Good gravy

I miss my mother-in-law, especially on big family dinner days like today.  She would have been the first to admit that she wasn't much of a cook, in fact she always said she would rather do dishes than cook.  Considering that she grew up with 12 brothers and sisters, I think that's saying something.  But the reason I miss her isn't because of her help with dishes.  While she didn't cook much for our big dinners, she did make wonderful gravy, from scratch.  My dinner was good today - ham, pork roast, sweet potatoes, green beans, mashed potatoes, cake, brownies, cookies - you get the picture.  All made from scratch by me and other family members.  I have the cut finger to prove that I peeled those potatoes.  But the gravy, sigh, came from a packet.  It wasn't bad, but just not the same as Helen's.