When you think about it, track is one of the most unforgiving sports there is. Unlike football, basketball or golf, where you have a second chance to make up for a mistake, track doesn’t give that option.

Fall down and you can’t recover, false start and you’re out, or drop the baton and the field passes you by.

I’m a big fan of dark chocolate. First, because it tastes so good and, second, because in moderation it is actually good for you. That moderation thing is difficult.

Dove is one of my favorites brands. Each wrapper has a bit of wisdom printed inside. One message I like is: “Age is nothing but a number.”

I mentioned in last week’s column that we heard Jumping Johnny Sasone’s band. While in Lawrence this past weekend, I asked Dave Ranney if he had ever heard of him.

He said he had interviewed him a while back. I learned that the Jumping Johnny came from the fact that Johnny had been a swimmer and a diver while in college. Part of his act in the early days was to get up on a table and do a back flip off of it, hence the moniker.

On a recent trip to Iowa, I decided to listen to some of my old cassette tapes that I hadn’t listened to for many years.

It was a great way to pass the time as the round trip was about 11 hours. Even though I hadn’t heard this stuff for a long time it was remarkable that I knew which songs came next on the tapes.

You can’t go wrong with the Allman Brothers, Kenny Loggins, King Biscuit Boy, Bonnie Rait, Patsy Cline, Willie Nelson, Marshall Tucker Band, Bread, Tom Scott, T-Bone Walker and Muddy Waters, to name a few.

We are less than thankful about the wheat at this point, but the ponds are looking good. After being parched for so long they are in most instances full to the brim.

When I think back to one of the hardest working plumbers in Hillsboro that I can remember, the name of Allen Funk comes to mind. He first worked for the Hillsboro Co-op when they were in the hardware and plumbing business at Ash and Grand.

Later he went out on his own behind his house on Birch Street and added heating and cooling as well as appliances. The business came to be known as Funk’s Supply when it was moved to north Main. He brought his sons into the business along the way.

Funk also gave back to Hillsboro as a member of the city council and was active in First Mennonite Church.

His wife, Leona, was also active in the business and they pursued their interest in the Good Sam camping club, bringing the group to Hillsboro on many occasions. He understood the benefits of tourism.