This is a writing exercise using the words juggler, pizza, possum, doorbell, and pine tree.

Patricia sat cross-legged in front of the still Christmas decorated pine tree, cocking her head one way and then the other. Did she really want to take it down after all the hard work in putting it up? The house would seem so plain with it down, with all the colorful decorations gone. Or should she just leave it up?

The doorbell Bong-D-Bonged, startling her, making her heart race. She glanced up at the juggling possum wall clock her brother had jokingly given her for Christmas. Much to his annoyance, she had declared she loved it! And she did. She loved all sorts of quirky things.

Bong-D-Bong! It was almost midnight. Who would be coming to see her this late?

With a huff of disgust, she scrambled to her feet and made her way to the door. She was in her flannel pajamas; the ones sporting penguins dressed as elves dancing crazily. But they were decent enough to greet whoever had stopped by this late.

Bong-D-Bong!

“Okay, okay! I’m coming!” she yelled out. “It’s midnight, for Pete’s sake,” she added on a grumble.

She wasn’t stupid. She wasn’t going to open her door to just anyone at this time of the night. She inched the door open and peeked through the locked storm door. All she saw was the back end of some guy hurrying down the sidewalk.

Then something made her nose twitch. Something that smelled soooo good. She glanced down and spotted a pizza box. Seriously? She’d ordered pizza at least four hours ago and finally given up on it coming. Evidently her call to the pizza place in complaint had finally gotten a response. But it was midnight! Were they crazy?

The smell of all that pepperoni, all that cheese, all that calorie-loaded perfection made her stomach rumble. Sighing in resignation, she opened the storm door and snagged the box. Long past her normal bedtime or not, she was going to pig out while she went back to contemplating the Christmas tree issue.