Life goes on...

July.... already... wow!  Even though we have been sorta quarantined at home most of the year, things are still hopping around our house!   This has been a pretty great year, so far.  I am a grandmother!  I never knew how much joy could come from one little grandchild and a BOY, at that.  In a house full of girls, we have our first little boy

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- ever - Cannon.  He's absolutely precious and almost 4 months old.  This little guy brings so much to our lives.  

Back to reality.... tomorrow...whether I'm ready or not! 

The Christmas decorations are back in their boxes, the holiday foods and leftovers have been thrown out, and the house is clean enough for me to feel somewhat prepared to return to our usual unorganized 'normal'.   I may only be working part-time, but I still have all of the year-end responsibilities and I know the next few weeks are going to be challenging and stressful.

As I type this, the washer and dryer are busily doing their jobs and the dishwasher is on to finish the last few dishes that I gathered from around the house that had made their way to kids' rooms.  Bailey and her dog, Jaxon, have returned to their apartment, Briley is cleaning her room, and I'm trying to convince myself to use the spare time I have today to do some de-cluttering in preparation for our upcoming house remodel.

This year, my husband and I took a few days to venture out of  our usual homebody-selves and drove back into Dallas 3 consecutive days to eat at 3 of his favorite restaurants.  He finds the neatest, off the beaten path eateries in the area and visits them when he takes his customers out for lunch.  Which for him is usually 4 out of 5 days a week.  Lunch for me is eaten at my desk and usually a frozen dinner or leftovers from home.  Needless to say, our little excursions were quite a treat for me.

One day we had dinner in the back of an Italian grocery store, Jimmy's Food Store...excellent authentic Italian food and delicious cannoli.   The next afternoon, we had the best prime-rib french dip sandwiches with onion rings (The Hall); who could ask for anything more?

And then yesterday, we went to a restaurant that is owned by one of my husband's high school pals and it was delicious home-cooking with a Cajun food twist. (Po Melvin's)  I felt like I needed to be rolled back out to the car.  The food here was perfect for this southern girl that loves fried foods!  :)

I am one fat and sassy gal!  I had to clean out all of the holiday food in the house...it was a necessity; I have to be able to fit into my clothes!  LOL

I'm ready for the new year!!
Move over 2018 and all of the stresses and frustrations you have brought... I am going into 2019 with only positive thoughts and hopes for a wonderful new year full of  new beginnings and opportunities.

While 2018 hasn't been as bad as other years, it's still time for it to GO and take it's negative-ness with it.  I've experienced job changes, income losses, and just overall frustrations that happen at this stage of life.  However, I am focusing on turning my negatives into positives and looking forward to the new year.

Change is always a good thing!  It may not come along at the time we feel is the best, but as I look back, I realize that God had and has a plan for everything, and maybe I need to be more patient.  The saying, "not in my time, but in THY time," rings true this year as I am hanging in limbo with my current job situation, health insurance dilemmas, and just overall questioning what direction I need to take to combat all of the other issues that come along with loss of income and job changes. 

For me, personally, it is not about NOT having any options; I am very fortunate that I feel like there are so many different options and directions I could take, but I am incredibly overwhelmed thinking about them.  Returning to the 'interviewing world' and the job hunting world, after 16 years is a daunting task, especially when you are quickly approaching 50 years old.  However, I do have a degree on my side, so that's a positive aspect that I am going to use in my favor.

 Anyone that knows me, knows I think everything to death!  I make myself crazy going over the legitimacy, the possible outcome, the good, the bad, and just EVERYTHING that could or might occur.  I tell ya'.... I drive myself over the edge with over thinking.  So for 2019, I want to slow down my over thinking and anxiety about change, and just take in all of the new and different opportunities that present themselves.  That sounds like a doable resolution... right?  We'll see.... Onward and Upward!!!

Whew....what a week!

Let's just write this one off and start again, or maybe it's better to move forward and not look back.

