diff --git a/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py b/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
index bfef90c..d6856fc 100644
--- a/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
+++ b/mitterlib/ui/ui_pygtk.py
@@ -353,6 +353,7 @@ class Interface(object):
             <toolitem action="Clear" />
             <toolitem action="AllRead" />
             <separator />
+            <toolitem action="New" />
             <toolitem action="Delete" />
             <toolitem action="Reply" />
             <toolitem action="Repost" />
@@ -380,6 +381,7 @@ class Interface(object):
               <menuitem action="Replies" />
             </menu>
             <menu action="Message">
+              <menuitem action="New" />
               <menuitem action="Delete" />
               <menuitem action="Reply" />
               <menuitem action="Repost" />
@@ -455,6 +457,11 @@ class Interface(object):
         action_group.add_action(settings_action)
 
         # Message actions
+        new_action = gtk.Action('New', _('_New'),
+                _('Post a new message'), gtk.STOCK_ADD)
+        new_action.connect('activate', self._new_message)
+        action_group.add_action_with_accel(new_action, '<Ctrl>n')
+
         self._delete_action = gtk.Action('Delete', _('_Delete'),
                 _('Delete a post'), gtk.STOCK_DELETE)
         self._delete_action.set_property('sensitive', False)
@@ -521,6 +528,7 @@ class Interface(object):
 
         close_button = gtk.Button(stock=gtk.STOCK_CLOSE)
         close_button.set_relief(gtk.RELIEF_NONE)
+        close_button.connect('clicked', self._clear_text)
 
         status_bar = gtk.HBox(False, 0)
         status_bar.pack_start(self._update_status, expand=True, fill=True,
@@ -533,9 +541,11 @@ class Interface(object):
                 padding=0)
         update_bar.pack_start(avatar, expand=False, fill=False, padding=0)
 
-        update = gtk.VBox(False, 0)
-        update.pack_start(status_bar, expand=False, fill=True, padding=0)
-        update.pack_start(update_bar, expand=False, fill=True, padding=0)
+        self._update_box = gtk.VBox(False, 0)
+        self._update_box.pack_start(status_bar, expand=False, fill=True,
+                padding=0)
+        self._update_box.pack_start(update_bar, expand=False, fill=True,
+                padding=0)
 
         # Spell checking the update box
         spell_check_enabled = self._options[self.NAMESPACE]['spell_check']
@@ -554,7 +564,7 @@ class Interface(object):
                 _log.debug('Error initializing spell checking: ' \
                     'spell checking disabled')
 
-        return update
+        return self._update_box
 
     def _create_statusbar(self):
         """Create the statusbar."""
@@ -682,7 +692,6 @@ class Interface(object):
         should have the same property, so whenever you need to disable/enable
         them, use this function."""
 
-        #self._update_button.set_property('sensitive', enabled)
         self._update_action.set_property('sensitive', enabled)
         return
 
@@ -787,6 +796,16 @@ class Interface(object):
         store.sort_column_changed()
         return
 
+    def _show_update_box(self):
+        """Enables the update box."""
+        self._update_box.show_all()
+        self._update_text.grab_focus()
+        return
+
+    def _hide_update_box(self):
+        """Hides de update box."""
+        self._update_box.hide_all()
+        return
 
     # ------------------------------------------------------------
     # Widget callback functions
@@ -838,6 +857,7 @@ class Interface(object):
         self._delete_info = None
         self._clear_reply()
         self._remove_count_status()
+        self._hide_update_box()
 
         # change the focus to the grid.
         page = self._main_tabs.get_current_page()
@@ -1000,7 +1020,7 @@ class Interface(object):
         self._update_text.get_buffer().set_text(
                 self._connection.reply_prefix(message))
         self._reply_message_id = message
-        self._update_text.grab_focus()
+        self._show_update_box()
 
         return
 
@@ -1029,8 +1049,7 @@ class Interface(object):
             display = _('Removing message from %s from favorites...')
         else:
             display = _('Marking message from %s as favorite...')
-        self._update_status(display % (message.username))
-
+        self._update_statusbar(display % (message.username))
         self._threads.add_work(self._post_favourite_message,
                 self._exception_favourite_message,
                 self._connection.favourite,
@@ -1219,6 +1238,11 @@ class Interface(object):
         self._favourite_action.set_property('sensitive', False)
         return
 
+    def _new_message(self, widget, user_data=None):
+        """Opens the text area for a new message."""
+        self._show_update_box()
+        return
+
     # ------------------------------------------------------------
     # Network related functions
     # ------------------------------------------------------------
@@ -1331,6 +1355,7 @@ class Interface(object):
         self._update_statusbar(_('Your status was updated.'))
         self._update_sensitivity(False)
         self._clear_text(None)
+        self._hide_update_box()
         return
 
     def _exception_update_status(self, widget, exception):
@@ -1598,4 +1623,4 @@ class Interface(object):
                         'protected/private.',
                 metavar='CHAR',
                 default=_('<small>(protected)</small>'),
-                is_cmd_option=False)
+                is_cmd_option=False)
\ No newline at end of file