diff --git a/lib/arm/arm_machine.rb b/lib/arm/arm_machine.rb
index 16855cbf..4cd80581 100644
--- a/lib/arm/arm_machine.rb
+++ b/lib/arm/arm_machine.rb
@@ -57,11 +57,10 @@ module Arm
       exit
     end
     def function_entry block, f_name
-        #      entry.add_code  push( :regs => [:lr] )
-        block
+        block.add_code  push( [:lr] , {})
     end
     def function_exit entry , f_name
-      entry.add_code  mov(  :pc , right: :lr )
+      entry.add_code  pop(  [:pc] , {})
     end
 
     # assumes string in r0 and r1 and moves them along for the syscall
@@ -72,48 +71,7 @@ module Arm
       syscall( block , 4 )
     end
 
-    # make a string out of the integer.
-    # as we don't have memory management yet, we have to pass the string in (ouch)
-    # in a weird twist the string is actually a string, while we really use its address.
-    #      this works as the program will save any strings used onto the assmbly (thus creating a global)
-    def integer_to_s block , string
-      block.add_code push( [:lr ] , {} )  #return address
-      # pin data, so no saving when recursing
-      str_addr = Vm::Integer.new(0)
-      block.add_code add( str_addr , left: string)
-      # need to create a block to do the actual utoa, which is recursive      
-      tos = utoa(str_addr)
-      block.add_code call( tos , {} )        # call the workers in
-      block.add_code pop( [:pc] , {} )       # return
-      block.add_code(tos) # and then add the new block to actually generate code
-    end
     
-    def utoa str_addr
-      number = Vm::Integer.new(str_addr.register + 1)
-      remainder = Vm::Integer.new( number.register + 1)
-      tos = Vm::Block.new("i_to_s") 
-      #STMFD  sp!, {r9, r10, lr}               #function entry save working regs (for recursion)
-      tos.add_code push( [:lr ] , {} )      #and the return address.
-      #  MOV    r9, r1                         # preserve arguments over following
-      #  MOV    r10, r2                         # function calls
-      # BL     udiv10                         # r1 = r1 / 10
-      div10( tos , number  , remainder )
-      # ADD    r10, r10, 48 #'0'                   # make char out of digit (by using ascii encoding)
-      tos.add_code add( remainder , left: remainder , right: 48 )
-      #STRB   r10, [r1], 1                   # store digit at end of buffer
-      tos.add_code strb( remainder , right: str_addr )  #and increment TODO check
-      # CMP    r1, #0                         # quotient non-zero?
-      tos.add_code cmp( number , right: 0 )
-      #BLNE   utoa                           # conditional recursive call to utoa
-      tos.add_code callne( tos , {} )
-      #LDMFD  sp!, {r9, r10, pc}              # function exit - restore and return
-      tos.add_code pop( [:pc] , {} )
-      return tos
-    end
-        
-    private     
-
-
     # the number (a Vm::integer) is (itself) divided by 10, ie overwritten by the result
     #  and the remainder is overwritten (ie an out argument)
     # not really a function, more a macro, hence private
@@ -132,7 +90,7 @@ module Arm
       #          ADD    r1, r1, r1, lsr #16
       block.add_code add( number , left: number , right: number ,  shift_lsr: 16)
       #          MOV    r1, r1, lsr #3
-      block.add_code mov( remainder , left: remainder  , right: remainder , shift_lsr: 3)
+      block.add_code mov( number ,  right: number , shift_lsr: 3)
       #          ADD    r3, r1, r1, asl #2
       tmp = Vm::Integer.new( remainder.register + 1)
       block.add_code add( tmp , left: number , right: number ,  shift_lsl: 2)
diff --git a/lib/core/kernel.rb b/lib/core/kernel.rb
index ae2f3879..c3392920 100644
--- a/lib/core/kernel.rb
+++ b/lib/core/kernel.rb
@@ -37,11 +37,42 @@ module Core
         block = function.body
         buffer = Vm::StringConstant.new("           ")
         context.program.add_object buffer
-        # should be another level of indirection, ie write(io,str)
-        ret = Vm::CMachine.instance.integer_to_s(block , buffer)
-        function.return_type = ret
+        str_addr = Vm::Integer.new(0)                  # address of the 
+        block.add_code Vm::CMachine.instance.mov( str_addr , right: Vm::Integer.new(1)) #move arg up
+        block.add_code Vm::CMachine.instance.add( str_addr , left: buffer)   # string to write to
+        context.str_addr = str_addr
+        itos_fun = context.program.get_or_create_function(:utoa)
+        block.add_code Vm::CMachine.instance.call( itos_fun , {})
+        #        function.return_type = ret
         function
       end
+
+      def utoa context
+        function = Vm::Function.new(:utoa , [Vm::Integer , Vm::Integer ] )
+        block = function.body
+        str_addr = context.str_addr
+        number = Vm::Integer.new(str_addr.register + 1)
+        remainder = Vm::Integer.new( number.register + 1)
+        #STMFD  sp!, {r9, r10, lr}               #function entry save working regs (for recursion)
+        #automatic block.add_code push( [:lr ] , {} )      #and the return address.
+        #  MOV    r9, r1                         # preserve arguments over following
+        #  MOV    r10, r2                         # function calls
+        # BL     udiv10                         # r1 = r1 / 10
+        Vm::CMachine.instance.div10( block , number  , remainder )
+        # ADD    r10, r10, 48 #'0'                   # make char out of digit (by using ascii encoding)
+        block.add_code Vm::CMachine.instance.add( remainder , left: remainder , right: 48 )
+        #STRB   r10, [r1], 1                   # store digit at end of buffer
+        block.add_code Vm::CMachine.instance.strb( remainder , right: str_addr )  #and increment TODO check
+        # CMP    r1, #0                         # quotient non-zero?
+        block.add_code Vm::CMachine.instance.cmp( number , right: 0 )
+        #BLNE   utoa                           # conditional recursive call to utoa
+        block.add_code Vm::CMachine.instance.callne( function , {} )
+        #LDMFD  sp!, {r9, r10, pc}              # function exit - restore and return
+        #automatic block.add_code pop( [:pc] , {} )
+        return function
+      end
+      
+
     end
     
     extend ClassMethods