Looks like you had a great first year's experience among the bees and
learned a lot not only from others but from your own observations.  My
only comment is in regard to hiving a package of bees:  It isn't
important to get the queen cage out of the package and install her
first.  The bees are confused enough and will be curious about their
new surroundings for quite awhile, easily enough time to fish out the
queen cage and get it installed.  Incidentally, I always just
immediately release the queen into the hive (careful: not into the
air!) just after shaking in the bees.  All the bees are new to the
hive, no territoriality has yet been established so the bees see the
queen at first as just another bee and never attack her.  However,
this comment only applies to new packages.  Never attempt to do this
when installing a queen in any sort of established colony - they will
kill her immediately.
 
Ted Fischer
Dexter, Michigan USA