the MIL

I am of the unfortunte ilk of having a MIL I'm not thrilled about.  Trying times are held by all when we visit.
J is fiercely loyal, even though he gets the brunt of the "abuse".  She like to pick fights, and she loves having family around.  If I told her the sky was blue, she'd argue that it wasn't.  She likes to be helped in the kitchen, but god forbid you wash the dishes a different way.
On the other hand, She is loving, and is physically affectionate.  She likes to give.
It's hard to have my own take on life, green, the want for no plastic/battery operated toys for our future kids, homeopathics...  I'm learning to be fast in my beliefs with concessions to what she thinks.
For example, she thinks the green movement is hilarious, because in her generation, people re-used everything until it fell apart.  I joke with her about the new word "upcycling", but point out how great it is that regardless of what 'they' call it.
When she forgets and has a good time she can be a riot.