To be rather [hmm] when MIL says she understands me now?!?

[NotQuiteCockney]

As she's just been on a two-week tour of my country?

I mean, sheesh, she's known me for 13 years or something now, but 15 days in my country, and she understands me?

(Helpfully, she was explaining to DH that apparently my country is bilingual. He's only been there about a billion times.)

What country?

Canada.

Does it make a difference?

Sounds a bit of a back handed compliment to me.
Ask her to elaborate

Sheesh indeed.
Where will you have to go to understand her?

Oh, she was saying nice things about the country, about how they're all so polite, and helpful, yadda yadda yadda. I don't think she thinks I'm polite and helpful.

I don't think it was meant rudely, she's just daft.

Hmmm, Victorian England, maybe?

Am PMSL at that, FTLC, frankly.

I'm not sure I want to understand her, but it's a charming idea.

I want more sympathy and support ...

MILs have this wondrous way of saying something that sounds rather charming to their sons, whilst it simultaneously makes their DILs want to slap them round the face.

You have my sympathy.

And LOL @ 'Victorian England'.

Console yourself a little in the knowledge that your MIL is positively modern-thinking in comparison to mine!

Oh, no, she gets on DH's nerves much more than mine. I know lots of MNers have husbands who don't see their MIL's looniness, my DH is not one of those!

My fave MIL remark of late, re: a bus: "It was like the United Nations on there!".

To which, of course, I said "Oh? That sounds lovely."

V good retort NQC, my MIL is the same and I always try and bite my tongue but I just can't. Wish I had some snappy comebacks though I just get all serious and boring and then she leaves!

Which is a result in itself I suppose!

Serious and boring sounds fine. I try to just let it wash over me. She means well, in her way.