Hints on mortar work

I learned today that mortar work goes a lot faster if you use a mortar box and a hoe to do the mixing. (The mortar box was $4.98, the hoe was a "cheap hoe" from a discount store for $3.50.) I used a bit more water than was recommended, mixed the mortar to the consistency of thick buttercream icing and then proceeded to use it like putty, patching plaster, or modeling clay.

(I don't like Tim McGraw Toby Keith*, but I have to admit that I like the video he does where he tries to brick up his wife or girlfriend Cask of Amontillado-style in his basement, only to discover that he was standing on the wrong side of his brick wall and has trapped himself. However, even with my limited experience I believe that his mortar mix was too dry and crumbly and would never have had the strength to hold against a good kick or a fairly casual lean.)

So I think in one more session I should be done with the wall. Then it's time to think about the sidewalk. I think I'm going to start by removing any broken pieces that are loose, uneven, or just sticking out, and then pry out any other pieces that seem like they should be removed. (All these will be saved as genealogical artifacts and will be incorporated into other settings.) Then I'll mix up some concrete and use it to patch and fill in the missing sections, topping it with sand. Does that sound even remotely right? We'll find out if it works soon...

*Corrected 7/31/07, thanks to a reminder from an Anonymous commenter.