I’m glad that we have another convert to the dark side!
I agree with everything you’ve said, except…
I’ve tried several times to like the Node-Red dashboard, but I just can’t bring myself to use it.
It’s the only thing I don’t like about N-R though.
The external SSD is a great move, because the SD cards have a limited life and are slow.
I also like to use WebMin as a web-based admin system for my Pi, it makes some operations - such as monitoring memory and disk space, and installing updates - very easy…
I also run ZeroTier, which lets me have remote access to both of my HA systems (one in the UK and one in Spain) from anywhere in the world without any drama.
Pete.