03/21/2020
I originally set up Cape May Diamonds when my husband Fred and I moved to Cape May in 2006. I was facinated with the legend and Fred and I loved picking them up. I taught myself how to create jewelry with the 'diamonds' we picked up at Sunset Beach. We loved to be at Sunset Beach any time of the year, including Christmas Day one year. I made and sold the Cape May Diamond jewelry for about eight years, eventually realizing I couldn't do it and keep up with my day job in New York, painting and exhibiting at SOMA Gallery, gardening and yard work and so much more. I kept the page a little active, but mostly let it hibernate. Now we are "sheltered in place" in our apartment in New York. We love it here and have an incredible view looking out over the East River and Manhattan from Long Island City. I was glad we made that decision, though we will need to go to Cape May at some point and get the house ready for summer rentals. We began renting out the house about 3 years ago as the upkeep became a little too much, while still working fulltime in New York. Although we weren't planning to "shelter" in Cape May, I was sad to see this article a New Jersey friend sent me. I understand fear, but it still made me sad to have worked so hard to live in Cape May, pay taxes so high we have to do vacation rentals, and then know we are not welcome, when all we would do is 'shelter' in our home. It's weird to feel your home is your refuge and then be told by the County Government to stay away. Don't know if it will ever really feel the same again. At the least, they could give us the a better rate on our taxes if we aren't to be in our home any time we choose.
What do you do if you legally own a second home at the Jersey shore but want to get out of the city?
