Right? It's just a driveway. That cringe feeling is so automatic sometimes. Like when my cousin was over the moon about her new neon pink toaster. My first thought was "wow, that's bright," but she loves it, so who cares? Totally agree with @phoenix_clark3. Letting people have their simple joy makes everything nicer. The world needs more of that.

Sandor Katz's book says listening for the fizz is how you know it's working.

But water ruins it so fast. One spill and the edges swell up, and it never looks right again. It also chips way easier than real wood when you drop something heavy, and it always sounds hollow when you walk on it. I had to replace mine after just a couple years.

Is it possible you're taking her jokes too personally... some folks just have a blunt sense of humor?

Learned that lesson after loaning a cousin money for what he called a "can't miss" used car deal. The car missed plenty, mostly the payments. I felt like a walking ATM with family programming for years.