The weather in Texas is ever-changing, and it certainly hasn't disappointed this week.  We started the week with sun and 60 degree temps, and today we have a dark and gloomy 40 degrees and lots of wind and rain showers.  Ohhhh just lovely!  Really does nothing to motivate me to move.  ~ sigh ~

The week started off with news that a cousin had passed away, so that's emotional and draining.  I wish I could say we are a close family, but life has taken us all in different directions and we basically kept up with each other via Facebook.  I don't have a lot of extended family members left living, so the emotional aspect for me is the realization that I've lost one more connection to my family or one more connection to my dad, who passed away over 20 years ago.  There were only 4 grandchildren on my dad's side of the family and now there are just the 3 of us left.  I know we all face our own mortality, but some days my emotions are more raw than others and some days I just wish I could go back about 30 years and do life differently... beginning with staying in touch with family members.

Next up this week, I had my first job interview as a teacher.  Let's just say... I have learned a lot about what kinds of questions I will be asked and I have reflected on all of my answers and realized that I need to be better about responding as an educator and less of an office administrator.  I'm learning....I'll be much better prepared for the next interview. 

I also listened to my gut, and knew when I went into the interview that I was not having those 'warm fuzzy' feelings I should be having if it was the right job for me.   As it turns out, I didn't get the job and no one else did either; they decided not to fill the position.  So... there it is, a great practice interview that I desperately needed to shake the nerves about my first interview in over 16 years and a better understanding of what answers I need to have to sound like a legit teacher.  :)

After driving a total of 6 hours yesterday, to and from the funeral and driving in the nasty rain all day yesterday, I'm just exhausted today.  My body is over all of the stress of this week and ready for some holiday fun or maybe just a Hallmark movie or 4?  HA HA HA HA

 

Stay tuned...I'm hoping to finish my Christmas shopping this weekend, with my husband's assistance, so there's bound to be drama or trauma to report on for that!  LOL 

MID-LIFE CAREER CHANGE

I always say I'm going to get back into blogging, but really... I am!  This time for sure!  :)
I have had so many life changes since I last vented... uh, I mean shared.  I have recently completed my Bachelor of Art degree and I'm job hunting.  Just let me say this, job hunting is not for the weak of heart or the easily discouraged.

I am now a certified teacher and would LOVE to have my own elementary classroom, however it is December and there aren't a lot of jobs available mid-year.  While there definitely are some that are available, they just aren't close enough to where I live to make the salary and the drive worth it.  Regardless of how passionate I am about teaching, it just doesn't make sense for me to travel an hour or more for about $40K a year.  Am I completely crazy here?

I'm not giving up...I've applied all over the area and not just for teaching positions, but also for office jobs which are in line with what I've been doing for the past 20+ years. When I embarked on this mid-life career change, I was well aware of the pay-cut and well aware of various other challenges.  One huge challenge has been keeping my current office job; the same job I've had for over 16 years, while completing the 12 week student teaching assignment. The company I work for allowed me to continue my job and I continued to work on a remote, nights, and weekend basis.  I was very appreciative and kept my commitment to the company without shirking any of my job responsibilities. 

Unfortunately, the company didn't keep their word and commitment to me.  The last week of my student teaching, one of owners asked me if I had found a teaching job.  My response was 'no,' I was still planning to return to work full-time, just as we had discussed.  Well to my surprise and disappointment, I was told I  needed to find another job because my current position was being reduced to only 20 hours a week.  All that went through my head was that I had given them 16 years of loyalty and service and put up with all of their crap... and taken care of their personal crap (lives).  This was how I was going to be treated?  Seriously? 

About 2 weeks before I started my student teaching assignment, this same person came into my office and tried to bully me or intimidate me into not doing my student teaching.  I could not be persuaded and I continued on with my plan with the blessings of the 2 other business partners.  I fully believe that this reduction of hours is all in retribution for my 12 week student teaching 'absence'.  I still can't be bullied and I won't let one man's selfish and hateful attitude affect me and my future. 

So currently, I am working only 20 hours a week, I've lost my benefits because of the part-time status, but I'm honestly starting to feel much less stress since I'm only working 3 days a week and my exposure to the toxicity of that office is reduced!!  While the financial strain is there,  I feel like my body is starting to recover from the past 2-3 years of working full-time, school full-time, and still being a mom and a wife.  I've only been on this new work schedule for 3 weeks, but I'm slowly finding my creative brain again and my mental energy. 

