Saturday, May 26, 2012

You Threw Away Our What?!?


As I mentioned in my last post we bought a bike wagon (above) to pull the kids in about a month ago. The Danes call it a wagon or a trailer. We were storing it downstairs in the locked basement where you can put bikes and stuff for our building. It had been sitting there for about 3 weeks before we really used it. We were trying to find a bike helmet for Graham before we took it out. Last weekend we went out in the wagon a few times on Saturday and a few times on Sunday (we found Graham a helmet). At one point it was parked in front of the building for a bit and in the back for a bit as we loaded and unloaded the kids. When we were done with it, Matthew stored it in the basement. The next evening he went  down to the basement to look at something and our wagon was gone! We were so upset. We just assumed that someone had seen us riding it or saw us lock it up in the basement downstairs and decided to steal it. Who steals from kids!? We said that a few times. We were just fuming! We figured that the person who took it lives in the building and then took the wagon to someone else because whoever took it had a key to the basement. I was determined to spend the next day looking around our very large complex and maybe a few near us for our wagon. We are already so tired of the location of our current apartment and this was the last straw! Matthew stayed up late that night looking for apartments and put an apartment app on his Iphone so we could know as soon as a new apartment like the one we were looking for were posted. He even emailed a few available places. We went to bed annoyed and angry and just sick of our current location (our apartment, not Copenhagen!). 
The next morning I went to the office of the supervisor of our building to tell him that our wagon had been stolen and see what he could do to help me. As I told him what had happened. He got this weird look on his face and was all awkward and embarrassed and then said that he had thrown away our wagon!!! I was so shocked I did not know what to say other than " You threw away our what?" I was trying to be cool so I just listened. He said that about a month ago another wagon had been in the complex and it was broken and no one claimed it and he threw it away then. Then he saw ours down there and thought it was the same one- that someone had taken it from the garbage area and reclaimed it. So, he decided to wait until the morning of the garbage pick up and walk it right down to the curb as the garbage truck came to pick up the garbage. I just could not believe it! We bought a used Winther Dolphin wagon because it is a really nice, safe brand. The bottom is hard and the wheels are covered. The cover on the wagon was a little worn and I was going to fix it up a bit, but it still looked fine. It has an extra bike connection in there (which are like 200 Kroner alone) and the rain cover (another 400 Kroner). So our Super said that one of the tires was flat and he was sure it was the same one he threw away before so he threw it out. He asked how much we paid for it and I said 600 Kroner (just over $100). I thought he was going to give us money for it but then he unexpectedly said- I am going to find you another one. I will find one. I was, again, quite surprised. Uh, okay. That seems really weird. We don't just want some random one he picks. I was very nice about the whole thing though because it was just an accident and I was honestly so relieved that it had been thrown out instead of stolen. It just made me feel so much better. More sad instead of angry. 
So I went and told Matthew and he had a similar reaction. We did not want to be without bike transport because now that Graham is old enough to be on the bike, we avoid the bus as much as possible. So, we went and bought Graham a bike seat- which we were meaning to do anyway. Olivia has had one for a long time on my bike. Here is his new seat:


And our set up below with one kid on each bike (you can see Olivia's seat on my bike though she is not in it):


So we bought the new seat and rode that for a day or two until Matthew saw a really great deal online for another wagon that was in even better shape and even a little cheaper than our last one. So he bought it! Here is our new one- looks pretty similar- same brand and etc.


Below it is hooked up to Matthew's bike with mine next to it.


 We locked it up downstairs again and then in the morning I went and told the Super to please not throw away our new wagon! He was really good natured about it, as was I. He gave me 400 Kroner and said he was sorry. I was totally fine with it. This one is nicer and it all worked out in the end! So we are back in the wagon! We have been riding it nonstop since we got it. I love riding bikes! I am not great at navigating the heavy Copenhagen bike traffic yet- not a pro like Matthew- but I am getting it! Graham and Olivia love riding in the wagon together. They hold hands. And sometimes Olivia tortures Graham but what can you do?


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