Category: Quality

Almost Done!

Published on by Grace42 Comments

I have been keeping mum these past few months about our big family project, but I cannot hold it off any longer.  I am super excited.  Our very own “passive house” is about to be realized!

Aesthetically, it may not look like anything from this perspective, but the main reason why we chose this type of design is its promise of slashing the heating energy consumption by an amazing 90%.   It’s all about functionality!  Not only is it environmentally-friendly, it will also be very pocket-friendly in the long run.

So what is a  “Passive House”?
The passive house design was introduced by a German physicist Wolfgang Feist and Swedish professor Bo Adamson. It In 1996, the Passive House Institute in Germany was founded by Feist.  Here in the Czech Republic, it is starting to gain popularity.  According to Mother Earth News, there are only 15,000 buildings worldwide that are certified to have met passive house standards.  In the US, this type of technology is just beginning to catch on with about a dozen buildings certified as “passive.”
The passive house design goes by the following basic concepts:  Reducing Air Infiltration, Superinsulation, Eliminating Thermal Bridging, High performance (and properly placed) windows and doors, Super-efficient balanced ventilation systems, and Energy efficient design (compact) with healthy building materials and furnishings.
I wouldn’t go into details any further, but if you would like to know more about passive houses, this video presentation may help.  Click here.
I will have to say that all credit relating to this project goes to my dear husband, one of the best engineers in the world.  Long before this concept had been brought into fruition, he had it in his mind all along.  When we decided to settle and build a home, he tirelessly did all the research on the best design that will fit our needs.  The passive house was a clear choice from the very beginning, given all the benefits that this concept has to offer.  We already knew what type of house we wanted to build without even knowing where or how it was going to be built.  All the engineers in the family believe it is a great concept, so here it is.
Our house is situated in a new residential development area within Kolin surrounded by woods and a small body of water.  We chose this location due to its proximity to nature and the neighborhood surrounding it.
This is the “zoomed in” view of our community.
But this is how it really looks like from the highway.
And this is what our “beach” looks like.
Who knows, it may even double as a skating rink during the winter.  That, I have to find out soon.
Right now, we are very busy doing the final stages of the construction.  Well, at least my husband is.  I know it’s going to be a long project, but our goal is to move in before winter settles in.  I am very curious to know if this passive house design will really live up to its concept and save us some money on our heating bills.
Although there is a lot of pressure ahead, I’m excited…..and I’m happy!
One of the most interesting things about a “passive house” is that it recycles all internal heat gains, including body heat from  humans, the appliances, the computer, and the light bulbs!   Needless to say, that during winter time, visitors can actually lower our energy bills.
So, will you come and visit?

This Made My Day

Published on by Grace8 Comments

I had been offline this past weekend, but what greeted me when I got back online was this award.

I had the honor of being nominated by Afternoon Popcorn Snack and The Blazing Trail for  the One Lovely Blog Award.  My sincerest appreciation to you both!

The Rules:

  • Link back to the blogger who nominated you.
  • Paste the award image on your blog, anywhere.
  • Tell them 7 facts about yourself.
  • Nominate 15 other blogs you like for this award.
  • Contact the bloggers that you have chosen to let them know that they have been nominated.
  • Resume blogging your regular posts.

Here are 7 facts about me:

1.  I made 18 significant moves so far.

2.  I can play the bandurria, a plectrum chordophone from Spain, primarily used to play folk music.  When I was 14, my mom enrolled me in a bandurria class to give me something to do during the summer.

3.  I  like putting hotdog as a main ingredient in my spaghetti.  Sliced, of course.

4.  When I was a child, I used to walk 1km to school every single weekday.

5.  On my first year at the university, I,  together with almost 300 other students,  was a victim of a food poisoning outbreak at the dormitory cafeteria.

6.  I used to have a cat named “Tiger,” because he looked like one.

7.  When I was pregnant with my son, I ate 2kgs of dill pickles in one week.

Now for my nominees….in no particular order.

http://czechthatout.wordpress.com/

http://debutdad.wordpress.com/

http://sierralei.com/

http://alternateeconomy.wordpress.com/

http://allthatmakesyou.wordpress.com/

http://running4martinandmymind.wordpress.com/

http://patinaandcompany.wordpress.com/

http://teaandbiscotti.com/

http://mollymadonna.com/

http://momentmatters.wordpress.com/

http://rantingchef.com/

http://revolutionarybeauty.wordpress.com/

http://appleboatexpress.wordpress.com/

http://jennifercrites.wordpress.com/

http://gusgus64.wordpress.com/

Please do check out these blogs.  I hope you enjoy them as much as I do.