Perhaps the fact that I am being forced to change jobs is given me a renewed sense of excitement to start my mid-life career change as an elementary teacher.  Additionally,  I've started exploring online teaching positions, as well as virtual office jobs.  I have been so involved in my college classes over the past couple of years and have let my media and technology skills slide.  Not any more...I am all over this social media stuff and all of the ways I could earn money working online, while still working within the world of  'education'.  I have so much more to tell you, but until next time....:)

The Good Ole' Days of Blogging

Remember when blogging was new and we all rushed to our computers each day to read the latest ramblings of our new found on-line best friends?  Remember the excitement, joy, and sadness we all shared in each others' lives? New babies, weddings, prom stories, vacation pictures, craft projects, and newly tested recipes...we shared it all...to complete strangers and thoroughly enjoyed sharing our tidbits of life.

After almost 10 years of reading blogs and establishing a camaraderie with other moms, all with so many great ideas for managing their homes, families, and lives...I'm saddened to discover that many of my favorite blogs have either been inactive (like my own) or have become nothing more than on-line commercials for any and all kinds of 'helpful' products. Slowly the fun and whimsical blogs have become about click counts, number of views, streaming income, and promoting the latest and greatest network marketing plan.  While all of these things have a place in our ever evolving on-line world, for me, the best part was being able to see a glimpse into other mom's lives.  Some bit of comfort could be found in knowing that you weren't the only mom fighting the battles of "what to cook for dinner" or "how to make the perfect cookies" for the class Valentine's party.  Real...True...Life... Struggles!

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy that so many bloggers have been able to find forms of income through what they do so well... blogging...but I'm sad that a good thing based around something other than money, has turned into a not so good thing all because of the ever powerful need to generate income. As I putter around online in hopes of discovering new blogs that aren't promoting a product, I realize that blogging just isn't what it use to be in the good ole' days.

First Day of Spring

Or so the calendar says??  No one is happier than I, to see the spring arrive.  I am NOT a winter person at all and I welcome the warm sunshine...but the catch phrase here... WARM SUNSHINE!!  Hello Mother Nature... Are you out there?  Or are you hibernating!  It's spring, so do your thing and send the sunshine and warmer temps.

My flip flops just don't accommodate my freezing toes when it's wet and cool outside, and I have some new Yellow Box flip flops that are begging to be worn!  Doesn't every good southern girl anticipate the arrival of spring and the season to wear new Yellow Box Flip Flops?  :)

However, today I tried to welcome in the new season while at the park eating my lunch from inside my car, and was entertained by the ducks and geese that call it home.  It's still too cool and WET to enjoy sitting on a park bench and sharing the crumbs with these floating fowl. 

Oh well, no worries!  We can't turn back the calendar and this is Texas, I fully anticipate sunshine and 80* temps within a few days.  Welcome Spring!

W...I...P

Work in progress... Always in my house. 

Whatelse should you do on a cold, wet, boring day?  Make cookies, of course!!! 😃 Not just any cookies, but sugar cookies... The yummiest ones that you cut out with cookie cutters and cover is delicious icing. 

Yea, it's a quick fix for sugar cravings, and if the sun doesn't come out SOON, I will be the size of a BARN!!! 

Conversations in the car...on the way to school

In our household there isn't any topic of conversation that is taboo or off limits, and generally the worst of the topics is brought up at dinner time, around the table. Or when we are in front of friends and other family members.  Isn't that how it always is?  :)

Briley is my inquisitive child, she's the first one to 'google' something, after me.  I am notorious for telling the girls to go look it up or 'google' it.   Anyway, there's really no rhyme or reason why Briley brings up topics and when; this morning on our drive to school was no different than any other time....  Mirror Neurons... the topic of our commute.

Seriously?  Mirror Neurons?  What goes through that head of hers' at 7:30am?  What happened to middle school girl drama?  What happened to sister drama?  What happened to 'Hey I need lunch money'?  Oh noooooo, I have to listen to a long (well as long as it takes to get from our driveway to the middle school drop off lane) dissertation of how and why this occurs. 

For the rest of the world that like me, you have no idea what mirror neurons are, here is a brief explanation from... where else.... Google...and Wikipedia...

A mirror neuron is a neuron that fires both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another.^[1][2][3] Thus, the neuron "mirrors" the behavior of the other, as though the observer were itself acting. Such neurons have been directly observed in primate species.^[4] Birds have been shown to have imitative resonance behaviors and neurological evidence suggests the presence of some form of mirroring system.^[4][5] In humans, brain activity consistent with that of mirror neurons has been found in the premotor cortex, the supplementary motor area, the primary somatosensory cortex and the inferior parietal cortex.

