Well folks, I believe I have finally solved the stalling Greyhound engine problem. When the engine is mounted on a Troy-Bilt tiller, it ends up at a backward angle of about 10 degrees from horizontal especially when tilling deeply. The engine is outfitted with a oil level sensor to make sure the engine oil does not run out. This is wired to the spark system by a single yellow wire. I blocked up the tiller wheels and let the engine assume its tilling position. It stalled within 15 seconds. It would not restart unless I leveled the engine. Opening the main jet helps on engine power, but does not affect the stalling problem. By clipping the wire to the oil sensor on the side of the crankcase, the engine does not stall. To make sure there was enough oil even for this tilted orientation, I filled the crankcase with oil until the H(igh) mark on the dipstick was just being reached (with the engine level). Another idiosyncrasy I determined was that when the engine is tilted there is a possible internal binding that will cause the rope to reach a hard stop. I found this out the hard way. While in my test mode for the tilling position, I tried restarting the engine. When level, the engine would typically start with one pull. However, when tilted the pull rope was jammed so hard I could not the engine over even slowly. If I reached into the pulley at the back end and rotated the engine backwards it moved easily, but again hit a hard stop at the same point when I pulled the rope. I'm envisioning that the connecting rod has enough sideways play to reach an internal engine protrusion or possibly the crankshaft. I removed the engine from the tiller and returned it to the Harbor Freight store. The store manager pulled the rope and it turned over OK. Nevertheless, he replaced the engine for me with no question, but I'd almost bet I had returned an engine that was good. You just can't start them if they are tilted way back as on the Troy-Bilt tiller. You'll have to lift the tines out of the ground, first.

Is it too late to try your method now and just leave it be until next spring? I have plenty of quart mason jars, but if it doesn't matter if the leaves touch, could I use an ice tea jar, also save pickle jars? That has a little more clearance on the top, maybe not such a good idea if the rose shoots off new leaves sideways. I don't know why the clay, it would be similar to soilless medium except much harder for the roots to push around in and out of, but you know our grandmothers used methods they learned locally from their friends and I'm sure they didn't use rooting hormone so maybe the dampened clay kept a compact mass against the rooting area, I don't know but don't have much clay and don't want to go that route. If I try your method, I am going to use a variation. I've had two leaves just start showing on cuttings I started back in late May I think it was. I thought they all were dead and was about to throw them away. I cut a hole in the bottom of a clear 16-oz plastic cup and filled it with good quality potting soil, used some rooting hormone, and buried my cup in the ground but decided not to cover it (they need the humidity) because I wasn't sure about the leaves touching the pepsi bottle. I figured it would be less root disturbance when I move it to its permanent location or pot it up in a larger pot, and people here say plant in the shade not the sun for several of their methods. I put mine on the east side of the house and propped an old window screen against the house so the sun would be filtered even though it gets less than half a day of sun. Even so, all the leaves gradually died on all my 12+ cuttings I tried. I tried the ziplock bag method in my sunroom in a west window a couple years ago, they looked ok for a week or two, then all of a sudden rotted so I won't be doing that again and I didn't want to mess with hardening them off outside anyway. One more important question. Do you just remove the jar one day and leave it off in the spring or do you leave it off a little more each day? I'm always looking for the easiest way, willing to do some of the techniques I've read here, but they involve a lot more fussing. I don't mind a process that takes longer if it is likely to work in the end. Thank you so much for sharing your method. I read and read here and on the net. One lady did use a mason jar but she swished some potting soil around in the moist jar to create a film to filter some of the sun out. You say you can put them right in the sun. I'd be afraid that would be too hot for them. What is your approximate success rate?

You might, instead of checking for other emergency clinics, since you are in a metropolitan area, check to see if there are any practices who have vets who will take on-call cases. I live in the boondocks and my practice will cover any emergency day or night with a set 'emergency' surcharge on top of the normal bill. I much prefer that because the practioner knows my pet, has access to the records and I suspect it is just simply more economical even with the surcharge. I am not condoning filthy-looking waiting rooms, but unlike a conventional practise, an ER situation is a 24-7 clinic. It's not like they can stop and attend to tidying in a non-surgical setting when they're swamped with clients..........all of whom are bad enough they need to be seen immediately. It can get pretty gross when there is no kennel worker or tech free to police up the area as it's being dirtied, and sometimes just doing the patient care takes up all the available time. I suspect you were the victim of being there at a 'bad' and stressful time. Doesn't make it any more pleasant for you, however.

Thanks so much for the comments. The blessings are all mine, believe me! Danihoney, that is similar to our son. He was integrated into the classrooms all this time, when he really should have been isolated. He too is a something else to watch and observe.He blows me away at times with his big heart. It is interesting to see which paths he takes from time to time, as it makes no sense to us. We are often trying to put ourselves into his shoes and it is so hard sometimes because we just don't get it. I really think that he would be higher functioning if he would have been diagnosed earlier in life. Although it burdens my heart, there is no need to cry for one single moment about it. We need to face each day being strong and ready for what life throws us. Right now I am not as strong as what I would like to be, but working on it. Thanks for the encouragement. If you can send the link to people you know, that would help them learn about Asperger's and Autism, I would greatly appreciate it. I think that she updates facts (on the left side of the blog) on her break at 8A. Thanks again!!!