The "RLPS Is Ready To Build Gingerbread Houses Again" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Reading online that it is soon time for the annual Gingerbread house display at the RLPS Architects in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.  For 23 years the architects and staff of RLPS have been creating a holiday Gingerbread display which I have photographed and shared with you for the past eight years.  

One of the gingerbread houses at RLPS in Lancaster, PA.

The theme for this year's display is Dickens London.  I am anxious to make a visit once again this year to not only see the display, but to visit with one of my students I had in high school years ago and who is now one of the architects on staff.  It is marvelous what the staff can do with gingerbread.  I have posted a few photos from years past to give you an idea as to the skill and originality that is used on the display.  

Carol and I would buy gingerbread kits such
as the one pictured and have our grandkids
make their own masterpiece.

Now, for my tale about designing and building gingerbread houses at my house.  When our grandchildren were younger, my wife and I would buy gingerbread house-building kits at the local department store and invite the grandkids over to allow them to be creative while building a gingerbread house.  I can still remember the mess that was made yearly until it got to be overwhelming and we finally had to give up the new tradition.  Sticky hands, sticky floors, sticky furniture and even sticky cats led to the cancellation of the activity.  Now, this story came about when my wife was looking through photographs that we display each year in one of the tables I made years ago that has display space under the glass top.  

Grandson Caden working on one of the trees on his ginger-
bread display.  Today he is close to 6 feet tall and in 8th grade.

One of the photos she had snapped was of me finishing off a bottle of wine that was almost full when the gingerbread building had begun.  Those who know me know that I am not a drinker.....except for stressful situations such as the gingerbread building extravaganza.  Since we stopped the tradition, primarily due to our grandkids thinking it was corny, we haven't purchased more than a dozen bottles of wine.  Well, the adult gingerbread display at RLPS starts December, so I will once again visit and post the results of the winners.  I'm sure you will be amazed just as I am!  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.

Another neat gingerbread from the RLPS display.

Anxious to see if they can top the houses from the past several years.