diff --git a/adafruit_fruitjam/network.py b/adafruit_fruitjam/network.py
index f54c189..fc349ac 100644
--- a/adafruit_fruitjam/network.py
+++ b/adafruit_fruitjam/network.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 # SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2020 Melissa LeBlanc-Williams, written for Adafruit Industries
 # SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025 Tim Cocks, written for Adafruit Industries
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2025 Mikey Sklar, written for Adafruit Industries
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: Unlicense
 """
@@ -324,7 +325,6 @@ def _combined_tz_offset(base_default):
 
 def _ntp_get_datetime(ntp, connect_cb, retries, delay_s, debug=False):
     """Fetch ntp.datetime with limited retries on timeout; re-connect between tries."""
-    last_exc = None
     for i in range(retries):
         last_exc = None
         try:
diff --git a/examples/fruitjam_ntp_settings.toml b/examples/fruitjam_ntp_settings.toml
index fe9c23a..4cd2313 100644
--- a/examples/fruitjam_ntp_settings.toml
+++ b/examples/fruitjam_ntp_settings.toml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2025 Tim Cocks for Adafruit Industries
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2025 Mikey Sklar for Adafruit Industries
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 # Wi-Fi credentials
@@ -24,10 +24,10 @@ NTP_DST      = 1                # daylight saving (0=no, 1=yes)
 NTP_INTERVAL = 3600             # re-sync interval (seconds)
 
 # Optional tuning
-NTP_TIMEOUT        = 5           # socket timeout in seconds
+NTP_TIMEOUT        = "1.0"       # socket timeout in seconds
 NTP_CACHE_SECONDS  = 0           # cache results (0 = always fetch)
 NTP_REQUIRE_YEAR   = 2022        # sanity check minimum year
 
 # Retries
-NTP_RETRIES   = 8     # number of NTP fetch attempts
-NTP_DELAY_S   = 1.0   # delay between attempts (seconds)
+NTP_RETRIES   = 8         # number of NTP fetch attempts
+NTP_DELAY_S   = "1.5"     # delay between attempts (seconds)
diff --git a/examples/fruitjam_time_sync.py b/examples/fruitjam_time_sync.py
index 1ddb57e..08a6af5 100644
--- a/examples/fruitjam_time_sync.py
+++ b/examples/fruitjam_time_sync.py
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2025 Tim Cocks for Adafruit Industries
+# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2025 Mikey Sklar for Adafruit Industries
 #
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
 import time