iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I had a leftovers/rejects party the day after the submissions. I made a 4-in version of the cake so people could get a sense of the concept. Folks were great at boosting my confidence (re: ego) before reading the comment cards. I already know the judges and I fundamentally disagree about brownies.

Leftover blueberry muffins in a bowl, ginger scones on a platter, brownie bites (cut up edge pieces) in a footed dessert dish, brownies on a covered jadeite cake stand, chocolate chip almond cake tops on an appetizer plate, and a glimpse of the 4-in chocolate chip almond cake with its chocolate glaze on a small covered jadeite cake stand. All displayed on a wood buffet.

The top of the 4-in chocolate chip almond cake with chocolate glaze displayed on a jadeite cake stand, the tackle stand cover to the side. The cake has been halfway cut up, with six small slices.

A close up of the inside of the chocolate chip almond cake where you can see the chocolate buttercream filling.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Also submitted: ginger scones, brownies, chocolate chip cookies, and chocolate chip almond cake (with chocolate buttercream filling and a chocolate ganache-ish glaze). Looking forward to my comment card(s)! Only the top 25 get one, so if any of the others receive one, that also feels like placing.

The leftovers/rejects: blueberry muffins, chocolate chip cookies, and ginger scones are piled on a quarter sheet pan atop a sheet pan of brownies too poorly cut to submit.

A chocolate chip almond cake with chocolate buttercream frosting and a chocolate ganache glaze on display in the Creative Activities building. About 1/3 of the cake has been cut out to taste and display the inside appearance. There’s a tag with my name on top of the cake.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I entered five categories in the Creative Activities baked goods competition at the State Fair - and I won second place for blueberry muffins!!

Close up of my second place blueberry muffin in the case in the Creative Activities building. There’s a tag with my name, Minneapolis, and the contest class number 1025 with a red “2” flag in front.

Me in front of the Creative Activities building on drop off day. I’m in a blue dress holding a dish bin full of pastry boxes filled with my submissions. This was taken after about 1.5 hours in line. There was another 30 min or so to go.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 05/08/2026

MSP: A friend’s bike was stolen yesterday in Standish. AirTag disabled at Lake Hiawatha, it seems. If you see it, please reach out.

Prairie Crow bicycle with front basket. It now has black bar tape.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 15/03/2026

Corner lots are great. Cannot recommend a corner lot more.

Snow on a sidewalk with a measuring tape in front of it. The snow depth is 8”.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 07/12/2025

In the midst of so much stress and ugliness, I got to spend my day outdoors on a beautiful winter day and see stupid cute kids waddle in ski boots.

A beginner ski hill before the lifts start with banners for classes to meet. The sky is blue with beautiful clouds and the trees are dusted with snow.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 06/12/2025

I visited the Louis Vuitton Foundation last month, and walked by the Grand Palais later that day. It was very cool to visit and take in both the building and the view. It has an exhibit about the building itself that we loved. His buildings make me pause and note the surroundings more completely.

A drawing by Gehry of the Louis Vuitton Foundation concept with his signature in the bottom right. It’s on a wall in the museum.

A note by Gehry in his handwriting on a wall in the museum that reads:

I dream
I dream of designing a magnificent vessel for Paris that symbolizes France’s profound cultural vocation

Signed with his initials, FOY

A view from inside a staircase in the Louis Vuitton Foundation of the metal frame.

A view from one of the roof decks through the glass panels with the Eiffel Tower slightly visible on a gray, cloudy, drizzly November day.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 04/11/2025

Today is election day, and it is also roast the gravy turkey day. I am still figuring out my convection oven. I lowered the recipe’s temp by 25 degrees and checked after 90 min - the 13.5# bird was already passed 165 degrees. I'll lower the temp even more next time, I guess?

A blue garden flag that reads “Local Elections Matter ☑️ Vote!” placed along a retaining wall in a yard. A stucco house and boulevard trees are in the background with a bright blue sky.

