The Life Of Riley The Cat

During a leisurely nap Riley awakens to an unsettling noise, while investigating the source she is met by a discourteous crow. Riley is just a kitten and naive to the outside world and questions the crow about what he is. The crow is very pompous in his description of himself and the encounter leaves Riley questioning her own self-worth. Riley sets out to find her purpose and begins her journey into a strange new world of amazing creatures. During her journey she meets many creatures that all have very important jobs such as Simon, the Crow, who is smart and keeps crops healthy; Cornelius, the Spider, who creates beautiful webs and helps keep harmful insects at bay; Felix, the Honeybee, who tends the comb, cleans the hive, gathers nectar and helps the plants to grow which keeps the air clean; and Bernice, the Beaver, who is helpful to other wildlife by providing winter-feed. Riley believes that her journey will end in failure as she returns home, only to meet a curious bat, named Bart, in her own back yard. Bart teaches Riley a valuable lesson about her purpose and the purpose of every living creature.

Sometimes it’s funny and strange how things work out in life. There are small incidental thoughts, sayings, and actions that are around us every day that can turn out not to be so small after all. So, this brings up what planted that little seed to turn into a fictional story about this cat named “Mr. Riley T. Kitty”. First, you need to know that I am (Bob A. Jackson, author of this book) a long, long time dog lover. When I was younger, I never could get close to a cat because as you know they run or ignore you unless they have a tie with someone, or they know and live with someone. They are very finicky with who they socialize with. Isolation does not mean much to them as long as they are not hungry, know they have a nice place to spend the night, and are not in pain from a street fight injury that they cannot sleep or rest. I call Mr. Kitty many names among them are Mr. T., Riley T., Riley Kitty, and Mr. Riley. He recognizes all of them are about HIM. He came to us from a Hereford City Wide Garage Sale. My daughter noticed this kitty going through the people at the sale. A couple of hours later the same kitty was back doing what cats do....curiously looking for something interesting for them to get into. My daughter got this brilliant idea to put some milk out for the kitty. That was the small action that got the cat’s attention. The next day I noticed they had gotten home from the eight-hour trip. Texas is a BIG state. They stayed out in the car, so I went to see if everything was all right. About the time I got to the car this kitty cat jumped into my daughter’s lap. I ask, “What is that?” My daughter said, “It’s our new kitty cat.” Well, so it was. When a name was being worked out my daughter insisted on the name Mr. Kitty. I did not like that name, so I came up with my own. For some reason. I came up with the name Riley named after a man on the old black and white television’s shows back then. The title of the show was “The Life of Riley”. Several years go by and there is little contact with me and the cat. Then, one night out of nowhere, he jumps upon the bed and came over for me to pet him. That little action started a relationship that I never expected. He would have his evening routine around the house and then jump upon the bed for me to pet him. One time he jumped on the bed and immediately stopped to stare at something in the ceiling corner of the bedroom. His continued staring and had convienced me that something was really there. So, I asked him, “Riley, what do you see?”. He kept staring. The next day, I thought about that little staring episode and got to thinking, “Wouldn’t it be something if he could have told me about what he saw. A simple, little reaction that planted the seed for the writing of this book. I wanted the book to be entertaining, as much humor as I could come up with, educational, and just a fun book for all ages to read and enjoy. I put in some different things like instead of giving chapters, I use a one work phrase that described that section. I came up with 15 or 16 situations where we talked about the incident. NOTE: All normal, not thicker, not darker font is me speaking. All the thicker, darker font is Riley’s thoughts and reactions. It took some deeper thoughts and imagination to deliver what I wrote about Riley. I do hope you enjoy reading it.

From "The Talk of the Town," Jamaica Kincaid's first impressions of snobbish, mobbish New York Talk Pieces is a collection of Jamaica Kincaid's original writing for the New Yorker's "Talk of the Town," composed during the time when she first came to the United States from Antigua, from 1978 to 1983. Kincaid found a unique voice, at once in sync with William Shawn's tone for the quintessential elite insider's magazine, and (though unsigned) all her own--wonderingly alive to the ironies and screwball details that characterized her adopted city. New York is a town that, in return, fast adopts those who embrace it, and in these early pieces Kincaid discovers many of its hilarious secrets and urban mannerisms. She meets Miss Jamaica, visiting from Kingston, and escorts the reader to the West Indian-American Day parade in Brooklyn; she sees Ed Koch don his "Cheshire-cat smile" and watches Tammy Wynette autograph a copy of Lattimore's Odyssey; she learns the worlds of publishing and partying, of fashion and popular music, and how to call a cauliflower a crudite. The book also records Kincaid's development as a young writer--the newcomer who sensitively records her impressions here takes root to become one of our most respected authors.

The perfect gift for cat owners: "Definitely a book your cat would want you to read!"—Dr. Sarah Ellis, co-author of The Trainable Cat "Zazie Todd has created a must-have guide to improving your cat's life."—Modern Cat Magazine We all love our cats and we all want them to be happy. But making our cats happy isn't about buying them lots of things—it's about finding out what matters to them. In Purr, animal behavior expert Zazie Todd addresses every stage of your cat's life and offers surprising and effective advice for even the most experienced cat owner, all with the science to back it up. In this indispensable book, "cat lovers learn the science behind cats' petting preferences; the multiple meanings of purrs, chirrups, and meows; how to best satisfy the scratching and stalking desires for indoor cats; and even how to keep both cats and wildlife safe if your felines spend time outside.'—Cat Warren, New York Times-bestselling author Cat lovers will also discover how to: Enrich your cat's life through play and exercise Reduce anxiety and fear around your absence, visitors, and trips to the vet Train your kitten or cat without causing harm (i.e. don't use a spray bottle!) Provide for special needs like asthma Make senior cats comfortable And so much more! In Purr, Zazie Todd demystifies the feline-human relationship so you can form your special bond based on your cat's unique needs—all while learning lots and having fun together.

A fascinating, thematic exploration of clichés from as the actress said to the bishop to zero hour, explaining what they are and where they’ve come from. Julia Cresswell has taken her best-selling dictionary of clichés (‘Sumptuous... A mine of information.’ Guardian) back to the drawing board and has created a book, packed with famous (and infamous) quotations and memorable information, that will change the way you see English.

The classic chronicle of life and self-reliance in the great Northern Forest, reissued for its many fans “Cache Lake Country is a gem for many reasons—a simple narrative, the ways in which it conveys the work-a-day joys and exertions of life in the wilderness, the woodscraft techniques it illustrates, and the slow and pleasurable way in which the soul of a serene man is revealed.” —The New York Times Over half a century ago, John Rowlands set out by canoe into the wilds of Canada to survey land for a timber company. After paddling alone for several days, he came upon "the lake of my boyhood dreams," which he named Cache Lake because there was stored the best that the north had to offer?timber for a cabin; fish, game, and berries to live on; and the peace and contentment he felt he could not live without. This is his story, containing both folklore and philosophy, with wisdom about the woods and the demand therein for inventiveness. It includes directions for making moccasins, stoves, shelters, outdoor ovens, canoes, and hundreds of other ingenious and useful gadgets.

In the Old Testament, God used Balaam's donkey to speak to him and protect him from great difficulty. I think in the Atomic Age God has used a small cat to speak to me many times. I don't hear a voice like Balaam, but the messages are just as loud. In a complex age fraught with distractions and dangers, we are in need of reminders of those times when we are about to stray into the abyss. I hear Puderd telling me spiritual life is found in simplicity and knowledge of God is found in quietness. Contentment is found in good friends, not good products. Trust and safety are really beyond our control and we can only have these if we trust in the One who is in control.