diff --git a/init.go b/init.go
index e25e0ce..2c1d0fc 100644
--- a/init.go
+++ b/init.go
@@ -52,6 +52,10 @@ func toolkitInit() {
 	// SETUP HELP END
 
 	// SETUP STDOUT START
+	if me.stdout.tk == nil {
+		makeOutputWidget(me.baseGui, "from setThingsOnTop()")
+	}
+
 	time.Sleep(300 * time.Millisecond)
 	log.Info("gocui toolkitInit() me.ok =", me.ok)
 	me.baseGui.Update(testRefresh)
@@ -72,10 +76,7 @@ func toolkitInit() {
 
 	// SETUP libnotify
 	makeNotifyClock(me.notify.clock.wId)
-
-	if me.stdout.tk == nil {
-		makeOutputWidget(me.baseGui, "from setThingsOnTop()")
-	}
+	makeNotifyMenu(me.notify.menu.wId)
 
 	// PUT INIT DEBUG COOE HERE
 	var toggle bool
diff --git a/libnotify.go b/libnotify.go
index 01e4305..cb27d29 100644
--- a/libnotify.go
+++ b/libnotify.go
@@ -65,7 +65,25 @@ func makeNotifyClock(wId int) {
 	me.notify.clock.tk.setColorLabel()
 	me.notify.clock.tk.Show()
 	me.notify.clock.active = true
-	me.notify.clock.tk.dumpWidget("showClock()")
+	me.notify.clock.tk.dumpWidget("notifyClock()")
+
+}
+
+func makeNotifyMenu(wId int) {
+	if me.treeRoot == nil {
+		log.Info("gogui makeClock() error. treeRoot == nil")
+		return
+	}
+	me.notify.menu.tk = makeNewInternalWidget(wId)
+	me.notify.menu.tk.dumpWidget("init() menu")
+	w, _ := me.baseGui.Size()
+	me.notify.menu.tk.MoveToOffset(w-5, me.notify.clock.offsetH)
+	me.notify.menu.tk.labelN = "|jwc|"
+	me.notify.menu.tk.frame = false
+	me.notify.menu.tk.setColorButton()
+	me.notify.menu.tk.Show()
+	me.notify.menu.active = true
+	me.notify.menu.tk.dumpWidget("notifyMenu()")
 
 }
 
@@ -99,6 +117,26 @@ func libNotifyUpdate() {
 	me.notify.clock.tk.v.Clear()
 	me.notify.clock.tk.labelN = time.Now().Format("15:04:05")
 	me.notify.clock.tk.v.WriteString(me.notify.clock.tk.labelN)
+	hardDrawAtgocuiSize(me.notify.clock.tk)
+	// hardDrawUnderMouse(me.notify.clock.tk, "clock")
+	log.Info("libNotifyUpdate updated clock", me.notify.clock.tk.labelN)
+
+	if me.notify.menu.tk == nil {
+		log.Info("libNotifyUpdate error menu.tk == nil")
+		return
+	}
+	if me.notify.menu.tk.v == nil {
+		log.Info("libNotifyUpdate error menu.tk.v == nil")
+		return
+	}
+
+	// update the menu
+	me.notify.menu.tk.v.Clear()
+	me.notify.menu.tk.labelN = "boo"
+	me.notify.menu.tk.v.WriteString(me.notify.menu.tk.labelN)
+	// hardDrawUnderMouse(me.notify.menu.tk, "menu")
+	me.baseGui.SetViewOnTop(me.notify.menu.tk.v.Name())
+	me.baseGui.SetViewOnTop(me.notify.clock.tk.v.Name())
 }
 
 // in the very end of redrawing things, this will place the help and stdout on the top or botton
@@ -109,10 +147,17 @@ func setThingsOnTop() {
 	} else {
 		me.baseGui.SetViewOnTop("help")
 	}
+
 	if me.notify.clock.tk != nil {
 		me.baseGui.SetViewOnTop(me.notify.clock.tk.v.Name())
 	}
 
+	if me.notify.menu.tk != nil {
+		if me.notify.menu.tk.v != nil {
+			me.baseGui.SetViewOnTop(me.notify.menu.tk.v.Name())
+		}
+	}
+
 	if me.stdout.tk == nil {
 		makeOutputWidget(me.baseGui, "from setThingsOnTop()")
 	}
@@ -143,6 +188,47 @@ func setThingsOnTop() {
 	setBottomBG()
 }
 
+// useful for debuggging
+func hardDrawUnderMouse(tk *guiWidget, name string) {
+	if tk.v != nil {
+		tk.Hide()
+	}
+	w, h := me.baseGui.MousePosition()
+	a := w
+	b := h
+	c := w + 8
+	d := h + 4
+	var err error
+	tk.v, err = me.baseGui.SetView(tk.cuiName, a, b, c, d, 0)
+	if err == nil {
+		log.Info("hardDrawUnderMouse() err ok widget", tk.cuiName)
+		tk.dumpWidget("hard draw err")
+	}
+	tk.v.Frame = false
+	tk.v.Clear()
+	tk.v.WriteString(tk.labelN + "\n" + name)
+}
+
+func hardDrawAtgocuiSize(tk *guiWidget) {
+	if tk.v != nil {
+		tk.Hide()
+	}
+	a := tk.gocuiSize.w0
+	b := tk.gocuiSize.h0
+	c := tk.gocuiSize.w1
+	d := tk.gocuiSize.h1
+	var err error
+	tk.v, err = me.baseGui.SetView(tk.cuiName, a, b, c, d, 0)
+	if err == nil {
+		log.Info("hardDrawAtgocuiSize() err ok widget", tk.cuiName)
+		tk.dumpWidget("hard draw err")
+	}
+	tk.v.Frame = false
+	tk.v.Clear()
+	tk.v.WriteString(tk.labelN)
+	log.Info("hardDrawAtgocuiSize() err ok widget", tk.cuiName, a, b, c, d, tk.v.Name())
+}
+
 // find the "BG" widget and set it to the background on the very very bottom
 func setBottomBG() {
 	if me.BG.tk == nil {
diff --git a/window.go b/window.go
index 51f40e1..043f109 100644
--- a/window.go
+++ b/window.go
@@ -71,6 +71,10 @@ func (tk *guiWidget) redrawWindow(w int, h int) {
 
 	tk.setFullSize()
 	tk.Show()
+	if tk.v == nil {
+		log.Info("redrawWindow on tk.v == nil")
+		standardExit()
+	}
 	tk.v.Clear()
 	fmt.Fprint(tk.v, "ZZZ"+tk.GetText())
 	tk.showWidgets()