old_contents: def create_request(method, *a, **b):
      """ setup a request with an anonymous user """
      from django.contrib.auth.models import AnonymousUser
      from django.test.client import RequestFactory
  
      if method == "GET":
          request = RequestFactory().get(*a, **b)
      elif method == "POST":
          request = RequestFactory().post(*a, **b)
      elif method == "PUT":
          request = RequestFactory().put(*a, **b)
      elif method == "DELETE":
          request = RequestFactory().delete(*a, **b)
      request.user = AnonymousUser()
      request.session = {}
      return request
  
new_contents: class TestSessionStore(dict):
      """
          This will allow attributes to be set; e.g. .modified
      """
  
  def create_request(method, *a, **b):
      """ setup a request with an anonymous user """
      from django.contrib.auth.models import AnonymousUser
      from django.test.client import RequestFactory
  
      if method == "GET":
          request = RequestFactory().get(*a, **b)
      elif method == "POST":
          request = RequestFactory().post(*a, **b)
      elif method == "PUT":
          request = RequestFactory().put(*a, **b)
      elif method == "DELETE":
          request = RequestFactory().delete(*a, **b)
      request.user = AnonymousUser()
      request.session = TestSessionStore()
      return request
  
subject: allow attributes on sessionstore