diff --git a/mytwitter.py b/mytwitter.py
index bb175b3..ae674d0 100755
--- a/mytwitter.py
+++ b/mytwitter.py
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 #
 # Custom twitter client... mostly for learning Python
 
-import sys, ConfigParser, os, re, optparse
+import sys, ConfigParser, os, re, optparse, shelve
 import twitter
 import gtk, gtk.glade, gobject
 from urllib2 import HTTPError
@@ -18,10 +18,12 @@ class MyTwitter():
         config.read(os.path.expanduser(config_file))
         self.username = config.get('global', 'username')
         self.password = config.get('global', 'password')
-
         self.num_entries = int(config.get('global', 'entries'))
-
         self.refresh_time = int(config.get('global', 'refreshtime'))
+
+        db_file = os.path.expanduser(config.get('global', 'dbfile'))
+        self.db = shelve.open(db_file)
+
         if self.refresh_time < 10:
             self.refresh_time = 10
 
@@ -135,6 +137,7 @@ class MyTwitter():
 
 
     def gtk_main_quit(self, widget):
+        self.db.close()
         gtk.main_quit()