 

Apparently, Briley had watched some sort of documentary on Netflix or YouTube, or where ever she gets her information and wanted to enlighten me about this topic.  Of course I continued to listen and interject the usual 'oh' and  'uh huh' the ENTIRE 8 minutes we were in the car, but in all honesty I had no idea what she was talking about.  Well that's not entirely true, I understand the premise of this topic, but really???? 7:30 am???  My brain is barely functioning enough to get us to work and school and she wants to discuss neurons??? Oh my...I think I've lost too many brain cells over the past 20 years to do her justice in daily conversation. 

 

I will gladly listen to her neuron conversations over so many more topics. I'm very thankful that she is so inquisitive and always stretching her brain and mine to learn new things. 



 



We made it to March and Loaded Broccoli

Whew.... we made it!!  I didn't think we would, but March is here...spring flowers, green grass, warmer days, and lots of sunshine!!!  I survived another winter...no small miracle. 
While Texas hasn't had the horrid winter weather like so many of our northern neighbors, we have had our typical amount of cold and wet, but this year just seems to be more soggy than most or I just don't tolerate the cold and wet like I did when I was younger.  Come on fresh pretty new flowering baskets for my porch and the smell of fresh cut grass. :)

As typical Texans, my family needs sunshine and warm temps!  We NEED to be able to get outside and move around, however the past few days we have been stuck inside looking at each other and EATING.  It's about to get really ugly if we have to continue flipping channels to find something we can all agree on or figure out what we can all agree on to eat. Way - too - much - family - togetherness! 

This weekend, I tried a new quick-fix broccoli recipe... Loaded Broccoli... oh yes, this is a keeper! Super easy and super quick to fix.  Of course as with any recipe, I always add my own little touches and extra spices because I find that most people eat food that is just too bland for my family's salt-addicted, salsa craving, and pepper-phenom tastes. 

I've attached the recipe below just as I found it, but please experiment and add more or less of whatever floats your family's boat.  This really is a keeper of a recipe and I would venture to guess that this just might replace our typical broccoli and cheese casserole that is served at every family holiday gathering (bleck...so sick of that).   This recipe and other greats can be found on https://www.facebook.com/just1courtney.

LOADED BROCCOLI
Low carb!!!!
...

Ingredients:
4-5 small bunches of fresh broccoli cut into bite size pieces
( Approx: 4-6 cups)
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Sour Cream
6-8 Slices bacon cooked and cut into bite size pieces
1 Bag Shredded Cheddar Jack Cheese (two cups) or cheese of your choice.
3-4 Tbs chopped fresh chives
Directions:
Steam or Boil Broccoli Pieces ( I boiled for 10 minutes)
Drain and Let cool
Mix together Mayonnaise, Sour Cream, 1 cup of the Shredded Cheese and half of cut up Bacon, and placed in baking dish that was lightly sprayed with non stick spray,
Top with remaining cheese and bacon pieces.
Cook in oven 400° for 10- 15 minutes until cheese is melted
Top with chopped Chives and serve! ENJOY!!

I added some chopped garlic and diced onions, along with garlic salt, course ground pepper, and even a touch of dried parsley. Also, I never boil broccoli because you lose so many nutrients when boiled, but I did steam my fresh broccoli and it was awesome.   Very yummy and went great with our grilled burgers and other fixings we had prepared for lunch.

Let me know what your plans are for freshening up your porches, decks, and entry ways for spring.  I'm ready to clean out the cobwebs and brighten up the porch with some splashes of color and life!

Oh... I almost forgot... Happy 179th Birthday to Texas! 

It really happened...DFW got SNOW!

Don't burst my bubble yet, I know this isn't really real snow....lol... well ok, I guess it's real.  This just isn't the quantity of snow that so many of our neighbors to the north are dealing with, at the moment.  **Reason #877 why I am so very glad that I live in the south and in TEXAS!  While dealing with this snow is an occasional inconvenience, it's not a way of life or anything I have to learn to work around.

This morning Briley and I were both dressed and ready to leave for school and work, but the snow had just begun and was coming down in big massive chunky flakes.  My maternal instinct and limited exposure to snow told me to WAIT!  Don't leave the house! 

