We’re coming up to the time of year when the ring of the phone or a knock at the door means one of two things: the duct-cleaning people are in the area and rumour has it your ducts are filthy or someone is collecting for something to help someone else. Who hasn’t ducked down below window level, slithered past sight lines to avoid detection while suffering scraped knees and splinters because the wood floor still hasn’t been sanded, only to peek around a corner and find it’s your mom …