I just finished reading a paperback by Barbara Delinsky, “Moment to Moment,” c 1984. The caption by the author’s picture says she has written more than 65 novels. I can’t remember if I bought the used book at the library in Cottonwood or in Marshall.

There are two people in the book whom we read about the most: Dana Madison and Russ Ettinger.

Dana is a young woman — about 30 years old, who tells a friend, “I’m an asthmatic. I have been since I was a child” (p. 218). She’s a runner, and she plans to run in the upcoming marathon. Before Dana begins her relationship with Russ, who is a runner, too, she works in a library. Her college degree was library science. He works in the store Good Sport.

About halfway through the book, I underlined something Russ said: “We’ve Only Just Begun.” Now this reference really brought me close to the book, because I know that song. Russ was talking about his running and Dana’s running. Right away I remembered the words to this song, sung by The Carpenters. Here’s one verse:

We’ve only just begun… before the rising sun

Sharing horizons that are new to us

Working together day by day

So much of life ahead

Together, together

Early in the book when she went outdoors to run (leaving the not very helpful discussion with her parents), she had to sit down on the grass to rest. That’s when an older man came by, and he was worried about this girl. He offered to take her to the hospital, but he was running too, so had to leave her to get his car.

He did come back with his car, but the young woman wasn’t there now. Later, when Dana goes to a shoe store to buy sneakers, one of the persons working there recognizes her. She’s the girl he saw in bad shape a while back and wanted to rescue her.

He goes to the library and tells the library worker he wants to find a book to check out about coffeemakers. It’s Dana who helps him, and as their conversation is about done, he asks her to go with him someplace for coffee. She’s not ready to say yes.

Next Dana talks with her friend Liza, who encourages her to run.

So Dana is out running, and finds Russ, who is on the ground. He has a knee that has been injured years ago. She says she’ll go get her car, and help him go where he needs to go. This place is where his niece lives — Danielle. (She works at the library too.) As they are talking, Dana hears that Russ is director of a ski school.

The book continues to be about their relationship that has ups and downs. A psychologist tries to help each of them find a way of life that is good.

Another connection I felt with the book was about skis. Our big barn still has skis in it that my husband used years ago. I didn’t use them as much as he did. I’ll keep looking through my boxes of photos to see if I can find one of Howard on skis. (I didn’t find this yet, but asked my friend to take a picture of me on the skis.)

This quote isn’t the last sentence in the book, but for me it’s a good choice to end this review of Moment to Moment:

The library was, to her, a place to dream

Of different times and far-off places.

It was a peaceful spot, an old stone building

With soft lighting, easy chairs, the smell

Of antiquity, and a window on the world.

(pp. 59-60)

Your Marshall-Lyon County Library has many of Barbara Delinsky’s books in regular print, large print, and audio, with the most recent title being “A Week at the Shore.” She celebrated her 79th birthday on Aug. 9.