Had that happen on a brownstone last year. We ended up using a super soft 4:1 mix with hydrated lime and it bonded perfectly. Saved us from a total blowout.

Oh man, that reminds me of my deck. I built it with those cheap composite boards because they said no maintenance. My buddy, a contractor, came over, stepped on one end, and the whole thing had a bounce like a trampoline. He just shook his head and said "You built a diving board, not a deck." I was so mad for a week, but then I went back and added a ton more joists and proper concrete footings. It doesn't bounce anymore, but I still get teased about it.

Yeah, the whole "best stories should stand on own" thing from wright.eva sounds good in theory, but it just doesn't match how a lot of stuff actually works. I mean, you wouldn't start a book at chapter ten and blame the author if you're lost. Some stories are built in a specific order on purpose. It's not about being poorly told, it's about the way the story was meant to be taken in. Getting that order wrong can totally ruin your chance to connect with it.