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Shakti & The Garage International fiery end of 2019.

Dear Friends:
2019 has come to a fiery end.  I am sure some of you will be having a White Christmas while a major part of Australia is more a Black Christmas while here in Gumeracha we are more or less having a Red Christmas after the fire bombers dropped loads of red retardant all around our house yesterday to prevent the fire from getting any closer to our house.  Around our house looks like a bloody massacre.

We have been caught in the Cudlee Creek bushfire and have been fighting it for days.  Thus for those who have written emails and lovely Christmas and holiday greeting to me, please excuse me for not replying. I was a bit preoccupied. We also did not have any NBN (National Broadband Network) and very marginal Telstra (telephone) coverage for 2 days.  Very frustrating and concerning especially when dialing 000 (emergency).

Just when it looks like it may seem to be over, the next day it flares up and once lit, the dancing flames move fast - through the grass, over the road and up the trees and then the flying embers go everywhere.  Impressive to watch.  The red fire and embers are actually quite beautiful in the black dark night but this is a kind of beauty that I prefer not to be seeing, especially when it's only 20 metres away from me and my land.

I'm thinking I should change the TGI logo and maybe put 'waves' instead of 'flames', but then again we will probably have a tsunami.

We had the CFS but the fire was too much out of control so in came the fire bombers and flew so low that they nipped the tree tops. And then came Elvis.  For those who don't know Elvis, this is the nickname of Erickson S-64 Air-Crane helicopter.  He was with us in the Sampson Flat fire which happened in January 2015.  (yes, we were caught in that one too)  So it was quite an air show.  And then the CFS stayed to put out the flaring bits.  And then we go out and put out the remaining stubborn smouldering flaming trees with our water backpacks.

Finally on 26 December, so far things calmed down a bit. 

But the weekend temperatures soared up to the 40s with gusty wind,

thus starting the Kersbrook fire. But the CFS and fire bombers and choppers immediately responded and the fire did not come to us.

When the Sampson Flat fire was here in 2015, 20% of our land was burnt.  And my show for the Adelaide Fringe that year was "Appassionata- Phoenix Rising".  It was the dance of the phoenix, fire bird rising from the ashes.  I did not forecast the fire since the Fringe programme deadline was in October so I had no idea that we will be caught in a fire in January.

And 2020, my Fringe show is ---- guess what?    Believe it or not, it is "Appassionata" - the full piano sonata by Beethoven this time.  This fiery sonata seems to beckon the fire.

But I wish you all a wonderful end of the year and a exciting new year.  May 2020 bring you all the ticket sales you have desired.

Yes, the shows must go on!!           

The Garage International flames are inextinguishable.

Shakti

Fire message part 2 will be coming shortly.  Keep watching.

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