A 13.5# turkey on a roasting rack in a pan, fresh out of the oven. The skin is golden and crispy.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

My partner once heard the tether line run and went out to see what he was chasing: he had a turkey feather while two turkeys were perched on the fence, out of reach.

A turkey feather in grass, somehow obtained by a cat or shed by a turkey while leaving a (tethered) cat’s backyard.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 20/10/2025

My one eyed cat thinking he can take on seven dinosaurs.

A one-eyed black cat with a red collar attached to a tether balances on top of a black chain link fence. Seven turkeys are in the yard on the other side of the fence.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 27/09/2025

I stayed put drinking coffee and reading long enough that this guy hung out with me, had the zoomies, and is back for another nap. Happy #caturday

An orange cat curled on his side sleeping on a fleece blanket on a loveseat. He's in the sunshine and double window is in the background.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 25/09/2025

I ordered this beach blanket before a beach vacation, and it didn’t arrive in time. I decided to keep it, and it’s been a great backyard addition - cat approved.

A backyard with long grass and a sidewalk down the middle, fenced in with a black chain link fence. There’s a stripped linen beach blanket and a blue body pillow in the foreground. A black cat with a red collar lays on the body pillow facing the camera and an orange cat sits facing the street. Both have harnesses connected to a lead. There’s a book on the blanket in the background.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

Not leash walkers, though sometimes they'll behave for a walk in the yard. The harnesses are for a run we have set up in the backyard.

A black cat and an orange cat connected by a tether to a run sit side by side at a backyard gate entrance, watching the street.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

My cats declared the start of fall yesterday by snuggling together on one chair. During summer they often do a double decker: orange in the chair, black in the sun spot on the wood floor underneath the chair.

A black and an orange cat sleep snuggled together on a blue upholstered chair.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 04/09/2025

My 9lb, one eyed cat, while on a tether in our backyard, chased turkeys and got himself a feather. 🤦‍♀️ His brother, the one with survival instincts, stayed as far away as possible from the dinosaurs.

A single turkey feather sticking up out the green grass in my backyard.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 10/08/2025

Nice Time Market had Yeti Boys New Orleans Snoballs truck in their parking lot today. Sooo good. Shaved ice > sno cones @mnaurorafc.bsky.social - you should have them as a vendor next season!

Three snoballs being held by two people: red hurricane, white pina colada with sweetened condensed milk, and purple grape. The white gray sidewalk and black parking lot with a neighboring yard and boulevard are in the background, as well as a corner of the Yeti Boys purple food truck.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 06/08/2025

MUCH ADO closed Sunday. Load-out was yesterday. The dressing room unit was picked up this morning, and tonight I finally emptied my car. It is no longer a mobile storage unit for the theater company. However, a deep clean is needed for all the spilled potting soil from the planters.

A thrust stage in a sloped parking lot with green turf covering it with a moat and aisles of green. Wood stair are on the downstage left and there are four white planters: two with lavender downstage center right and left and two with ferns and white and yellow flowers stage right and left.

📸 Emily Garst

A hatchback open to five planters in view, two concrete and three round white. One of the concrete ones has tipped, spilling soil into the car.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

The orange cat also found the cake while the rest of us were outside and made his mark.

The side of the cake with a small, cat tongue sized section licked clean to the chocolate cake.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

She sent a picture for inspiration and I figured out how to replicate: Smitten Kitchen recipe for chocolate cake with fudge buttercream layers and vanilla buttercream exterior and I added in a canning recipe for strawberry preserves to get the fruit part of the ask.

A cake that has about a quarter cut out, revealing chocolate cake layers with chocolate frosting and a red fruit compote. The exterior icing is white and there’s a “Happy 85th Birthday” cake topper.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 23/07/2025

My stepdaughter finally took me up on the offer to make whatever cake she wanted for her birthday. The farmer’s market had strawberries, which settled the fruit layer choice, and buttermilk is great in chocolate cake.

An 8” cake with white frosting on a blue cake stand with a paper flower garland of a cake topper and three whole strawberries on top.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

I haven’t quite known what to do with myself, so I took to the kitchen and made fridge pickles and started new batches of rhubarb cordial. Plus meal prepping from the freezer, including baking off farmer’s market cottage bacon for egg bites. Hopefully, I’ll finally make those freezer burritos.

