Sparky Kat,
good to see you posting again. Hang in there... you are a strong person
I think Von Dondu just gave you some excellent advice. My partner's mother is very similar to the person being described here.
Frankly put...she is an abrasive, bitter, manipulative bitch. And yes, I would sometimes dearly love to tell her to place her sanctimonious "concerns" where the sun don't shine...
But, I have refrained, and not for my partner's sake either (he'd like to say much the thing thing to her). Rather, if I am nice to the woman, I deprive her of significant ammunition. And she knows this as well, because there are times she will say things that are very clearly designed to provoke. It is quite amusing sometimes.... over the course of a conversation she'll do everything possible to trigger my ire, but I won't rise to the bait, and I can detect over the phone (she lives on the other side of the country thankfully) her increasing frustration at her inability to stir my temper
