diff --git a/jrx/src/popup.ts b/jrx/src/popup.ts
index 56bf62f..caf54e8 100644
--- a/jrx/src/popup.ts
+++ b/jrx/src/popup.ts
@@ -311,6 +311,23 @@ pi_repop
         }
     }
 }
+
+
+//async function
+//mk_spend
+//    (source    : string,
+//     recipient : string,
+//     amount    : number)
+//{
+//    let nonce: number = await get_nonce(source);
+//}
+//
+//async function
+//get_nonce
+//    (source: string)
+//{
+//}
+
 /**
  * get account balance of ak_... str
  */
@@ -318,12 +335,12 @@ async function
 pi_balance
     (akstr : string)
     : Promise< {ok      : true,
-                balance : number}
+                balance : string}
              | {ok      : false,
                 reason  : string}
              >
 {
-    let endpoint_init_url         = 'https://demonet.qpq.swiss/v2/';
+    let endpoint_init_url         = 'https://demonet.qpq.swiss/v2';
     let this_endpoint             = endpoint_init_url + '/accounts/' + akstr;
     let input_params              = {pubkey: akstr};
     // fetch: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/fetch
@@ -334,10 +351,11 @@ pi_balance
     switch (response.status) {
         case 200:
             // unstringify the body
-            let return_data = response.json();
+            let return_data = await response.json();
+            console.log('return data', return_data);
             // get the balance
             // @ts-ignore talking to foreign api
-            let balance = return_data.balance;
+            let balance = return_data.balance.toString();
             return {ok      : true,
                     balance : balance};
         // pubkey malformed