I did not do the upline 45 maneuver yesterday, in hindsight I should have. Like you, most of my flying was < 1/2 stick. I also agree that 8# difference makes the Rebel much easier to lift
Regarding the fragility of the Rebel, I had to build a special cradle for my trailer because I was afraid the airframe would be damaged if I tried to transport it with the same cradle I used for my T1. Our runway is only 300' at my primary club site, and we have lots of trees and light poles (our field is a parking lot for a concert venue) so I'm used to landing with obstacles, but like you said, once you do a few landings it becomes a lot less stressful. Fortunately, I'm now a member at another club that has a 3500' strip, the downside it's two hours away so I don't get up there more than a few times a year.