Newsletter - June 2013 for Norfolk and Bristol Counties

Gail Lewis     46 Elm Street  East Bridgewater, MA  02333  (508)378-0459      gailistops@verizon.net

QUOTE OF THE MONTH
There is always a certain peace at being what one is, being that completely.  Ugo Betti

Hey Everyone.......June is here – hopefully we will have warmer weather – pull those bikini's out and have a blast.  Let me know if you need anything.......Gail

How did the Lettuce think it was going to win the race?  By staying a head.........

 INFORMATION INSPIRATION WORKSHOP – Thank you everyone who came and supported the workshop in Taunton.  It was a great workshop because YOU made it happen.  I will include the recipe to Quinoa Salad that was served for lunch below.  Remember that you can change any of the ingredients you want – make it with the things that YOU love.  When adding the quinoa, use one part Quinoa to 2 parts either chicken boulion or water (again, what ever you prefer).  Have fun creating a new side dish for the summer AND something that is awesome for you to eat.  Enjoy.

CHAPTER IDEAS – Any chapter ideas to share?  Let me know and I will print them in the monthly newsletter.  I love hearing from everyone!!! Thanks!!!!

FALL RALLY – We heard from Rosie Smith (our fearless Coordinator) that information about Fall Rally would be coming out probably the first week of June.  This year, Fall Rally will be October 5th in Leominster with Ron Azzu as the Chairperson.  The theme this year will be Peace, Love and TOPS.  Leaders – please be on the look out for your packet.

CHAPTER VISITS
I've made it to over half the chapters in our area already this year – if you have not seen the new Area Captain program yet, please send me an email, give me a few weeks you can fit me in and I'll get back to you.  Give me a call or email me – I'd love to come.  Thanks!!!!

Officers Workshop
Barbara and I were thinking about having an officers workshop.  It will probably be about 2- 3 hours. I know some of our chapters have new officers on board this year.  Please ask your members and officers, whether they are new or not, would benefit from this workshop. Please e-mail me and we'll see what we can do.

 Massachusetts TOPS Facebook
I received this email from Diane Trayah (AC from Worcester County).  She has started Facebook for Massachusetts TOPS and it's catching on like wild fife.  Here is the email.........

I am very excited to have started a group on Facebook called " MASS TOPS". In the last 5 days, I already have 80 members join. Anyone from MASS is invited to join. From this group, members are chatting about motivation, sharing ideas on weight loss, asking other members to come and visit and share their weight loss story, etc...

I think this might be a good tool for our state. It is convenient, members are starting to get to know each other from different chapters, maybe getting others motivated to lose weight. I will pose one question every week to spark conversation. Our first question last week was:

   How do you get movitated?

Since I am the administrator of the group, I am the only person who can add them. So if you have members that are on Facebook, have them send me a friend request and I will add them to our group.

INSPIRATION

As promised, here is the recipe for Quinoa Salad from our Inspiration Workshop.  Please feel free to change it as you see fit – remember to use all the things that you like best and  your enjoyment will be huge.  Enjoy.

QUINOA SALAD (pronounced KEEN-WAH)
1 cup low sodium, low fat Chicken Broth (or you can use water)
½ cup Quinoa
2 carrots, diced (about ½ cup)
2 stalks celery, diced (about ½ cup)
½ green pepper, diced (about ½ cup)
½ red pepper, diced (about ½ cup)
3 green onions, diced (about ½ cup)
2 garlic cloves, crushed (can use garlic in a jar – works great)
¼ cup Balsamic Vinagarette (preferably low fat)

Bring Quinoa and broth to a boil in 1 ½ quart sauce pan.  Reduce heat to low and simmer, coverd, until all liquid is absorbed (approximately 15 minutes).  Let Quinoa cool.

While Quinoa cooks, cut and dice all vegetables above and mix in a bowl.  Add Vinagarette and stirr.  Add cooled Quinoa and serve.

