Cara Brookins was left emotionally broken when her second abusive marriage ended. She got well by building her own house, which she did after seeing YouTube videos on how to do it.
The mother of four started looking for a new house in 2007 after being forced to sell the Bryant, Arkansas, home she and her soon-to-be ex shared. At the moment, though, anything the computer programmer analyst could afford was too tiny. Brookins too felt obliged to take action to bring her family back together. She admits, “But I had no idea what that should be.”
Brookins, therefore, came up with the idea to build her own house from the ground up. According to Brookins, 45, “If anyone was in our situation, they wouldn’t do this.” “No one else viewed it this way, and now that I think about it, I understand it sounds crazy.”
One acre of property cost Brookins $20,000, and she obtained a building credit for about $150,000. She then started watching YouTube tutorials to learn how to do things like run a gas line, build a wall, lay a foundation, and install plumbing.
Her children, ages 2 to 17, helped her throughout the nine-month construction of the 3,500-square-foot home. At the time, Drew, who was 15 years old, helped Brookins make the preparations. Jada, who was 11 at the time, transported water from a neighbor’s pond using buckets because there was no running water on the property. She then combined the water with 80-pound sacks of concrete to create the mortar for the foundation.
It felt impossible the entire time, according to Brookins, who worked when the kids were in school. After school, Brookins drove her family to the five-mile-away construction site where she worked late into the night on the new house.
YouTube videos previously were vague and provided numerous solutions to a task. Brookins employed a part-time firefighter with building experience for $25 per hour to help with some of the more challenging tasks. She remembers, “He was a step ahead of us in knowledge.”
On March 31, 2009, Brookins and her kids moved into the five-bedroom home. She gave it the name Inkwell Manor in recognition of her desire to become a writer.
In the years afterwards, Brookins has written numerous middle grade and young adult books. She has also written a biography titled Rise: How a House Built a Family, which will be released on January 24.
Building the house helped Brookins emerge from her depression. We were ashamed that our best option was to construct our own shelter, Brookins adds. “We weren’t really proud of it,” In the end, it proved to be the best thing I could have done for myself.
She says, “You can do anything you set your mind to if I, a 110 pound computer programmer, can build a complete house.” Choose one goal and stay with it. Find the big thing you want to do, move slowly in that direction, and take those who also need healing with you. That has a lot of influence.
Elvis’ last ever recording has remained quiet until now: When I heard the song, it gave me chills
Whether you harbor a fondness for the genre or not, there’s a unanimous recognition that Elvis Presley, the iconic figure of rock ‘n’ roll, stands out as one of the exceptionally gifted artists to grace our planet.
This assertion is scarcely open to debate. Even in the face of his premature departure, the King left behind a legacy of captivating stage performances that enchanted audiences for many years.
While numerous video recordings capture Elvis at the zenith of his career, there’s one particular footage that I find holds unique significance for many. It signifies the concluding recording of an Elvis performance, and truth be told, it evokes a profound reaction within me. Certainly, he may be a far cry from the physical dynamo he once embodied, but the performance stands as a historical gem in its own right.
This recording remains somewhat obscured despite its importance. In this footage, Elvis is delivering one of his timeless classics, a song held dear by a multitude of his admirers. Some argue that his rendition is infused with such fervor that this final performance could arguably be considered among his finest! What’s your perspective on it?
A natural showman from birth, Elvis Presley dedicated himself to his craft until the very end. Celebrated for pouring his heart into every performance, he left behind a treasure trove of enchanting moments spanning his lifetime.
Despite not embodying the same persona as his prime, don’t underestimate the impact of this particular performance. His voice retains an undeniably potent allure! Some argue that this could be one of the legend’s most outstanding shows ever. While I might not fully endorse that perspective, I can certainly understand the sentiment.
The song Elvis is delivering is “Unchained Melody”, performed before an audience in Rapid City, South Dakota. The first time I experienced it, my skin erupted in goosebumps! Unfortunately, a mere six weeks following this recording, Elvis departed from this world. At the youthful age of 42, he bequeathed a lasting legacy of music and myth that will endure for all time.
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