diff --git a/kit/log.go b/kit/log.go
index 87b0ca78..9b21b40d 100644
--- a/kit/log.go
+++ b/kit/log.go
@@ -110,6 +110,10 @@ func InitLog(logname string) {
 	LogInfo("InitLog ==============================", "date", date, "logname", logname)
 }
 
+func LogFatal(err error) {
+	TheLog.Fatal(err)
+}
+
 func SummarizeLog(fname string) error {
 	file, err := os.Open(fname)
 	if err != nil {
diff --git a/kit/misc.go b/kit/misc.go
index 165ff444..e3ece52d 100644
--- a/kit/misc.go
+++ b/kit/misc.go
@@ -73,14 +73,12 @@ func MIDIFilePath(nm string) string {
 func LocalPaletteDir() string {
 	localapp := os.Getenv("CommonProgramFiles")
 	if localapp == "" {
-		var err error
-		tempdir, err := GetParam("global.tempdir")
-		LogWarn("Expecting CommonProgramFiles to be set, using global.tempdir value", "tempdir", tempdir)
-		if err != nil {
-			LogIfError(err)
-			return ""
+		home := os.Getenv("HOME")
+		localapp = filepath.Join(home,"commonfiles","Palette")
+		if err := os.MkdirAll(localapp, os.ModePerm); err != nil {
+			LogFatal(err)
 		}
-		localapp = tempdir
+		LogInfo("LocalPaletteDir using HOME","localapp",localapp)
 	}
 	return filepath.Join(localapp, "Palette")
 }