Tontine

[mrgreen760 37785]

I first heard the term tontine while watching an episode of Mash. Colonel Potter received a bottle that signified he was the last survivor of a tontine. When researching tontine it was a scheme where people invested money and received dividends and when some one died their capital reained in the fund and the survivors sort of split the proceeds, some say it was the percusor of modern life insurance.

 

Thriteen of us were at a party more than 15 years ago and the idea came up. Our twist was that each would put up a bottle of their favorite alcoholic beverage and when some passed, we'd gathter and drink their bottle with an appropriate toast. There are many high end cognacs and single malt scotches and as economic situations changed some have been continually upgraded. One smarty pants put up the worst Tequila along with 13 miniatures. His rational was WTF I'll be dead and the survivors should suffer...lol Pretty funny and he'll never hear the end of it.

 

Recently we lost our first member. The surviving twelve gatherd in my back yard this past Friday. What seem so funny 15 years ago had now taken on a more serious tone. We're between 48 and 60, so the likely heard of going another 15 years with a loss may not be actuarily reasonable.

 

We had more than a few laughs enjoyed each other. At the appointed time we filled 13 glasses equally and each survivor stood told a story and toasted our fallen friend. The last glass (his glass) was smashed in my fire pit and the remaining 12 put back in the box for next time.

 

We toasted our friend and we toasted ourselves for not being the first.

 

Here to us.....and those like us!!

 

Peace

MG

[Boomer 33202]

 

Recently we lost our first member. The surviving twelve gatherd in my back yard this past Friday. What seem so funny 15 years ago had now taken on a more serious tone. We're between 48 and 60, so the likely heard of going another 15 years with a loss may not be actuarily reasonable.

 

 

MG

 

I think it's a great idea.

 

You should take a look at another tread "Why is it?" It's about seniors talking about obituaries and the health of their cohort. Your tontine now puts you in the group that will be starting to look over their shoulder.

 

Bottoms up

[E.D. man 691]

death is part of the evelounary of life, death is not the end but a new beginning to the unknown.

[Isabella Gia (Banned) 53881]

Mr. Green I'm sorry about your loss but what an emotive and great way to give tribute to a friend.

[canuckhooker 19202]

I first heard the term tontine while watching an episode of Mash. Colonel Potter received a bottle that signified he was the last survivor of a tontine.

 

We had more than a few laughs enjoyed each other. At the appointed time we filled 13 glasses equally and each survivor stood told a story and toasted our fallen friend. The last glass (his glass) was smashed in my fire pit and the remaining 12 put back in the box for next time.

 

We toasted our friend and we toasted ourselves for not being the first.

 

Here to us.....and those like us!!

 

Peace

MG

 

What an amazing way to celebrate a friendship. Well done.

 

That was one of my all-time favourite episodes of M*A*S*H and one that never fails to bring a tear to my eye. The other message from that story was that as we move through our lives we continue to meet and make new friends. They don't replace the friends of our youth, but further enrich our lives. Col Potter choosing his new friends to drink the toast to the departed friends of 50 years ago went to exemplify how much our friends enrich our existence, every day.

 

Sympathies for your loss, and may you continue to honour all your friends with the same love and respect.

 

CH

[mrgreen760 37785]

I think it's a great idea.

 

You should take a look at another tread "Why is it?" It's about seniors talking about obituaries and the health of their cohort. Your tontine now puts you in the group that will be starting to look over their shoulder.

 

Bottoms up

 

Eyes trained on the horizon! Stachel Paige is quoted as saying "Don't look back. Something might be gaining on you." :)

 

Additional Comments:

Mr. Green I'm sorry about your loss but what an emotive and great way to give tribute to a friend.

 

Thank you Isabella :)

 

What an amazing way to celebrate a friendship. Well done.

 

That was one of my all-time favourite episodes of M*A*S*H and one that never fails to bring a tear to my eye. The other message from that story was that as we move through our lives we continue to meet and make new friends. They don't replace the friends of our youth, but further enrich our lives. Col Potter choosing his new friends to drink the toast to the departed friends of 50 years ago went to exemplify how much our friends enrich our existence, every day.

 

Sympathies for your loss, and may you continue to honour all your friends with the same love and respect.

 

CH

 

Thanks CH

 

Love, respect and a whole bunch of laughs......we even reset the odds board.....our way of whislting through the graveyard.

 

Peace

MG

[Old Dog 179138]

isn't that the planet that Luke Skywalker lived on????

[VedaSloan 119179]

What a great way to celebrate your friends!

 

Condolences on the loss however.

[NotchJohnson 214070]

Sorry about your lost.

 

I always told my friend and family that if and when I die I want them to celebrate my life and not my death has you did by remembering the good times and share it with friends.

 

Cheer for you mrgreen760