diff --git a/src/gui_builder.cc b/src/gui_builder.cc
index d6fc9b7..d14d3aa 100644
--- a/src/gui_builder.cc
+++ b/src/gui_builder.cc
@@ -38,6 +38,14 @@
 using namespace sgpem;
 using Gnome::Glade::Xml;
 
+void
+test_me()
+{
+  // A test for widget display:
+  Simulation& sim = Simulation::get_instance();
+  sim.get_history().add_process("goofy", 0, 0);
+}
+
 
 GuiBuilder::GuiBuilder(const std::string& gladefile)
 	: _refXml(Xml::create(gladefile))
@@ -58,7 +66,8 @@ GuiBuilder::GuiBuilder(const std::string& gladefile)
 	_refXml->get_widget("MenuItem.Help.About", help_about);
 	AboutDialog* about_dialog = NULL;
 	_refXml->get_widget("AboutDialog", about_dialog);
-	help_about->signal_activate().connect(sigc::mem_fun(*about_dialog, &Window::show));
+	//help_about->signal_activate().connect(sigc::mem_fun(*about_dialog, &Window::show));
+  help_about->signal_activate().connect(sigc::ptr_fun(test_me));
 
 	// Temporary code to test the Schedulables custom widget
 	Expander* scheds_expander = NULL;
@@ -68,9 +77,6 @@ GuiBuilder::GuiBuilder(const std::string& gladefile)
 	// we have to remember to manually show custom added widgets:
 	scheds_widget->show();
 
-  // A test for widget display:
-  Simulation& sim = Simulation::get_instance();
-  sim.get_history().add_process("goofy", 0, 0);
 }
 
 
diff --git a/src/schedulables_widget.cc b/src/schedulables_widget.cc
index 9c3d2e2..33540ec 100644
--- a/src/schedulables_widget.cc
+++ b/src/schedulables_widget.cc
@@ -26,16 +26,19 @@
 
 #include <gdkmm/window.h>
 
+#include <cassert>
 #include <iostream>
 #include <memory>
 
+
 using namespace sgpem;
 
 
 SchedulablesWidget::SchedulablesWidget()
-  : Glib::ObjectBase("sgpem_CairoWidget"), 
+  : Glib::ObjectBase("sgpem_CairoWidget"),
 		Gtk::Widget(), _h(1), _buf(NULL)
 {
+  set_flags(Gtk::NO_WINDOW);
   // Register this observer:
   Simulation::get_instance().get_history().attach(*this);
 }
@@ -51,24 +54,27 @@ void
 SchedulablesWidget::update(const History& history)
 {
 	if(!is_realized())
-		return; // Nowhere to draw to.
+    return; // Nowhere to draw to.
 
   // Determine the final height before to start drawing
   unsigned int w = get_allocation().get_width();
   _h = calc_height(history);
-  
+
   // get_window() returns a null pointer
   // if the widget has not been realized
   _buf = Gdk::Pixmap::create(get_window(), w, _h);
+
   cairo_t* ctx = gdk_cairo_create(_buf->gobj());
 
   // do the drawing...
   draw_widget(ctx);
-  
+
   cairo_scale(ctx, w, _h);
 
   // manually force an expose_event?
   cairo_destroy(ctx);
+
+  queue_draw();
 }
 
 
@@ -95,13 +101,13 @@ SchedulablesWidget::calc_height(const History& history) const
 void 
 SchedulablesWidget::on_realize()
 {
-	set_flags(Gtk::REALIZED);
-	
-	// Add other events we want to manage (as mouse clicks)
-  // when needed
-  add_events(Gdk::EXPOSURE_MASK);
+  if(is_realized()) return;
 
-	GdkWindowAttr attributes;
+  Gtk::Widget::on_realize();
+  ensure_style();
+
+  GdkWindowAttr attributes;
+  memset(&attributes, 0, sizeof(attributes));
 
 	Gtk::Allocation alloc = get_allocation();
 
@@ -110,20 +116,23 @@ SchedulablesWidget::on_realize()
 	attributes.width = alloc.get_width();
 	attributes.height = alloc.get_height();
 	attributes.wclass = GDK_INPUT_OUTPUT;
-	attributes.visual = get_visual()->gobj();
-	attributes.colormap = get_colormap()->gobj();
-	
+  attributes.event_mask = get_events() | GDK_EXPOSURE_MASK;
+  attributes.window_type = GDK_WINDOW_CHILD;
+
 	Glib::RefPtr<Gdk::Window> window = Gdk::Window::create(get_parent_window(),
 																												 &attributes,
-																												 GDK_WA_X | GDK_WA_Y | GDK_WA_COLORMAP |
-																												 GDK_WA_VISUAL | GDK_WA_WMCLASS);
+																												 Gdk::WA_X | Gdk::WA_Y | 
+                                                         Gdk::WA_WMCLASS);
+  unset_flags(Gtk::NO_WINDOW);
+
 	set_window(window);
-	//	get_style()->attach(window);
 	window->set_user_data(gobj());
 	get_style()->set_background(window, Gtk::STATE_ACTIVE);
+
+  _refGC = Gdk::GC::create(window);
 }
- 
-void 
+
+void
 SchedulablesWidget::on_size_request(Gtk::Requisition* requisition)
 {
   // FIXME: take correct measures, consider also using a viewport(?)
@@ -147,28 +156,29 @@ SchedulablesWidget::on_size_allocate(const Gtk::Allocation& allocation)
 bool 
 SchedulablesWidget::on_expose_event(GdkEventExpose* event)
 {
-	if(!event || event->count > 0)
-		return false;
-
   // calculated dinamically:
-  set_size_request(get_allocation().get_width(), _h);
+  int w = get_allocation().get_width();
+  set_size_request(w, _h);
   
   // Clip to redraw only the smallest possible area
   std::auto_ptr<Gdk::Rectangle> clip_area;
-	clip_area = std::auto_ptr<Gdk::Rectangle>(new Gdk::Rectangle(event->area.x, event->area.y,
-																															 event->area.width, event->area.height));
+  if(event)
+	  clip_area = std::auto_ptr<Gdk::Rectangle>(new Gdk::Rectangle(event->area.x, event->area.y,
+                                                          event->area.width, event->area.height));
+  else
+    clip_area = std::auto_ptr<Gdk::Rectangle>(new Gdk::Rectangle(0, 0, w, _h));
 
   // Use double buffering or we're CPU-dead
   // Copy from the buffer to the screen
   if(_buf)
-    get_window()->draw_drawable(Gdk::GC::create(get_window()), _buf, 
-                                clip_area->get_x(), clip_area->get_y(), 
-                                clip_area->get_x(), clip_area->get_y(),
-                                clip_area->get_width(), clip_area->get_height());
+    get_window()->draw_drawable(_refGC, _buf, 
+                              clip_area->get_x(), clip_area->get_y(), 
+                              clip_area->get_x(), clip_area->get_y(),
+                              clip_area->get_width(), clip_area->get_height());
 
-  return true; 
+  return true;
 }
- 
+
 
 bool 
 SchedulablesWidget::on_button_press_event(GdkEventButton* event)
diff --git a/src/schedulables_widget.hh b/src/schedulables_widget.hh
index 9dd5a54..4b9e9c3 100644
--- a/src/schedulables_widget.hh
+++ b/src/schedulables_widget.hh
@@ -59,6 +59,7 @@ namespace sgpem
     typedef std::vector<area_callback_t>                 areas_vect_t;
     
     Glib::RefPtr<Gdk::Pixmap>  _buf;
+    Glib::RefPtr<Gdk::GC> _refGC;
   };
 
 } //~ namespace sgpem