My first MIL was a train wreck. Basically, she was/is an alcoholic lush. She would embarass us at every restaurant we took her to. She would get drunk and start falling over everything. One time, she even jumped out of the cab at a light to go to the bar and drink some more. When we got divorced, she left me an hour long message on the answering machine, cussing the whole time and stating how she was going to buy a gun and come over and shoot me. I wasn't too worried, though. She was in Finland and I was here.
My second MIL was much nicer and I enjoyed her company. She liked antiques and hand-made items.