Rhubarb cordial unshaken in a 4 qt mason jar. The sugar is at the bottom, rhubarb on top, with orange peel floating at the top of the gin.

Rhubarb cordial shaken in a 4 qt mason jar. The sugar is at the bottom, with rhubarb and orange peel floating in the gin.

Aged rhubarb cordial in a 4 qt mason jar. The sugar is dissolved and the rhubarb and orange peel float together in the gin. The color has been poached from the rhubarb and the gin is now a dark pink. It’s almost ready to be strained.

All three stages of rhubarb cordial together.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 27/05/2025

I brought some pillows out to the backyard so I could read while lying in the grass. Maurice approves.

A black cat with a red collar and on a leash loafs on a blue pillow in the grass. He’s keeping an eye on the (out of reach) birds.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 21/04/2025

A friend hosts a wonderful Easter brunch and lets me bring dessert. This year I faced a fear and made meringues. Turned out lovely! Paired with lemon curd, whipped cream, and raspberries. But the corn flake milk chocolate nests I did on a whim were the real crowd pleasers.

View from above of a wood and glass coffee table. In the center is a small mint green cakes stand with a dome that has chocolate Easter nests with mini Cadbury eggs. There is an app plate with three more nests piled, and a dish of more Cadbury eggs. There’s a bud vase with flowers on a blue coaster, too.

A level view of the cake stand, overflow nests plate, and the dish of overflow eggs with a painted white fireplace in the background.

A medium green cake stand with a dome lid containing meringue disks. There are undisturbed dishes of lemon curd, whipped cream, and raspberries beneath the cake stand. Spoons are at the ready next to the curd and cream.

An owl dessert plate with half a meringue disk with lemon curd pooled over and across, a dollop of whipped cream, and three raspberries.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 28/03/2025

In the midst of all the things, it was a lovely (false spring) evening to spend on the patio with my cats. Maurice was back on his bs (being high up on the fence looking beyond the back yard).

A black cat with a red collar perched on the corner of a fence to gate, studiously looking out to the yard beyond the fence with an amber sunset behind him. (The cat is attached to a tether.)

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 11/03/2025

The Guthrie announced they’re doing A DOLL’S HOUSE next season and every time I see that title translation I hear my favorite professor telling our class that the proper translation is A DOLL HOUSE, meaning all the characters are dolls. I find the play even more tragic with that lens.

A screenshot of a selection from an essay in the Washington Post that is similar to my professor’s lecture on A DOLL HOUSE.

ESSAY
BEING AND SOMETHINGNESS 'A DOLL HOUSE' FIRST REHEARSAL REMARKS
February 25, 1990

By Zelda Fichandler

The play is called in Norwegian "Et Dukkehjem" -- "A Dollhome" or "A Doll House," but not "A Doll's House," as it is usually translated. The difference is important, for Ibsen titled it with a clear intention. It is not that Nora is a doll and that this is her house, a toy for her to play with. The point is that the house is a house for dolls, so that, by implication, all the people who live in it partake of the aspect of miniaturization, of dollness. Not just Nora, but all of them.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 25/02/2025

The two Colorado blue spruces in my yard are coming down tomorrow. Lots of mixed feelings! They have defined the house and yard for probably a half century or more. But they’ve been in clear decline since before I bought the house, and with them gone I get to remake the yard with something new.

Branches of a Colorado blue spruce pictured from below against a blue sky with the afternoon sun shining through from the right. If you look closely you can see the dead spots with no needles.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

It’s the adoptiversary of my two cutie cats, Miller (orange) and Maurice (black). They love to snuggle in a warm spot and are very people food motivated (re: milk, cheese, checking anything we take out of crinkle bags).

An orange and black cat snuggled partially on a blue and white rug and wood floor, with their tails near a heating vent under a sea green bookshelf.

Black and orange cats snuggled in a yin-yang on a blue blanket on a green chaise.

