I need to really start channeling my frustrations to some outlet. What frustrations you ask?
Well,

1. Living with in-laws is turning out to be (for 2 years now out of 4 years of being married and out of 6 years of knowing my hubby)

i.Great on the one hand because of the kind of support system there is (minimal worry about cooking, household chores, how to celebrate festivals the ‘right’ way, no bothers of finding a maid who will clean the house by 7am before I leave to work)

ii.NOT So Great because (and these are merely indicative):
a.I can’t go in and just change the way things are, say, arranged in the kitchen – have to discuss with MIL first (of course, they’ve lived in this house for 20+ years so they don’t want change; but I’m just starting off living a married life and have so many ideas of my own) and she rarely wants to do anything new in the kitchen since she’s lived this way for so long. So I feel like I have no control over something that is so simple really.

b.Cannot cook whatever I want to: Okay, so I’m not a great cook. But I still want to experiment with new recipes and new ways of making old recipes! But MIL will have none of it; Monday to Friday I get home from work and food is ready anyways (which I am glad for). But Saturday/Sunday if I need to try something, MIL usually says no don’t bother, I’m already planning to do this or that. So, once again, I feel like no control (and yes, I have tried to cajole her or explain nicely what I want to do – doesn’t work)