diff --git a/config/config.go b/config/config.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..24d8f15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/config/config.go
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+package config
+
+import (
+	"errors"
+	"fmt"
+	"os"
+	"path/filepath"
+
+	"github.com/pelletier/go-toml/v2"
+)
+
+type Config struct {
+	JournalDir string `toml:"journal_dir"`
+}
+
+func Default() (Config, error) {
+	home, err := os.UserHomeDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		return Config{}, fmt.Errorf("cannot determine home dir: %w", err)
+	}
+	return Config{
+		JournalDir: filepath.Join(home, "journal"),
+	}, nil
+}
+
+func Path() (string, error) {
+	cd, err := os.UserConfigDir()
+	if err != nil {
+		return "", fmt.Errorf("could not determine user config dir: %w", err)
+	}
+	configPath := filepath.Join(cd, "journal.toml")
+	return configPath, nil
+}
+
+func LoadOrCreate() (Config, bool, error) {
+
+	configPath, err := Path()
+	if err != nil {
+		return Config{}, false, fmt.Errorf("could not determine user config dir: %w", err)
+	}
+
+	f, err := os.Open(configPath)
+
+	if err != nil && !errors.Is(err, os.ErrNotExist) {
+		fmt.Printf("\n\nerr: %v %T\n\n", err, err)
+		return Config{}, false, fmt.Errorf("could not open user config '%s': %w", configPath, err)
+	} else if err != nil { // not exist
+		f, err = os.Create(configPath)
+		if err != nil {
+			return Config{}, false, fmt.Errorf("could not create user config '%s': %w", configPath, err)
+		}
+		def, err := Default()
+		if err != nil {
+			return Config{}, false, fmt.Errorf("could not generate default config: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		err = toml.NewEncoder(f).Encode(def)
+		if err != nil {
+			return Config{}, false, fmt.Errorf("could not encode new config: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		err = f.Close()
+		if err != nil {
+			return Config{}, false, fmt.Errorf("could not close file: %w", err)
+		}
+
+		return def, true, createJournalDirIfNecessary(def)
+	} else {
+		config := Config{}
+		err = toml.NewDecoder(f).Decode(&config)
+		if err != nil {
+			return Config{}, false, fmt.Errorf("could not decode config in '%s': %w", configPath, err)
+		}
+		err = f.Close()
+		if err != nil {
+			return Config{}, false, fmt.Errorf("could not close file: %w", err)
+		}
+		return config, false, createJournalDirIfNecessary(config)
+	}
+}
+
+func createJournalDirIfNecessary(c Config) error {
+	err := os.Mkdir(c.JournalDir, 0777)
+	if err != nil && errors.Is(err, os.ErrExist) {
+		return nil
+	} else if err != nil {
+		return err
+	}
+	return nil
+}
diff --git a/go.mod b/go.mod
index c853880..8290d7a 100644
--- a/go.mod
+++ b/go.mod
@@ -21,6 +21,7 @@ require (
 	github.com/lucasb-eyer/go-colorful v1.4.0 // indirect
 	github.com/mattn/go-runewidth v0.0.24 // indirect
 	github.com/muesli/cancelreader v0.2.2 // indirect
+	github.com/pelletier/go-toml/v2 v2.4.3
 	github.com/rivo/uniseg v0.4.7 // indirect
 	github.com/xo/terminfo v0.0.0-20220910002029-abceb7e1c41e // indirect
 	golang.org/x/sync v0.21.0 // indirect
diff --git a/go.sum b/go.sum
index 99e76e3..1718fa5 100644
--- a/go.sum
+++ b/go.sum
@@ -34,6 +34,8 @@ github.com/mattn/go-runewidth v0.0.24 h1:cpokDiIn0MGnhdHwuWnJBITySJ20QyNGnY2kR/a
 github.com/mattn/go-runewidth v0.0.24/go.mod h1:XBkDxAl56ILZc9knddidhrOlY5R/pDhgLpndooCuJAs=
 github.com/muesli/cancelreader v0.2.2 h1:3I4Kt4BQjOR54NavqnDogx/MIoWBFa0StPA8ELUXHmA=
 github.com/muesli/cancelreader v0.2.2/go.mod h1:3XuTXfFS2VjM+HTLZY9Ak0l6eUKfijIfMUZ4EgX0QYo=
+github.com/pelletier/go-toml/v2 v2.4.3 h1:GTRvJQutkOSftxIFD5xw9aepkYNuPWmVJpffdDPYVpY=
+github.com/pelletier/go-toml/v2 v2.4.3/go.mod h1:2gIqNv+qfxSVS7cM2xJQKtLSTLUE9V8t9Stt+h56mCY=
 github.com/rivo/uniseg v0.4.7 h1:WUdvkW8uEhrYfLC4ZzdpI2ztxP1I582+49Oc5Mq64VQ=
 github.com/rivo/uniseg v0.4.7/go.mod h1:FN3SvrM+Zdj16jyLfmOkMNblXMcoc8DfTHruCPUcx88=
 github.com/xo/terminfo v0.0.0-20220910002029-abceb7e1c41e h1:JVG44RsyaB9T2KIHavMF/ppJZNG9ZpyihvCd0w101no=
diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 0646c82..be53335 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -15,10 +15,23 @@ import (
 	"charm.land/bubbles/v2/textarea"
 	tea "charm.land/bubbletea/v2"
 	"charm.land/lipgloss/v2"
+	"code.ppl.town/justin/journal/config"
 )
 
 func main() {
-	p := tea.NewProgram(initialModel())
+
+	cfg, created, err := config.LoadOrCreate()
+	if err != nil {
+		fmt.Printf("could not get config: %s", err.Error())
+		os.Exit(1)
+	}
+	if created {
+		cp, _ := config.Path()
+		fmt.Printf("configuration created at '%s' - please check and re-run\n", cp)
+		os.Exit(0)
+	}
+
+	p := tea.NewProgram(initialModel(cfg))
 
 	if _, err := p.Run(); err != nil {
 		log.Fatal(err)
@@ -43,13 +56,8 @@ type model struct {
 	transientMsgs []transientMsg
 }
 
-func getWriter() (WriteSeekCloser, error) {
-	hd, err := os.UserHomeDir()
-	if err != nil {
-		return nil, err
-	}
-
-	fp := filepath.Join(hd, "journal")
+func getWriter(cfg config.Config) (WriteSeekCloser, error) {
+	fp := cfg.JournalDir
 	fpS, err := os.Stat(fp)
 	if err != nil {
 		return nil, err
@@ -67,7 +75,7 @@ func getWriter() (WriteSeekCloser, error) {
 	return file, nil
 }
 
-func initialModel() model {
+func initialModel(cfg config.Config) model {
 	ti := textarea.New()
 	ti.Placeholder = "What's happening Peter ..."
 	ti.SetVirtualCursor(false)
@@ -77,7 +85,7 @@ func initialModel() model {
 	ti.SetHeight(20)
 	ti.SetWidth(80)
 
-	fh, err := getWriter()
+	fh, err := getWriter(cfg)
 	if err != nil {
 		panic(err)
 	}