An orange cat sniffing at dinner rolls, using a currently unoccupied chair, on Thanksgiving.

A black cat with a red name tag
on a harness sits in grass before a garden flag that reads “Cats for Kamala 2024” with an image of a black cat with red tie.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 25/01/2025

Folks, it’s so good. I only went up to Lao Spicy on the Drunken Kaopiak Sen. We had the dumplings (pan-fried on their recommendation) and the Lao Sausage Platter. The house-made sauces are fantastic. Kind, community-oriented owners. It's dangerous it's on a possible route home from the office.

7 pan fried dumplings on a silver platter with green onions sprinkled over and a black plastic cup of amazing dipping sauce. Not pictured: the also amazing house chili sauce recommended to go with.

The entrance to Asian Duck, a grey metal door with a full panel of what should be glass but is a board with the words “Sign Our Cast” and a series of signatures and messages from, presumably, customers. The restaurant had their door smashed in during a break in in December. They have a Go Fund Me that hasn’t reached its goal yet: https://www.gofundme.com/f/community-support-for-our-cafe-family

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 13/01/2025

What a lovely Sunday! A walk with a friend to get coffee and visit Tropes and Trifles, plus the new shop Ferris. Movie at the Riverview with another friend and my mom. Home to freezer meal prep. The cats were cute while sleeping. Now to finish a book. Brilliant all around.

A picture of a book recommendation at Tropes and Trifles that made me chuckle:

Title: A Lady of Rocksgrove Manor
Author: Kathryn Moon
This book had one more orgy than I really needed, but it made sense for plot reasons.
1 woman + 5-6 gentlemen
(theres a Jekyll/Hyde situation)
Recommended by: Lauren

The recommandation is written on a card tucked under a vertically displayed copy atop a horizontal pile of other copies of the book.

A black cat with a harness and an orange cat with a blue collar snuggle on a blue blanket draped over a green chaise.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 24/11/2024

I just finished updating my spreadsheet for this year. I’m hosting a smaller than usual group but the number of things didn’t shrink much.

A screenshot of a spreadsheet listing a Thanksgiving menu with assigned courses:

Item Course
Apertif Gather
Martini Bar Gather
Baked Brie Gather
Salt Brined Roast Turkey Dinner
Make Ahead Gravy Dinner
Cranberry Jelly Dinner
Ocean Spray Cranberries Dinner
Green beans Dinner
Scalloped corn Dinner
Crispy sweet potato roast Dinner
Old-School Dinner Rolls Dinner
Creme Fraiche and Chives Mashed Potatoes Dinner
Stuffing Dinner
Pecan Tassies Dessert
Cherry hand pies Dessert
French silk pie Dessert
Digestifs After Hour
Sandwich fixings After Hour
Decaf coffee Dessert

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 16/11/2024

Oh my. I made the @dbrauer.bsky.social starter pack, huh? Hello! I plan to share baking projects and cute cat pictures.

An apple handpie on a small white plate on a wood dining table, topped with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and salted caramel sauce.

A black cat sleeping in the sunbeams on a dining table, his back paws hanging off the side of the table.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 11/11/2024

I went to the Girlhood exhibit at MNHS yesterday with a friend. It felt both good and hard if that makes sense. There's a section about MN basketball players, and in reading about Janet Karvonen’s basketball camp I realized I’d gone to it - a fun flashback.

A mural from the exhibit showing a 1920s flapper with a bob and purple dress. “Clothing is political” is written above her in a pink script.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 28/09/2024

Okay, I couldn’t resist one more.

A black cat with a red ID tag sitting in green grass next to a “Cats for Kamala 2024” sign that features a black cat with a red tie.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 21/09/2024

They join the Union Strong Union Proud and Read Banned Books flags. Come October those will swap out for Halloween themed ones.

A red garden flag that reads “Union Strong Union Proud” in white.

A blue garden flag that says “Read Banned Books.” Read and books are white, banned is a lighter shade of blue.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 21/09/2024

The first day of voting in Minnesota means there’s an influx of garden flags on my corner lot. (Also, that I’m Flags for Good’s target market.)

