diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index a37f07f..fb1f6b6 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -4,10 +4,12 @@ import (
 	"fmt"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strings"
 
 	"go.wit.com/dev/alexflint/arg"
 	"go.wit.com/gui"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/repolist"
+	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/repostatus"
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
 	"go.wit.com/log"
 )
@@ -51,10 +53,23 @@ func main() {
 	newr.Status.MakeRedomod()
 
 	// rv.NewRepo("go.wit.com/apps/helloworld")
+	for _, path := range repostatus.ScanGitDirectories(wdir) {
+		gopath := strings.TrimPrefix(path, wdir)
+		gopath = strings.Trim(gopath, "/")
+		// log.Info("Also should add:", gopath)
+		rv.NewRepo(gopath)
+	}
+
+	godep := newr.Status.GetGoDeps()
+	for gopath, version := range godep {
+		log.Info("git clone =", gopath, version)
+		rv.NewRepo(gopath)
+	}
 
 	for _, repo := range rv.AllRepos() {
 		log.Info("found repo", repo.GoPath(), repo.Status.Path())
 	}
+	rv.MakeGoWork()
 
 	//	rv.Watchdog(func() {
 	//		log.Info("watchdog")
@@ -76,26 +91,31 @@ func findWorkFile() (string, error) {
 	pwd, err := os.Getwd()
 	if err == nil {
 		// Check for go.work in the current directory and then move up until root
-		pwd, err = digup(pwd)
-		if err == nil {
+		if pwd, err := digup(pwd); err == nil {
+			// found an existing go.work file
 			os.Chdir(pwd)
 			return pwd, nil
 		}
 
+		// if the user added '--work' on the cmdline, make a work directory and init the go.work file
 		if myargs.Work {
-			pwd := filepath.Join(pwd, "work")
-			shell.Mkdir(pwd)
-			os.Chdir(pwd)
+			pwd, err = os.Getwd()
+			newpwd := filepath.Join(pwd, "work")
+			shell.Mkdir(newpwd)
+			os.Chdir(newpwd)
 			if _, err := os.Stat("go.work"); err == nil {
-				return pwd, nil
+				return newpwd, nil
 			}
-			shell.RunPath(pwd, []string{"go", "work", "init"})
+			shell.RunPath(newpwd, []string{"go", "work", "init"})
 			if shell.Exists("go.work") {
-				return pwd, nil
+				return newpwd, nil
 			}
 		}
 	}
 
+	// there are no go.work files, resume the ~/go/src behavior from prior to golang 1.22
+	// this is the 'old way" and works fine for me. I use it because I like the ~/go/src directory
+	// because I know exactly what is in it: GO stuff & nothing else
 	homeDir, err := os.UserHomeDir()
 	if err != nil {
 		return "", err
diff --git a/readWorkFile.go b/readWorkFile.go
index e11ad90..3383a82 100644
--- a/readWorkFile.go
+++ b/readWorkFile.go
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package main
 import (
 	"bufio"
 	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
 	"strings"
 
 	"go.wit.com/lib/gui/shell"
@@ -15,8 +16,9 @@ func addDir(d string) {
 	}
 }
 
-func readControlFile() error {
-	file, err := os.Open("go.work")
+func readControlFile(path string) error {
+	fullname := filepath.Join(path, "go.work")
+	file, err := os.Open(fullname)
 	if err != nil {
 		return err
 	}