diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 639844d..1f75372 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -13,15 +13,8 @@ import (
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/reflect/protoreflect"
 )
 
-// save the events config file in both json and prototext
-func (e *Events) ConfigSave() error {
-	if err := ConfigWriteJSON(e, "events.json"); err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-
-	return ConfigWriteTEXT(e, "events.text")
-}
-
+// writes out the cluster information it seperate files
+// to make it humanly possible to hand edit things as needed
 func (c *Cluster) ConfigSave() error {
 	var d *Droplets
 	d = new(Droplets)
@@ -30,6 +23,10 @@ func (c *Cluster) ConfigSave() error {
 		fmt.Println("droplets.json write failed")
 		return err
 	}
+	if err := ConfigWriteTEXT(d, "newdroplets.text"); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("droplets.json write failed")
+		return err
+	}
 
 	var h *Hypervisors
 	h = new(Hypervisors)
@@ -38,6 +35,10 @@ func (c *Cluster) ConfigSave() error {
 		fmt.Println("hypervisors.json write failed")
 		return err
 	}
+	if err := ConfigWriteTEXT(h, "newhypervisors.text"); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("hypervisors.json write failed")
+		return err
+	}
 
 	var e *Events
 	e = new(Events)
@@ -46,60 +47,44 @@ func (c *Cluster) ConfigSave() error {
 		fmt.Println("newEvents.json write failed")
 		return err
 	}
+	if err := ConfigWriteTEXT(h, "newEvents.text"); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("newEvents.json write failed")
+		return err
+	}
+
+	if err := ConfigWriteTEXT(c, "newCluster.text"); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("newCluster.json write failed")
+		return err
+	}
+
+	var newc Cluster
+	newc.Dirs = c.Dirs
+	newc.Droplets = nil
+	newc.Hypervisors = nil
+	newc.Events = nil
+	if err := ConfigWriteTEXT(&newc, "newSmallCluster.text"); err != nil {
+		fmt.Println("newSmallCluster.json write failed")
+		return err
+	}
 
 	return nil
 }
 
-// read in the events log file
+func (c *Cluster) ConfigLoad() error {
+	if c == nil {
+		c = new(Cluster)
+	}
+	fullname := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("VIRTIGO_HOME"), "newCluster.json")
+	data, err := os.ReadFile(fullname)
+	if err != nil {
+		// log.Info("open config file :", err)
+		return err
+	}
+	return c.UnmarshalJSON(data)
+}
+
 // reads in from the prototext file
 // prototext file formats are not garrenteed to be stable. todo: hammer that out
-func (e *Events) ConfigRead() error {
-	fullname := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("VIRTIGO_HOME"), "events.text")
-	data, err := os.ReadFile(fullname)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return prototext.Unmarshal(data, e)
-}
-
-// get the list of droplets from the config file
-func (d *Droplets) ConfigRead() error {
-	fullname := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("VIRTIGO_HOME"), "droplets.json")
-	data, err := os.ReadFile(fullname)
-	if err != nil {
-		return err
-	}
-	return protojson.Unmarshal(data, d)
-	/*
-		err = d.UnmarshalJSON(data)
-		if err != nil {
-			return err
-		}
-		return nil
-	*/
-}
-
-//func (e *Events) ConfigSave() error {
-//	return ConfigWriteJSON(e, "events.json")
-//}
-
-// save the droplet settings in a config file
-// uses 'protojson.Format' which is more or less human readable
-func (d *Droplets) ConfigSave() error {
-	return ConfigWriteJSON(d, "droplets.json")
-	/*
-		fullname := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("VIRTIGO_HOME"), "droplets.json")
-		cfgfile, err := os.OpenFile(fullname, os.O_RDWR|os.O_CREATE, 0666)
-		defer cfgfile.Close()
-		if err != nil {
-			fmt.Println("open config file :", err)
-			return err
-		}
-		text := protojson.Format(d)
-		fmt.Fprintln(cfgfile, text)
-		return nil
-	*/
-}
 
 func ConfigWriteJSON(a any, filename string) error {
 	fullname := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("VIRTIGO_HOME"), filename)
@@ -152,6 +137,7 @@ func WriteConfig(d *Droplets, h *Hypervisors, e *Events) bool {
 	return true
 }
 
+
 // read in events.json
 func ReadEventsConfig() (*Events, error) {
 	e := new(Events)