See that same mindset everywhere. People skip oil changes until the engine seizes, ignore a small roof leak until the ceiling collapses. It's always cheaper to deal with it early, but everyone puts it off. I see it with clients who don't keep their books straight all year, then panic at tax time. That creosote is just the chimney version of a much bigger, dumber habit.

Remember trying that mustard yellow with electric blue combo everyone said would look sick. Looked more like a toddler's craft explosion, but somehow it worked for a chaotic character piece. Guess my bad taste is just advanced style, right?

My first summer in Nevada showed me how tough dry heat is for mud work. I feel for your cousin; I've seen mixes turn to dust before they set. Shaping those curves needs good timing and lots of water, which is hard work. I used wet burlap covers to keep things moist. It takes a lot of patience, but when it works, it feels good. So pulling off perfect arches in Arizona is really something.