diff --git a/config.go b/config.go
index 840959b..9bbf524 100644
--- a/config.go
+++ b/config.go
@@ -10,8 +10,103 @@ import (
 
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/encoding/protojson"
 	"google.golang.org/protobuf/encoding/prototext"
+	"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")
+}
+
+// read in the events log file
+// 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)
+	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
+	}
+	msg, ok := a.(protoreflect.ProtoMessage)
+	if !ok {
+		return fmt.Errorf("provided value does not implement protoreflect.ProtoMessage")
+	}
+	text := protojson.Format(msg)
+	fmt.Fprintln(cfgfile, text)
+	return nil
+}
+
+func ConfigWriteTEXT(a any, filename string) error {
+	fullname := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("VIRTIGO_HOME"), filename)
+	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
+	}
+	msg, ok := a.(protoreflect.ProtoMessage)
+	if !ok {
+		return fmt.Errorf("provided value does not implement protoreflect.ProtoMessage")
+	}
+	text := prototext.Format(msg)
+	fmt.Fprintln(cfgfile, text)
+	return nil
+}
+
 func WriteConfig(d *Droplets, h *Hypervisors, e *Events) bool {
 	if !d.WriteConfigJSON() {
 		return false
@@ -20,10 +115,10 @@ func WriteConfig(d *Droplets, h *Hypervisors, e *Events) bool {
 		return false
 	}
 
-	if e.WriteConfigJSON() {
+	if err := e.WriteConfigJSON(); err != nil {
 		return false
 	}
-	if e.WriteConfigTEXT() {
+	if err := e.WriteConfigTEXT(); err != nil {
 		return false
 	}
 	return true
@@ -48,33 +143,33 @@ func ReadEventsConfig() (*Events, error) {
 }
 
 // export as json
-func (e *Events) WriteConfigJSON() bool {
+func (e *Events) WriteConfigJSON() error {
 	fullname := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("VIRTIGO_HOME"), "events.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 false
+		return err
 	}
 	text := e.FormatJSON()
 	fmt.Fprintln(cfgfile, text)
 	fmt.Println("Write:", fullname, "OK")
-	return true
+	return nil
 }
 
 // export as prototext
-func (e *Events) WriteConfigTEXT() bool {
+func (e *Events) WriteConfigTEXT() error {
 	fullname := filepath.Join(os.Getenv("VIRTIGO_HOME"), "events.text")
 	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 false
+		return err
 	}
 	text := e.FormatTEXT()
 	fmt.Fprintln(cfgfile, text)
 	fmt.Println("Write:", fullname, "OK")
-	return true
+	return nil
 }
 
 // export as json