John,
If you've got only 200 hours in it, and you're already well into the wings, I think you're doing great! Isn't 200 hours sort of a "norm" for the tail?
I haven't kept track of hours, and don't plan to, but the calendar tells me that the months are ticking by. It looks like I'll easily complete the HS this weekend, but the emp kit arrived 11 months ago! And, I squeezed the first rivets, on the center bearing, four months ago.
It's true that life gets in the way sometimes, and on top of that, I was buying tools one at a time and trying to figure out how to use them, with the generous and kind support of everyone here at RB.
I've only recently begun to work some virtually every day. I find if I commit to an hour a day, I usually end up putting in more than that. I've gained skills and confidence in using the tools, reading the prints, and trusting myself to either do it right or learn from my mistakes.
There are parts of what I've done that I wouldn't describe as "fun." But I can say that working through the mental and psychological challenges does have its intangible rewards. And tangible results. My HS will spend the next few years hanging on the living room wall, a very real reminder of my audacity!
Jon