What if I dropped her off at school and then had to just turn around and go back to get her because they were dismissing school early? 

This thought and many others were running through my head; most especially visual images of ME being stuck in a ditch somewhere because I am not prepared to drive in snow and I'm even less equipped to be cold and in a ditch! 

Briley was not a happy camper when it comes to getting up and dressed for school, to only find out that we were not going to school... just yet.  
She didn't let a little snow-day delay her from returning to her natural position and snoozing for a few minutes.  It's a rough life, no doubt!  :)  I'm surprised the cat wasn't curled up beside her!!  (She was even unhappier when she realized that I was going to be taking her to school, eventually.  I mean.. if I have to work, she has to go to school.  It's only fair? Right?)

Once I heard that the road were clear and school wasn't going to be dismissed, we proceeded to school and work.  Both of us arrived safely and the snow has stopped in DFW.  I suppose that was the ONE snow day of the year we get around here, and it was only HALF of a day.  Can't complain too much, but that sunshine better be out this afternoon and the roads better be dry!  I'm ready to be done with winter.  I know.. .I know... I should probably duck and hide from all of you throwing actual snow balls at me. 

ICEMAGEDDON in Texas - 2015

Yep, it happens... about once a year we get ICE!  Not soft fluffy snow that sounds and looks like fun in all of the movies.  You know...the ones where the family gets outside together, bundles up and has a great time building snow men and having snow ball fights?  Uh... yea... that's not going to happen in the metroplex of Texas!!!  ~ Sigh~ 

However what we will have is layers of heavy and unforgiving ICE and sleet.  Why do people get on Facebook and talk about their drive into work on these days, as if they expect an award?  As if they have accomplished the impossible!  Well... let me tell ya'... my life and that of other innocent idiot drivers is much too important to risk it for a day of work.  There's a reason I am not employed in the medical field or as a first responder.  It's because I am WEAK!  Very WEAK, I tell ya'!   When the DFW metroplex gets lucky enough to have a legitimate day or two of ice/snow, I am going to be curled up on my couch in my pj's watching the news reports of all other idiots that felt they needed to prove how well they could (or couldn't) travel on SHEETS OF ICE!  People, we are not talking about snow, slush, or just freezing rain; we are talking about hard core inches of ICE!!  Ice, Ice BABY!

Not to worry, just about as quickly as the ice piles up, it melts away.  Just give it a few hours and we will have sunshine and warmer temps to bring us back to the reality that there is nothing romantic or even remotely fun (other than a day off of work/school) about the ice. 

Back to the office and back to school to make-up the missed time and remember how great it was to sleep in for ONE day or to sit around drinking hot cocoa and watching mindless TV.  It's great family time because no one can get away, and it's great time for catching up on movies, closet cleaning, shrink dink making, or household projects.  (Briley and I made quite a few fun Shrinky Dinks yesterday...just because.) :)

You'll notice the finished pillow, while it's not a big deal and it took me less than an hour from start to finish, but it had been a thorn in my side for months.  Bailey lost her first pillow like this in the bus crash and I had made it to match her dorm bedding.  (Since the accident she has been very OCD about putting all of her pieces back together.) So like any good mother, I assured her that I could make another; after all I have plenty of material left.  Well...almost 5 months later and I still hadn't completed my 'easy peasy' pillow... until Icemageddon 2015!! I sat down, cleaned off my sewing table and just whipped it right out.  You can't imagine the feeling of accomplishment; it's quite pathetic that such a small thing, requiring very little skill, could feel so good to finish!! 

Maybe I should implement a 'snow/ice day', at least one Saturday out of each month... for no other reason that to get caught up on projects and family time.  I doubt I could get anyone else to go along with my idea, but I might consider allowing myself one Saturday a month to sew or do a craft project without any guilt for not scrubbing toilets or mopping floors. 

The Empty Nest.... sorta...

I think we are getting a good dose of what it's going to be like when all three of my birdies have flown the coop... Brittany has moved into her own house, Bailey lives on the college campus, and Briley is in the 8th grade.  ~ sigh ~

Life is becoming so boring and dull for Al and I; we might have to find a hobby?  Or remember what we liked about each other 26 years ago???

