diff --git a/monica_dev/README.md b/monica_dev/README.md
index 02fb03d..26a24fb 100644
--- a/monica_dev/README.md
+++ b/monica_dev/README.md
@@ -1,22 +1,70 @@
 # Monica Personal CRM
 
-Last Updated: Wed December 04, 2024 06:34:09 PDT
-
 ## Overview
 
-Docker Hub: https://hub.docker.com/_/monica
-Project: https://www.monicahq.com/
-Proxy Port: 80
+Monica is an open-source personal relationship manager. This stack runs Monica with a MariaDB database.
 
-## Description
+## Project Details
 
-Personal Customer Relationship Manager
+-   **Project Repository:** [https://github.com/monicahq/monica](https://github.com/monicahq/monica)
+-   **Container Image:** [Docker Hub](https://hub.docker.com/_/monica)
+-   **Documentation:** [https://www.monicahq.com/](https://www.monicahq.com/)
+-   **Reverse Proxy Port:** `80`
 
-## Notes
+## Getting Started
 
-Importing directly to the db (phpmydadmin)
-you have to run the following in the container: ```php artisan bookstack:regenerate-permissions```
+1. Start the stack: `docker compose up -d`
+2. Open http://localhost:${MONICA_PORT:-8081} in your browser
+3. Follow the setup wizard
 
-### Sample ENV
+## Environment Variable Notes
 
-https://raw.githubusercontent.com/monicahq/monica/master/.env.example
+    VOL_PATH – base path for persistent data volumes
+    VOL_PROJECTS – base path for project directories
+    MONICA_IMAGE – Monica container image (default: monica:latest)
+    MONICA_RESTART – restart policy (default: unless-stopped)
+    MONICA_PORT – host port mapped to container port 80 (default: 8081)
+    MONICA_APP_ENV – application environment (default: production)
+    MONICA_DB_IMAGE – MariaDB container image (default: mariadb:11)
+    MONICA_DB_PASSWORD – Monica database password
+    MONICA_MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD – MariaDB root password
+
+## Volume Notes
+
+    ${VOL_PATH}/monica_dev/db – MariaDB data directory
+    ${VOL_PATH}/monica_dev/storage – Monica storage (avatars, exports, etc.)
+
+## Network Notes
+
+Requires the external `proxy` network (Nginx Proxy Manager). An internal bridge network `internal` is created for inter-service communication.
+
+## Docker Run
+
+```bash
+docker run -d \
+  --name monica \
+  -v ${VOL_PATH:-/data}/monica_dev/storage:/var/www/html/storage \
+  -e DB_HOST=monica-db \
+  -e DB_USERNAME=monica \
+  -e DB_PASSWORD=changeme \
+  -e DB_DATABASE=monica \
+  -e APP_ENV=production \
+  -p 8081:80 \
+  --network proxy \
+  monica:latest
+```
+
+## Additional Notes / Gotchas
+
+- After making changes via the database, run `php artisan migrate` inside the Monica container to apply schema changes.
+
+## Dockhand Stack, Deploy from Git
+
+Cookbooks Repository
+stackname: MONICA_DEV
+Compose file path: monica_dev/compose.yaml
+Additional env file (optional): monica_dev/sample.env
+
+Then "Load" monica_dev/sample.env into the Environmental variables in dockhand
+
+Create the Stack
diff --git a/monica_dev/compose.yaml b/monica_dev/compose.yaml
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..78ef757
--- /dev/null
+++ b/monica_dev/compose.yaml
@@ -0,0 +1,48 @@
+# Monica Personal CRM
+
+services:
+  monica-db:
+    image: ${MONICA_DB_IMAGE:-mariadb:11}
+    restart: ${MONICA_RESTART:-unless-stopped}
+
+    volumes:
+      - ${VOL_PATH:-/data}/monica_dev/db:/var/lib/mysql
+
+    environment:
+      - MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=${MONICA_MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD:-changeme}
+      - MYSQL_DATABASE=monica
+      - MYSQL_USER=monica
+      - MYSQL_PASSWORD=${MONICA_DB_PASSWORD:-changeme}
+
+    networks:
+      - internal
+
+  monica:
+    image: ${MONICA_IMAGE:-monica:latest}
+    restart: ${MONICA_RESTART:-unless-stopped}
+
+    volumes:
+      - ${VOL_PATH:-/data}/monica_dev/storage:/var/www/html/storage
+
+    environment:
+      - DB_HOST=monica-db
+      - DB_USERNAME=monica
+      - DB_PASSWORD=${MONICA_DB_PASSWORD:-changeme}
+      - DB_DATABASE=monica
+      - APP_ENV=${MONICA_APP_ENV:-production}
+
+    ports:
+      - "${MONICA_PORT:-8081}:80"
+
+    networks:
+      - proxy
+      - internal
+
+    depends_on:
+      - monica-db
+
+networks:
+  proxy:
+    external: true
+  internal:
+    driver: bridge
diff --git a/monica_dev/docker-compose.yml b/monica_dev/docker-compose.yml
deleted file mode 100644
index 8292936..0000000
--- a/monica_dev/docker-compose.yml
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,11 +0,0 @@
-services:
-  monica:
-    image: ${MONICA_IMAGE:-latest}
-    restart: unless-stopped
-    environment:
-      - DB_HOST=${MONICA_DB_HOST:-monica-db}
-      - DB_USERNAME=${MONICA_DB_USERNAME:-monica}
-      - DB_PASSWORD=${MONICA_DB_PASSWORD:-changeme}
-      - APP_ENV=${MONICA_APP_ENV:-production}
-    volumes:
-      - ${VOL_PATH}/monica:/var/www/html/storage
diff --git a/monica_dev/sample.env b/monica_dev/sample.env
index e9e60c6..8e9b644 100644
--- a/monica_dev/sample.env
+++ b/monica_dev/sample.env
@@ -1,10 +1,14 @@
+# ===== Paths =====
+VOL_PATH=/data
+VOL_PROJECTS=/data/projects
 
-COOKBOOK=/git/docker-compose-cookbooks #HELP: cookbooks
-VOL_PATH=./data #HELP: volpath
-
-# Monica
+# ===== Monica =====
 MONICA_IMAGE=monica:latest
-MONICA_DB_HOST=monica-db
-MONICA_DB_USERNAME=monica
-MONICA_DB_PASSWORD=changeme
+MONICA_RESTART=unless-stopped
+MONICA_PORT=8081
 MONICA_APP_ENV=production
+
+# ===== Database =====
+MONICA_DB_IMAGE=mariadb:11
+MONICA_DB_PASSWORD=changeme
+MONICA_MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD=changeme-root