Oh, to have the life of Riley .... meaning, Riley my cat ...

Nothing to do except meow, eat, sleep, play, purr, and repeat.

Cats have absolutely no worries: none, whatsoever.  They don't have to worry about things like late notices, bill collectors calling about overdue bills, bratty kids with major attitudes, job uncertainties in this shaky economy, or meddling in-laws.

If you ask me, cats have it MADE!!

I wish I could be a cat.

That way, I could do whatever I wanted, with no nagging boss to tell me what to do, or not having to put up with a gadabout husband who disappears every night, leaving me to deal with mouthy teenagers, or worrying about bills or a job that I absolutely loathe.  I personally don't know why God didn't make me to be a cat instead of a human being!

We have had Riley now for five years.  He is a gargantuan-sized Ragdoll (chocolate seal point), creamy fur with dark chocolate-colored "points" [dark ears, tail, face, and above his paws]; meanwhile his paws are milk white, and his eyes are sapphire-blue). with an easygoing, laid back "purr"sonality.  He is the best cat we could have ever wanted or asked for!  He is usually no trouble, but sometimes I wonder about that: lately he has been on a tear.

As an example, if I don't get up at a certain time because a certain pussycat is hungry, he will literally slap my face with his paw, as hard as he can.  Or he'll sit on my face or start licking my hair.  It's not so bad when it's seven thirty or eight, but at five o'clock (or even earlier), then there's a problem.  He's been getting me up before six for the past five consecutive mornings, and frankly, I'm getting ready to feed him to the neighbor's dog!  (NOT really, but still: it is getting on my LAST nerve!!)

Or Riley will start serenading the neighbor's cat by sitting on the porch, screaming as loudly as possible, rousing us from a good night's sleep.  Then my boss wonders why I have circles or bags under my eyes: let HIM live with Riley and see if HE can handle it (I somehow doubt that he even could!) ...

Or, as another example, Riley will hog the entire bed when I am trying to sleep or get comfortable, and then I can't move because there's this ... this ... BEAST ... who stretches himself even longer than he already is, making sleep virtually impossible.  I have heard of togetherness, but Riley takes it past the extreme!!

I don't know what I am going to do; Riley may be a cat, but he's turning out to be a king-sized PEST!!  He's worse than the kids at times!