Variations: Add the vegetables and fruit that YOU like – use the Quinoa to enhance your cold salad experience.  The dressing you add should also be what YOU like.  The different salads is endless.....have fun.

Please note:  You can make as little or as much Quinoa as you like.  Remember to put two parts liquid (either broth or water) to one part Quinoa in your salad.

There is no right or wrong way to prepare Quinoa – it's versatile and tasty and really really really good for you.

To make a hot side dish with Quinoa (a pilaf), cook Quinoa same as above, dice your vegetables and then sauté the vegetables in ¼ cup Virgin Olive Oil.  You will not need dressing added to this – just season to taste.

I thought I would put a little something different in this month under inspiration – I love summer and music – why not give a little of both in this next little article.  Just be aware – you will tell your age if you have some favorites below.  I'll give you a hint who I liked the most – I'm going to see Chicago in June (can you dig it?)...............

Top Summer Songs….

Surfer Girl The Beach Boys 1963

The Beach Boys' name alone should conjure images of summer, with the Cali group's many carefree songs about surfing, cars, and girls. Peaking on the Hot 100 at No. 7 in 1963, "Surfer Girl," a romantic ballad channeling the likes of '50s doo wop, is no exception, with vocal harmonies that will make you yearn for a summer fling with whom to sway along.

 Summer Breeze  Seals & Crofts  1972

When it peaked on the Billboard charts in 1972, "Summer Breeze" focused on a sense of simplicity and clarity in a time of Vietnam war and big cultural shifts. With its soothing combination of soft guitar, banjo, vocal harmony and toy piano, as well as its reflective lyrics, Seals & Crofts's first hit single is a crucial component of any mellow summer soundtrack.

School's Out  Alice Cooper  1972

With heavy eyeliner and a snarling, guitar-driven swagger, Alice Cooper took the sweet, innocent idea of the first day of summer break, and turned it into an emancipation proclamation for ditching class permanently. School, he growled, was not only out for summer, "School's out forever!" The gritty tune peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100 in 1972.

Those Lazy-Hazy-Crazy Days Of Summer Nat King Cole  1963

Nat King Cole's rhyme happy 1963 hit is an oldie but goodie in the truest sense of the phrase. Well into the rock era, it peaked at No. 6 on the Hot 100. Between the charm of Cole's warm voice and the "soda and pretzels and beer" he sings about, it's no wonder this tune is still familiar decades later.

Summer Love  Justin Timberlake  2007

While many summer tunes are relaxed, breezy numbers, Justin Timberlake took his danceable 2007 "Summer Love" in a refreshingly poppy, electronic direction. Timberlake devotees and casual fans alike flocked to the song, giving it a No. 6 climax on the Hot 100.

Saturday In The Park  Chicago  1972

With brassy horns blowing like a cool breeze off Lake Michigan, Chicago's "real celebration" of a hot July day in the park took sights and sounds like people laughing and a man selling ice cream all the way to No. 3 on the Hot 100 in 1972. "Can you dig it?" they sing. Yes, we can.

Summer Girls  LFO  1999

The theme song to many a youthful turn of the millennium summer night, "Summer Girls" is the solid hit from the cheesy dreamboats of LFO. This 1999 lyrical masterpiece ("When I met you I said my name was Rich / You look like a girl from Abercrombie and Fitch," anyone?) spent 17 weeks on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at No. 3.

California Girls  The Beach Boys  1965

By the mid-'60s, the Beach Boys were the kings of surf music. In 1965, the west coast poster boys for the genre sent "California Girls," a sunny paean to the merits of Cali ladies above all attractive women from anywhere else, all the way to No. 3 on the Hot 100.

Summer  War  1976

War's 1976 soulful slow jam "Summer" earned its peaked at No. 7 on the Hot 100 with then up-to-the-minute lyrics about cruising around town "with all the window down / eight track playin' all your favorite sounds." Including bongos, apparently. Do they make bell-bottom shorts? The tune starts at 2:24 in the video.

That’s it for JUNE.  Have a great month.

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