It amazes me how many young women today have no desire to learn how to cook. My parents shared the cooking in our house in the 50's. My mother cooked the meals during the week, and my Dad cooked spaghetti sauce every Saturday, along with our Sunday meal. That was in the 50's, and I especially enjoyed watching my Dad cook. That's how I learned to make gravy. He was actually a better cook than my mother.
Your post reminds me that I think we should have a Free Republic cookbook. I’ve always wondered why Italian-Americans call tomato sauce “gravy.” My husband does this and it amused me when we were first married.