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.
Please remember Keith Urban in your prayers and thoughts.
In any case, sir, my spouse used to tell me that I had a behind capable of raising the dead from their graves. I wish to avoid taking any chances.
Isn’t that funny?
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With the news of Jeff Beck’s untimely passing, many celebrities rushed to social media to share their grief and condolences with one another.
Among them was country music artist Keith Urban, who honored the late great entertainer with an emotional Instagram post.
In his piece, he talked about how Jeff’s “porting into the next realm” surprised him. He told some personal stories about their time together.
He stated that Beck’s musical ability had a profound effect on him and that it was uncommon to discover such expertise in the modern era.
He also conveyed his appreciation for the opportunity to meet Beck in person, to see his inventiveness, and to learn from him over the course of his life.
Keith Urban went on to remark that he and many others were deeply impacted by Jeff Beck’s incredible guitar playing and songwriting abilities.
His unconventional method combined elements of rock and roll, jazz, blues, and other genres to create a distinctive sound that has impacted numerous musical generations since its inception.
Jeff Beck will be sorely missed by everyone whose life was impacted by his music.
Jeff Beck captivated the world with just a Stratocaster, a few of pedals, two amplifiers, and his incredible talent.
It is hard to adequately express the immense impact he has had on vocalists, musicians, and music enthusiasts worldwide.
This is not hyperbole; he is among the very few people whose names truly deserve to be engraved on Mount Rushmore. The legendary Mount Rushmore guitarist.
“My friend Scott Bradoka kindly extended an invitation for me to see Jeff perform; it was an unforgettable experience.”
Jeff created a spell that only he could with his instrument and musical ability, leaving Billy Gibbons and me speechless. It was a very breathtaking sight.
Jeff Beck has been a guitar playing master for many years because of his contemporary takes on traditional genres and the beautiful complexity that permeates every note he plays.
He can captivate an audience like no other, and he always appears to be able to make everyone fall under his spell.
Few players can match him for basic technique or string mastery, whether they are playing blues, jazz, rock & roll, or even other genres. Some could even argue that he has impacted others’ artistic expression.
Every time he plays, Beck creates a unique environment. Everyone present is sure to have a blast, regardless of the size of the venue—whether it’s a large arena filled with fans cheering together or a little, intimate setting.
In a moving eulogy, Keith Urban paid tribute to his late friend Jeff Beck. He expressed gratitude to Beck for having such a profound influence on him and wished him peace as he went away.
Several of their fans were moved by the deed of generosity and responded with heartfelt messages expressing how much they had come to respect the singer and his career across the years.
While some complimented Jeff Beck’s skill and artistic ability, others commended Keith Urban for paying such a distinctive homage to Jeff Beck.
Given that Jeff Beck is regarded as one of the all-time great guitarists and his influence on music, it is not unexpected that a wide range of individuals were impacted by Keith Urban’s remarks.
Whether they heard him live or just on records, people were drawn to him by his unique sound since they lived all over the world.
In addition to being a talented musician who pushed the envelope of what was thought feasible, he was also a creative composer whose originality inspired others in the field.
Throughout his five-decade career, he received countless honors and recognitions, solidifying his place among the greatest musicians of all time.
Keith Urban expressed how strongly he felt about Jeff Beck’s legacy in a visceral response. Nicole Kidman, an actress and well-known country music artist, reconnected with Keith Urban in Australia before Christmas.
The couple had been away for a while since Keith was touring the US in support of his album Speed of Now, and Nicole was in Hong Kong filming a movie.
Keith and Nicole were overjoyed to be reunited at the airport in Sydney, where their two children, Sunday and Faith, had already come to see them.
The family has faced many difficulties over the last few months, but Nicole has never wavered in her support of her husband.
She has made it a priority to stay in touch with him and has supported him during his trip, even though they are separated by a considerable distance.
After spending so much time apart, the family as a whole was ecstatic to be together again.
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