That's really anybody's guess at this point, we've been together so long and had kids for so many years, I doubt we can even remember what we liked about each other that long ago. 

Yes, I know... we still have one little birdie that lives at home, but she's a busy birdie.  Thankfully Briley is very involved in band and theater arts, she's an A student, and very focused on school and school activities.  So far she's the easiest of the birdies and is no where near the high maintenance of others.  (whew... I finally got it right on the 3rd try!)

Thus.... the reason I feel like the next four years for her in High School are going to be an eye opening experience for us.  We are going to be lonely!!  :) Briley is becoming increasingly busy with her friends (which are all wonderful), her interests, and while we joyfully support that, the selfish mom in me is sitting back here waving profusely saying "HOLD UP!!  What about me?? Don't you need me??" 

Oh well, such is life... I knew we would eventually be on the downhill side of raising kiddos, and I'm very proud of the three we have raised.  God has been very good to us and we are very blessed to have three beautiful souls and all three very different girls that understand the importance of family and values, whether they want to admit it or not. 

Why the sudden sentimentality?  Well... it's like this... this week we had to sign off on the direction of Briley's high school years.  Yes, that hit me like a ton of bricks.  High school is upon us; it's really going to happen; my baby is four quick years away from flying the coop....(wiping away a tear). 

Not to worry, our life and household will still be full of fun and fireworks, this pretty much depicts our relationship over the past 26 years.  HA HA HA!  I'm fairly certain that I will continue to have lots of topics to write about.  My sarcasm and snarky-ness runs deep!  :)

24 years ago... TODAY!!!

As hard as it may be to believe, I have a 24 year old daughter!!  I know... it's a shock to me too; how did this happen????

My oldest daughter, Brittany, is 24 years old.... I think I'm going to have to repeat that over and over again in my head, because I'm still in total denial that is has been 24 years since we brought that precious little baby home. I had no idea what I was doing and certainly had no clue how to keep such a valuable gift alive!  Much less figure out how to feed and nurture this little high maintenance precious baby girl! ;)

She's currently working full time and has returned to college to finish her degree in Sports Management and lives on her own, paying her own bills (ok, so maybe not ALL, but the majority of her own bills).   My point is that I'm pretty sure I can call this kiddo a SCORE!  I've passed the motherhood test (on this one). 

Undoubtedly, lots of trial and error and many HOURS of prayer are the only reasons WE survived each other.  :)  I'm so proud of the beautiful independent woman she has become.  Her drive and determination are certainly motivating to me.  I have no doubt that she will accomplish anything she sets her mind out to do. 

{Yes, I swiped a picture of her and her honey off of FB because being the wonderful mother that I am, I don't have any recent pictures of her.  :)  (ooops!) }

Pyrex Mania

My little addiction has become a contagious situation!! My oldest daughter, Brittany, has recently caught the Pyrex fever.  How was I to know that I could inflict my silly little obsession on my children?  Who knew? 

I've been a hard core fan/lover of vintage Pyrex for probably 30 years, but until the Internet and Pinterest came along, I had no idea there were LOTS of other people with Pyrex fever.  Oh be still my heart.... Pinterest is just straight up eye candy for those of us in love with vintage Pyrex dishes. 

I have been collecting a few pieces here and there over the past 10 years and my collection started when I inherited the yellow/gold daisy pattern bowls from my grandmother.  I've since enlarged my collection to include solid red bowls, refrigerator dishes, divided serving trays, the primary color mixing bowls and now I'm on the hunt for a mint set of 'friendship' patterned Cinderella bowls in the red/yellow design.  There are just too many fun patterns and colors and too little time and money. 

However, I've recently started 'helping' my daughter collect the turquoise Amish butterprint dishes.  These are the various dishes I found for her birthday this month; it was no easy task to give them up... even if it was to my own daughter!!!  ~ sign~

I hope she appreciates the brutal restraint that it took for me to hand them over, the physical pain that my body went through to share my finds.  That's love people!

Oh well, my hunt for the perfect priced Pyrex items continues and just so you know, these are the bowl that I'm on the lookout for. 

Now with that said if anyone reading my blog is in possession of or has seen some in a garage sale/thrift store... PLEASE for the love of all that is right, contact me!!! I'll pay real money, not monopoly money!  I promise!  (Hmmm... that probably sounded like a drug dealer!) LOL