I was out for orange juice, although it may be a bit late for the family member down with a cold. Heading to the parking lot, I encountered a fellow striding briskly toward the store. He made a kind of flapping sound with one foot, and when he got closer, I saw a white plastic bag stuck to his shoe.

He didn’t seem to notice. He didn’t look like the sort of person you’d want to go up to and say, ‘Uh, look, there’s a bag on your shoe. And everyone is looking because it’s making a lot of noise.’

So I came home with two large containers of juice and a pack of Ace bandages, the new kind that doesn’t need the sharp little grippers that I hated. I never know when one of my thumbs is going out of whack, and it’s good to be prepared. I’ve spent many weeks with sore thumbs, one from repetitive use, the other from multiple lacerations brought on by pruning of overgrown ivy and honeysuckle vines.

I’m just sure that I’m going to catch the cold as well, two weeks before Christmas.

The juncos were upset, as usual, when I removed their usual feeder of seeds. A chickadee flew in, and when I opened my hand to reveal peanuts, it hopped on and took one.

Rearranging props for another photo session involves brooming off the table, then setting forth more bird munchies. I’m still working with Christmas props, and I guess I’d better hurry because tomorrow, rain is coming. Not only that, my living props of poinsettias and other holiday plants are looking a little worn.

I’ve been meaning to make a batch of suet, and now that it dips into the low 30s at night, it was time. I used a recipe from here, and mixed shortening with peanut butter and cornmeal with a little oatmeal. I could form the resulting mass into small balls. They looked a lot like the peanut butter balls I used to make for the kids.

Some people spread this mix onto tree trunks and branches. Hahahahahahaha. Do the squirrels really need further fattening?

It didn’t take long for the birds to decide they really, really like suet.

Usually, when I dream about dead family members, they are alive and well. Seldom are they frail and sick, especially my parents. Sometimes they might show up with a walker, but not often.

The other night I dreamed my Mom appeared back in the family circle, going about her business as if she didn’t die around Christmas 2006. She sat at the table, bemused.

All I could think about was how to explain to her that I’d given away all her clothes.