Discussion Forum—A Way with Words, a fun radio show and podcast about language

I am curious about the phrase "the life of Riley". Do you know to what this refers? I have often used it and even heard it in a cartoon on Boomerang recently. I live in a historic district of Indianapolis and James Whitcomb Riley lived on my street. He was a famous poet and known to sit on the front porch and read to the children of the neighborhood.

Thanks
Ivey