Chleba: A Gauge for “Czechness”

Published on by Grace11 Comments

There are Czechs and there are “Czechs”.  If you want to distinguish a true blue Czech, you have to be in the lookout for their bread preferences.  A true Czech will always look for Chleba.   Chleba is a sour dough rye bread, dark in color and moist.  It has a distinct unique taste to it that is very different from any other bread.

Photo courtesy of  ireceptar.cz

Through all those years that we have spent in the US, my husband never got satisfied with the kind of bread that was sold in the stores there.  He was always saying that it is nothing like Chleba.   Apparently, the same is true for some of the other Czechs that I know.  My brother and sister in law, both Czechs, had to bake their own chleba from scratch when they lived in North Carolina.  They missed it THAT much.

Well, I guess I know how it feels because in the many years that I lived outside of the Philippines, I still crave for rice.  That is also our gauge for “Pinoy-ness.”

Czech the Choco

Published on by Grace1 Comment

I am a chocoholic.   If there’s anything I love as much as rice, it’s chocolate.  Before coming to Czech we had to drop by Belgium, so I had a good dose of Belgian chocolates while we were there.

Now that we are here in CZ, I decided to try the local brands.  So this is what you will find in our cupboard.

Yes, I am a big Milka fan.  I think it’s one, if not the best, chocolate here in CZ.

And here’s one that’s purely local —as in Kolin local.  It is a chocolate for diabetics though, but it doesn’t taste too bad.  It’s good for dieters too.

When I used to work at Hostess, I thought I was in heaven when during the plant tour I saw the chocolate fountain used to enrobe the baked goods.    I thought to myself, “so I get to taste that everyday?  pure awesomeness!”   They told me I will get tired of it after some time.  But in my case, it’s not really true.  To this day, I still miss having to do daily product scoring with our chocolate hohos.

Wafers, Anyone?

Published on by Grace5 Comments

When it comes to food, the Czechs are never outdone in terms of flavor.  Among all the dishes I’ve tasted, there is not one dish that I didn’t like.  But I would say that their best specialty is in baked goods.    I love their cakes, pastries and biscuits.  However, this good flavor comes with a price — a good load of calories.

One weekend, my boys and I were taking our afternoon coffee and it was then when I realized how much calories those good stuff contain.  Take for example this tiny wafer, which is almost the size of a quarter, has a whopping  200 calorie load.  They come 5 in a pack.    Two packs of this and I’m done with my calorie requirement for the day.

"sinful" delight

When I was in California, I was working for the top producer of baked goods.  No bias, but we/they do make the best baked goods in America.  Hoho, one of our/their top-selling line, has 330 calories in a pack.  Size wise, the cake is twice the size of this cookie.  We almost got crucified for making a product that is loaded with too many calories.    Back there, never mind the taste.  It is the calorie count that matters.

Albeit now that I am here,  counting calories is not one of the things I consciously do.  When cooking or baking,  flavor is all that matters  ….  no wonder I am not losing weight.

Mr. Congeniality

Published on by Grace1 Comment

When we were still living in the US, I only had 3 months of maternity leave.  Thus, on his 3rd month, Jakub went to Day Care.  I have to admit, that was one of the most painful emotional events in my life.  I can still remember that day.   Two days prior to my actual return to work, I left Jakub at Daycare.  On his first day there, I stayed half a day just watching and observing.  I wanted to make sure that his crib was well made, he was fed at the right time, his caregiver held him correctly…. all the things that I should be doing but couldn’t.  I remember crying the whole time during the 20min drive back home.   When I picked him up later that same day, I was glad to know that everything went well.  The following day, it was a little bit easier to leave him there knowing that he got the kind of care that I had expected.

Jakub with his day care buddies

Jakub’s day care was good.  I was quite satisfied with the care he was given.  I was also glad that during the earliest stages of his life, he was already able to socialize with other children.    Whenever I picked him up, his teacher would always tell me stories about how he played with other  children, what time he slept, how much he ate.  His daily report card always had a big smiley with a statement that says:  “Jakub had a great day.”    I can see it was true because he had always been very sociable.  I believe his day care stint helped a lot with his social skills.

Today he had his first Sokol experience.  Sokol is a physical education movement here in the Czech Republic.  It is what YMCA is for the US.  Eight months after spending all of his time with mommy, he is out in the company of other children again.  I am still not sure if he really liked it.  His reaction was funny.  During our way to the gym, he was excited.  But the moment we got there, he almost turned back after seeing too many kids and parents running around.    Albeit after a few minutes, he blended seamlessly into his new environment.  He is indeed Mr. Congeniality.

As a mother, I am always worried about how my son will survive in new environments.  But time and time again, he has proven that he can handle it.  I remember a short conversation with his former Day Care Director.  I would ask:  “How’s Jakub?”  She would jokingly reply:  “Jakub is fine.  But mommy isn’t.”  I wonder if I will be having the same conversation with his pre-school teacher as well.