Lime mortar

It left behind tubs of pure white, gelatinous lime putty and a bag of sharp sand.

The architect specified they had to repoint with lime mortar, and they were apprehensive about the wobbling white stuff under its skim of milky water.

They were so used to working with cement now, they didn't feel confident anymore.

I don't understand how it works.

Cement makes a bond, how smooth cement snaps, that's it.

You chuck cement in it, then neither of them's going to work.

You can grind up old lime mortar and it comes back, it's alive.

It never dies.