Dave, actually, we use the range even longer in the season now.
For a number of reasons, I gave up on the wood, but mostly because of the added work of having to cut locally available face cord "stove wood" to range wood lengths. Like with you, my old joints aren't up to all that. But that's only part of why we weren't using the range as early in the fall, or as late into spring. The other reasons have to do with knowing what it's doing and how to better control the range
1. Getting the new grates installed allows me to consistently clear ash on a daily basis. That gave the range more consistent firebed control which is where it all starts.
2. Having the mano plumbed in has been a major help. It allows me to better see how finely I can adjust and how slowly I can damper the range down.
Using the mano in combination with the temp gauges I have shows me better what affect different combinations of the six dampers does to draft and the heat output of different areas of the range. Before that, I was not using all the dampers and the ones I did use I was not using as well to control the range. Plus, before the mano, I never knew the safe upper limits of operating draft strength. Even with the outdoor temps up to 80 degrees.
3. Knowing accurately what the draft is doing, and better able to clear ash when needed, I've been able to learn what affect using different size coal has on operating temps.
4. The digital BBQ oven temp gauge that Lee (Lightening) lead me to has made using the oven much easier.
5. Insulating the rear heat shield has made the oven operable over a greater range of temps. In addition to less wasting of heat by heating the outside kitchen wall behind the range in clod weather, and less overheating the kitchen when using the oven in hot weather.
Gaining that knowledge of what the range is capable of, and now being better able to know and control what it is is doing, adds up to making it much easier for us to use the range over a much wider out door temp range.
And as you know, the easier something is to use, the more likely you are to use it.
Paul