennels on the A380.

Are we famous?

2009-02-03T10:59:00.020Z

We (that is Zack and Daisy, the terrific Jack Russells who what write this dogblog) had nothing to do with this bus advertising. We would not have even thought of it ourselves, but obviously we have our fans.

Maybe you can keep an eye out for this serious bit of hero worship on a bus near you, and report any sightings. This one was seen in West Sussex, but who knows how far it has spread.

We are flattered of course, because we are just humble little terriers. We just need a warm and dry place, some rats and birds to chase, and lots of attention, to be happy. Mind you, our globe trotting is raising our profiles - watch out Simon Cowell.

Actually we don't mind Simon, because he really loves doggies like us. Good on you, Simon.

Wonder what you think about the Middle East?

2009-01-22T17:36:00.000Z

We've been watching dog's best friends being really rather horrible to each other in that dreadful Israel/Gaza thing. We hope there were no Jack Russell's hurt there, or any of our caninine cousins. Seems like broadcasting hope to these folk is a good idea.

Family is important

2009-01-21T22:39:00.001Z

Quietly Encircled by Love

No doubt about it, family is important, especially the love of a mother for her children. Zack and Daisy adore being around families that love each other, and they especially like this little Willow Tree figurine created by Susan Lordi. If they could meet her, they would give her their best licks.

Daisy was telling Zack that this particular figurine is called 'Quietly' and that the artist's intention was to portray 'quietly encircled by love'. Which is all very fine, thinks Zack - I could do with some of that encircling love myself sometimes.

Merry Woofing Christmas

2008-12-28T13:32:00.000Z

Hello all our cyberfans. We came upon this nice little scene on Christmas Eve, and found it all rather enchanting. That little baby in the manger - something different about him for sure. We would like to wish you and your own little doggies a very happy Christmas time.

Farm life for us will do

2008-11-14T20:42:00.003Z

Daisy loves farming. She is just like the real Daisy, who she met for the first time this week. Except that the real Daisy is so busy chasing birds, and fighting snakes, and following Christine the farmer's wife around, that she has little time for socialising.

It rained just about the whole weekend on the farm here in KwaZulu Natal in South Africa, but there were a couple of breaks in the weather, and so Zack and Daisy did some tourism of their own. Here they are on the high parapet of the deck, looking towards Hilton hill.

At least that is what they call it.

Those birds better watch out

2008-11-14T20:21:00.001Z

Back home in 'Arnglaytear' as Daisy tries to say ever since she spied a French poodle down the road, the seagulls are just too big for these two. But in Pretoria they saw their favourite hunting sport - doves - and were fascinated by the Yellow Weavers in the big tree outside their window.

They got a bit of a fright when a large peel of thunder reminded them that the highveld of Gauteng is renowned for its fierce electrical storms, but once they remembered where they were, they wished they could be outside in the warm African rain, chasing the flying ants and searching for frogs in the muddy garden beds.

Musical paws

2008-11-14T20:15:00.002Z

Zack is quite musical really. He loves all kinds of music, and quite wishes he had the manual dexterity to be able to play the piano. Oh for opposable thumbs, he thinks. Here he looks longingly at Barb Bartz' fancy Clavinova.

It's just a fancy pancy name for an electric piano, but it did manage to fool Daisy, who is trying to figure out if Clavinova is Russian for something you can eat.

Where is that rat?

2008-10-13T08:30:00.002+01:00

Jack Russells are famous for their mouse and rat hunting prowess. Nothing better than catching the scent of a hapless rodent and then chasing it all over the place. There is no stopping these two if they hear even the slightest whispering of 'where's the rat?' - and then they are off like bullets.

Here they search for a rat hiding in the dense bathroom jungle. Patience is the key. Who will see it first? Who will get the first go at getting their rat?

Take Your Vitamin C

2008-10-12T22:45:00.001+01:00

We are heading for winter time, and it is the season for colds and 'flu, so Daisy reckons that Dad will not miss a couple of his fizzing vitamin C complex plus added extra bits. Zack thinks it is a great idea, but wonders how they will get the fizzer thing into some water.

Cat Got Your Tongue?

2008-10-12T21:00:00.001+01:00

Daisy loves to tease the old boy. Zack can smell her for sure, but his eyes are not so sharp anymore. And besides, he knows that Daisy could never hide behind a cat without trying to chase it.