A garden flag with vertical red and white strips on the right and left and a large blue middle strip with white stars in two lines and the word “Vote” in white.

A garden flag where the the top half is blue with the word “Vote” in white and there are red and white strips on the bottom half.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 20/09/2024

There’s a difference of $1000 between Lara and Greta.

Minneapolis Campaign Finance Dashboard screenshot showing Lara Bergman has raised $27,136.35 and Greta Callahan has raised $26,127.00.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 19/09/2024

I am raising an eyebrow at the “Certified Bluesky Elder” bit. Getting to watch the growth does feel similar to getting Gmail back when it was invite only, or gaining access to Facebook because I went to NYU.

A virtual certificate with text "Celebrating 10M users on Bluesky, #626,485, Grace Riley ‪@graceriley.bsky.social‬, joined on Aug 18, 2023"

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 19/09/2024

Without downloading new pics, where are you mentally (Drafting bylaws for my theater company to incorporate is feeling similar to the multistep tart I constructed last weekend)

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 10/08/2024

The sky was very cool in Saint Paul tonight at the Irish Fair. I learned there’s such a thing as Gaeltacht Minnesota and had some fun remembering my Gaelic during the “How do you say that?” session.

A mostly pink sky with flat clouds above Saint Paul, with the cathedral on the hill, the tallest building, poking into the sky.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 25/01/2024

Happy adoptiversary to Miller and Maurice! Another year of snuggles and naps on or near heat sources. Maurice is always attempting to scale new heights, while Miller wiggles under the fence rather than over if he’s attempting a great escape.

An orange and a black cat perch in a three pane window sill above a bed.

A black cat sleeping on a window sill with a front leg draping down.

An orange cat almost hugging a floor heating vent.

A black and orange cat with tails curled together staring at something together while outside attached to leads.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 20/01/2024

Jason and I had three powder days in Colorado and dealt with I-70 road closures, with an audiobook about D-Day that took us from MN to CO and back and a bonus surprise visit with his sister. Wonderful week. Next time we might fly.

A man with an orange helmet on a white snowboard kneels in fresh powder with mountains and snow covered trees in the background.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 15/11/2023

Drop something blue from your gallery

A white boat with blue interior floats on deep blue Crater Lake, with the sky white near the crater moving into teal and then blue.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 01/11/2023

We are continually rich in mailers. I like noting who addresses it only to me, only to Jason, or who has both of us. Aurin: both MPLS for the Many: me All of MPLS: both Luther: Jason

Four mailers for the Ward 12 Minneapolis City Council 2023 election. One from both primary candidates’ campaigns and one from the PAC supporting each candidate.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 22/10/2023

Three weekends in a row of biking to the farmer’s market. So fun to load up the e-bike’s panniers.

Two panniers on an e-bike loaded with flowers and other goodies from the farmer’s market.

A closeup of an e-bike’s pannier filled with mini pumpkins.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 19/10/2023

I got up and my seat was usurped.

An orange and a black cat are snuggled on a blue upholstered chair under a table.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 06/10/2023

The heat pump switched to heat and the cats took notice.

An orange cat lays on a heating vent and appears to almost hug it with an outstretched paw.

An orange cat lays on a heating vent looking up at the camera.

A black cat licks a paw with a pink tongue while laying in front of a heating vent, halfway on a rug.

The orange and black cats together - the orange has usurped the spot closer to the heating vent.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 05/10/2023

I’m adding baseball to the okay-to-do-solo list - like movies and dining out. So glad I could be here for these two games.

Twins team running onto the field immediately after winning the Wild Card series.

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Grace Riley @graceriley.bsky.social · 04/10/2023

My baseball buddies all declined getting Wild Card series tickets so I took myself. A friend laughed at my “fan math” because I opted for today and tomorrow and skipped the possible 3rd game. But I wanted to be there for breaking the streak more than the series win, and it was fantastic.

Target Field view from the 200s sections along third base line. Full stadium, players on the field, and downtown Minneapolis visible outside the stadium.

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