So we have a bus serving the Parish. Whoever would have thought that such a thing could happen? A nice bus, too: rather a nice size and most definitely friendly. All you have to do, or so I believe, is to give it a wave, just like a taxi.

Have you tried it? I hope you have. I want to encourage everyone to use it. I have tried it myself, with great satisfaction.

For us Parishioners there is, surely, something special about this bus: nothing less than a new opportunity; a new horizon for our summer days. Is it not the case that, with proper planning, we might put the bus to the excellent purpose of a Parish outing? What better, I ask you, than an outing by bus?; most especially, on a bus that has a Parish connection. Have you thought of that, I wonder?

But where to go?: what destination? My suggestion is that we visit Ham: the bus goes all the way to Ham in the normal course of everyday service. So there would be no special arrangements called for - re-routeings, or detours - such as might cause confusion to the public or even ourselves, leading to disaster.

Now Ham is a place of a most considerable delight. Here the Thames is at its most delectable: an ideal place for summer picnics. Just the place for a Parish outing.

There will be some administrative arrangements to see to – though I do not think these will cause much trouble. It is such a help to be able to have confidence, as indeed one can, that in Parish affairs, whatever they may be, everything will be conducted with proper decorum. So that we need not to make any provision against drunkenness or gambling or other kind of unseemly behaviour; nor, yet, stampede, or other disorder, seeking to gain a foothold on the bus. No, none of these things, or anything like them, need ever to be our concern at all.

But, even so, some planning will be called for. It will be necessary, for example, to give due consideration to the time of our departure. We will have to choose our time with care – try to avoid the busy period. The bus is not large, and could, I should imagine, become overloaded, perhaps resulting in overheating: giving, perhaps, to grinding within the engine. From my limited knowledge, there might be indicated wear on the cylinders (is it true that buses still have cylinders?); the bus reduced to a complete stoppage.

We will need to have ready a contingency procedure against the possibility of this sort of thing. You, my readers, fellow Parishioners, will each be wishing to make your proposals as to how to proceed. Suggestions should be forwarded for careful considered through the medium of these pages.

And, for myself: have I any useful suggestion to make? Yes, I have. My own suggestion is that, without hesitation, without ado, we call in John Freeborn – call him in urgently. John has a wonderful skill with machinery.

When I first knew John, he was in heavy plant - manufacturing plant - keeping it working. Time and again, on my making inquiry, he had been called in urgently to some remote spot to come to the rescue, effect a restoration to some ailing plant gasping for attention.

It is always a delight to see John at work. With unerring skill he takes a look at this, gives a tap here, a drop of oil there. I have complete confidence that John will fix it. And so he does.

On, then, to our arrival at Ham ….. the question of programme – what we will do? Here, again, early planning will be called for. Ham affords a wide range of choice for summer outings: architecture, sculling, madrigals on the river?; for the less ambitious a quiet snooze? One thing is certain – that, so far as we are able, we should all make a point of visiting Ham House.

Ham House - built at the time of the Restoration; has lavish decoration, furniture, paintings. There are formal gardens, recently restored (excellent, I am told, for a moment’s slumber for any so inclined). We will have to look to some expert guidance. There are several among us with architectural talent. Could they be persuaded?: how well they would do it.

Then, perhaps, on to other delights – a non-stop of opportunity until all is done: until the setting sun, mists rising, tiredness, contentment, cause us to pause.

It will be time for us to start making for the bus; take the return journey; return homeward to our familiar surroundings, the bosom of the Parish.

But first …just one final bit of planning. Does anyone know when the last bus leaves?