diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 8d1f7d1..cd90f59 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -7,3 +7,10 @@ secrets -- passwords, PII, etc. Assume everything else could be made public. If
 doc     -- documentation of processes, ideas, memos, etc.
 llc     -- corporate documents, financial ledger, business running
 venv    -- python environment for this whole kiboodle
+
+To set up an environment that works with these scripts, start a shell
+(preferably zsh, though bash should work) in this directory, and type:
+
+```sh
+. bin/activate-all
+```    
diff --git a/bin/activate-all b/bin/activate-all
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..ca3e971
--- /dev/null
+++ b/bin/activate-all
@@ -0,0 +1,36 @@
+#!/bin/echo "source me, don't run me"
+###
+# activate-all - shell environment for almanack
+###
+# Note, you should source these, not execute this script
+# This stuff has been tried on zsh, but should work on bash.
+###
+
+if [ -n "$BASH_VERSION" ]; then
+    script_dir=$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)
+elif [ -n "$ZSH_VERSION" ]; then
+    script_dir=$(cd "$(dirname "$0")" && pwd)
+else
+    echo "Unsupported shell."
+    exit 1
+fi
+ALMANACK_ROOT=$(dirname $script_dir)
+
+# Check for the existence of the venv directory
+if [ ! -d "$ALMANACK_ROOT/venv" ]; then
+    echo "The virtual environment directory does not exist. Please run:"
+    echo "python -m venv $ALMANACK_ROOT/venv --prompt almnck"
+    return 1 2>/dev/null || exit 1
+fi
+
+. $ALMANACK_ROOT/venv/bin/activate
+PATH=$ALMANACK_ROOT/bin:$PATH
+
+# Default to going to the root of almanack
+cd() {
+    if [[ $# -eq 0 ]]; then
+        builtin cd $ALMANACK_ROOT || builtin cd
+    else
+        builtin cd "$@"
+    fi
+}