I'm in my late 50s, recently married for a second time and now have a new MIL in her 80s. I don't know what motivates her, or where she finds the energy but she just can not stop interfering and treating me (and OH to a lesser extent) like child. I'm a grandmother FGS! I have managed to limit contact my contact with her but a family event is looming and I am dreading it. OH warned me what she was like and is very protective of me but I know she will do her damnedest to take me aside and give me one of her 'grillings'. It's not kindly meant and no subject seems to be out of bounds for her. She uses information to push her own agenda. Thank goodness she doesn't use the internet.
It makes me feel so uncomfortable and unwilling to spend more time with her because I know every little grain of information will be distributed and used to quiz me on again whenever we speak. Wildfire and the bush telegraph doesn't begin to describe the speed at which she spreads gossip. I just don't have the mental energy to face it. Aargh!