[laepelba]

Again, I will apologize for my periods of non-response ... I keep blaming it on work.... Craziness!!

THANK YOU to everyone for your input. I am still working through the paragraph from your book, Perikles. The rest of it is also helpful.

I asked my tutor about this, too. (I usually try to keep away from grammar questions, and just focus on the conversation with her.) Here is what she gave me (not a rule, but generality....):

De no haber + verbo (past participle) - she says that she can't really imagine it in the affirmative, but gave me lots of examples (like yours above) with the negative and a past participle.

A no ser por + sustantivo - she gave me several examples (like "a no ser por la lluvia, podríamos caminar...." or something).

Does that ring true with you all?