Good post, Bernie.
#1, I am really glad you got out there locally.
#2, I felt very confident that you would like your 9X50 finder. Once you learn how to use it properly (you can already see the potential), i.e. look through it and use averted vision, you will learn that EVERYTHING that you see that is not stellar, is SOMETHING. That is the key to pointing your way to what you want to look at.
A 9X50 finder also gives you the ability of picking out the little asterisms that can guide you to what you want to see.
Keep stargazing with Jeff and Luka. They are great, knowledgeable observers. I'd like to make it to Keller myself, someday. That's on the Bucket List.